COLOURED WONDERS OF THE TROPICS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 234, 21 June 1918, Page 6

COLOURED WONDERS OF THE TROPICS

0 UNIQUE EXHIBITION IN MELBOURNE. Something of Hie coloured wonder of the tropics is being in Melbourne by those who visit the insect collection oi' Mr. V. V. Dodd, in (he upper Athenaeum Hull, Collins Street. The insects shown have been found in Northern Queensland and New Guinea, and represent a remarkable contribution to entomological knowledge and a. unique i displav of the artistry of nature, li'ron: the delicate beauty of butterflies and | moths one may pass to the sheer murder indicated bv a "praying" mantis, which, ; having caught a hawk moth within its . toothed claws, cuts its captive head first, j Small bees are shown sleeping on twigs, ; while the curious green tree ant, is card- ; ed in the act of co-operating with others | of its species in the formation ol a liv- j ing rope for the purpose of swingisis from one tree leaf to another. But the glory of the exhibition lies in .1* moths and' l>ullcrflies. One case, drawn twin New Giiiinoa, is a bla/.e ot eo.oui~t.ale blue, violet, brown, yellow, lavender, royal blue-arid over all a mut ot powdered gold. Another case contains li'pialidae, exquisitely toned in mows green, pink, pale brown, dove grey i;-" silver. Farther on is another selection suggesting fallen autumn leaves, .jtiti'o of the moths shown are gigantic. me New Guinea flection contains a specimen of the Coficinoeevii Hercules stretching 11 inches and a half, with brown wings flecked with silver eyes. Interesting demonstration is also given of »« ture ? "camouflage," certain butterflies «nJ moths closely resembling leaves when heir wings are shut. The Director of BdueaHon is circularising within the. metropolitan area, bnn ji 0 the exhibition to the notice o schola.s, to whom it should be a centre of absorbing interest. '