342 Excursion of an Insect Hunter in 



the entomologist, — for the toil of clambering among the steep 

 and rugged acclivities. 



Although I have specified this spot as the richest mine of rare 

 species, I was not able myself to visit it more than once during 

 a stay of four weeks. On two other occasions I ascended as far 

 as the upper Sattel, and when I had got a view, from its jut- 

 ting shoulder, over the ice plain towards the Gems-grube, I was 

 obliged to turn back disappointed, from the quantity of snow that 

 had fallen there. And in truth this (1844) has been one of the 

 most unfavourable seasons I could have fixed on for my excursion. 

 Storm and snow often drove me back with my boxes empty, or 

 kept me shut up in the house for days together ; the precious 

 time passing away heavily without a determinate object, while re- 

 piningly I turned over the leaves of the books I had brought along 

 with me. 



Not more fortunate was an excursion to the Leiter, which is 

 indeed rich in plants and probably in insects also, but that Cam- 

 bridge, a pass of a league in length, where all one's attention is 

 incessantly required^to avoid falling over the precipice, is not well- 

 adapted for collecting insects. 



On the other hand, three excursions which I made to the 

 Moharkopf and the Astner plains were very productive. There 

 I found, to my not small delight, Hepialus ganna, a species I had 

 never seen before, on the wing in open day. An excursion to 

 the Alp-horn of Zirknitz too procured me, in addition to the 

 species of Salmo peculiar to that locality, an extremely inter- 

 esting new Chiton, the first of the genus that has to my know- 

 ledge been found in fresh water. 



On my return I stopped for eight days at Salzburg, where a 

 careful inspection of private collections, as well as of the exten- 

 sive one belonging to the Prince Archbishop of Schwarzenberg, 

 has enabled me to submit to the scientific public the annexed 

 commencement of a ' Fauna Lepidopterorum ' of Salzburg. My 

 desire is, that this, imperfect as it is, may serve as an introduc- 

 tion to the riches of this nearly unexplored district, and may in- 

 duce many of my entomological friends to frequent excursions in 

 that direction. 



PAPILIONIDiE. 



Melitaa maturna*. M. cynthia, three specimens taken in the 

 meadows of the Brettboden, elevation 7000 feet. Its season seems 

 to be the month of July. Inhabits high mountain ranges. M. ar- 

 temis*. M. merope, a few were found on the 9th of August about 

 the precipices of the Gems-grube above the Mer de Glace ; they 

 were quite fresh. The insect is very wild and difficult to catch on 

 account of its rapid flight and the nature of the ground. M . cinxia, 

 didyma, phoebe, dictynna, athalia, parthenia*. M. asterie, a species ex- 



