March, '08] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. in 



more quickly though less vertically in different directions. 

 Occasionally one. would settle on a rock, but if ever I did man- 

 age to get within striking distance I generally missed, so 

 quickly do they dodge. It is a great exertion to climb 3000 

 feet from the hotel to the regions of astarte. It is a great sight 

 when there to see astarte on the wing, common. But it is a 

 greater feat when seen, to catch it ! " Look ! there goes one. 

 He's off ! There's another. Look ! Two ! Behind you ! " 

 Indeed, at times they seem everywhere at once, and then per- 

 haps ten or fifteen minutes you may not see more than one, 

 passing like a flash. Between us, I think, we got ten in a 

 couple of hours, but then we were paying attention to Argyn- 

 nis alberta, Oeneis beanii and Chrysophanus snozvz, as well, and, 

 the writer especially, had an eye to moths also. Astarte is such 

 a brute to catch, and there are several other good things to be 

 had round the peaks, so that exclusive attention to this species 

 during one day's visit does not commend itself. Personally, 

 I w r as always a great muff with the net, and Mrs. Nicholl 

 more than doubled my catch. It may be that on duller days 

 with intermittent sunshine and lower temperature, this butterfly 

 may be easier to capture. I have had no opportunity of trying. 



Oeneis beanii was still more common at the same place. It 

 is decidedly shy of approach, but with extreme caution is not 

 hard to stalk when at rest and does not make long flights. I 

 think we got fifteen or twenty on that day in fine condition, 

 and nearly all males. Astarte were also prime, and males 

 exclusively. 



A. alberta was just out, and though far less common than 

 the others was much easier to catch. It is not a peak-haunter, 

 preferring even shaly slopes a few hundred feet lower. I 

 saw none on the extreme summit. Castle Crags, or rather 

 the lower ridges leading to them from Fairview, I found 

 good ground for it and an easy footing for quick movements. 

 It is a lazy, slow flier and does not like to rise. It often 

 settles, and from its low-flying habit I have often caught 

 a netful of shale, either instead of or as well as the butter- 

 fly. On that day we took about a dozen, both sexes. Later 

 in the day I found Oeneis beanii and astarte on the wing on 

 Saddle Peak as late as 5 p. in. It should be remembered that 



