NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXI. 1914. 299 



A PEELIMINARY ACCOIJNT OF THE LEPIDOPTEROUS 

 FAUNA OF GUELT-ES-STEL, CENTRAL ALGERIA. 



By WALTER ROTHSCHILD, Ph.D., F.R.S. 



GUELT-ES-STEL is situated oa the " Hants Plateaux "' ia the Province of 

 Alger, about 92 kilonaetres south of Boghari, and is between 3300 and 

 3600 ft. above the sea. It consists of a Bordj or Rest House, an Arab cafe, a 

 Post Official's house, and two or three native huts and stables, and is situated in 

 a narrow valley between two ranges of low hills. This valley widens ont about 

 4 or .5 kilometres north and south into the great Haifa Plain or " Mer d'Alfa " of 

 the French. The soil is clay and loam mixed with much stone, and is very rich 

 in plant life, being almost covered with bushes and innumerable Compositae, with 

 here and there a stunted Juniperus or Betoum {Pistacia atlantica). 



Our first acquaintance with Guelt-es-Stel was in 1911, when we stayed there 

 for lunch on our way to Ghardaia. On our return journey we were delayed there 

 some hours owing to the theft or loss of some luggage, and Dr. Nissen was for- 

 tunate enough to discover Enchloii tagis pechi. This determined me to revisit the 

 place for a more prolonged stay, and Dr. Nisseu, Dr. Jordan and I spent ten days 

 there in the second half of April 1912. In spite of unfavourable weather, we 

 caught so many good species that I made np my mind to have the place thoroughly 

 explored. To this end I have had Victor Faroult collecting there for fifteen or 

 sixteen months, and Dr. Nissen has most generously sent me much that he has 

 taken ; so that, although I believe the locality is far from exhausted, the present 

 list gives a very good idea of the Lepidoptera of one of the richest collecting 

 grounds in Algeria. The area collected over is about 12 or 14 kilometres 

 long by about 4 or 5 wide ; and I think the fact that this small area produces 

 about two-fifths of the species of Rkopalocera known from Algeria — viz. 40 out 

 of 105 — will prove very surprising to most entomologists. In spite of the 

 careful and systematic collecting, a few species which undoubtedly occur, snch as 

 PapUio mac hao n, hsive escaped us; but, on the other hand, so many unexpected 

 rarities, such as Ci/mbalophora haroldi, Holcocerus powelU, and Chondorostega 

 powelli, have been taken, that the locality, small as it is, is undoubtedly a veritable 

 entomological El Dorado. 



The following is a complete list of the species we have taken ourselves or 

 received from Victor Faroult : 



RHOPALOCERA. 

 PAPILIONIDAE. 



Fieriuae. 

 1. Pieris (Leucocliloe) daplidice raphani (Esp.). 



Papilio Dainm raphani Bsper, Eur. Schmelt. vol. i. Part II. p. 163. pi. Lxxxiv. Cont. xxxiv. 

 (Russia). 



Of this species I have not obtained a very large series, and it appears to be 

 mnch rarer than the several species of Euchloe. A small series of specimens are 



