168 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Serratulce, as well as I remember, for many years, had only once fallen 

 into my hands in this place, where I found it in the evening, sleeping with 

 two specimens of fritillum upon a flower. For the past ten years, how- 

 ever, 1 have annually (possibly as the result of more careful searching) 

 found this species, but only in small numbers, between the end of May 

 and the middle of June ; but lately only in single badly weathered speci- 

 mens. In Midsummer and Autumn I have never seen it here. This 

 cannot be the spring brood of fritillum, as the time of flight of fritillum 

 begins with the first of June, and only a little later than that of serratulce. 

 The latter flies also in the Alps, at the same time as the other related 

 forms, in July and August. 



Were I to base my judgment upon the occurrence of the two species 

 in this vicinity, I would unhesitatingly pronounce them specifically distinct 

 and easy to separate. But I am made very uncertain by specimens which 

 I have found in Wildungen, only a little more than five miles distant from 

 this place. There I found (on clay slates) the typical aheus and ser- 

 ratuhv moderately common, but fritillum only singly. Among the few 

 specimens that I have yet in the collection is at least one fritillum £ 

 with a strong inclination towards alveus, and a saratuhv °. of uncommon 

 size, which might almost as well be referred to alveus. Besides, if I were 

 to endeavor to distribute among the known types the numerous examples 

 found in the different parts of the Alps, multifariously varying in their 

 size, in the cut of wings, in color and markings, the uncertainty would rise 

 to such a degree that it might easily be conceived how Meyer-Dur (Tag- 

 falter d. Schwciz, page 218, fig.) draws together as forms of a single species 

 all three of them and cacalnv ; yes, and even carthami. In the fact 

 that the usually specified separative characters will not throughout stand 

 the test, he is certainly correct. 



Local and climatic influences, which are so productive of various 

 modifications, particularly in restricted localities of high mountains, 

 undoubtedly play a great part here ; and it is naturally to be expected 

 that, in places where the different forms live in large numbers in close 

 proximity, the close limits among themselves would be obliterated by con- 

 tinual crossings. 



At a former time specimens were sent to me under the name ccrsii 

 Ramb., said to be from the vicinity of Paris, which had much white upon 

 the upper side of the hind-wings and brick-red on the under side. They 

 appeared to me at that time not to be specifically distinct from fritillum. 



