66 THE entomologist's record. 



ground could have been covered, more common species would have 

 been observed. 



The following species interested me more particularly : — Si/ricJitMoi 

 carthami. — I had never before seen this species alive. The specimens 

 were large and finely marked. Some individuals much sprinkled with 

 yellowish from the base to the middle of the fore-wings. The under- 

 sides exceedingly pale. One specimen with the white spots on the fore- 

 wings much reduced in size. Theda ilicis. — This species occurred 

 abundantly with T. ir-alkun, on the privet-blossom, in the clearings of 

 the woods. Some very fine examples of the ab. ccrri, with a large brown 

 patch on the fore-wings, near the outer margin. There appears to be 

 every intermediate form between the specimens with a well-developed 

 patch extending over five interneural spaces, and those with only a 

 slight tinge, and so on, to the forms with no trace of it. In the 

 neighbourhood of Cannes, Milliere says that the abs. (rrri and oesculi are 

 less rare than the type. He also says that this species passes the winter 

 in the pupal state, but as he avers that the caterpillar of ii^-alhiim is to 

 be found " sur I'orme on juillet et aout," after the imago has appeared 

 in May and June, and that the caterpillar of Zeplnjrus quercua occurs 

 " en juillet sur le Quen-UK rohur,'" after the appearance of the imago in 

 June, one suspects that he may be wrong, and that the statement 

 wants corroboration. Mditaea athalia. — This was the most abundant 

 butterfly, and was very generally distributed over large areas of the 

 Forest. The minor variation was very remarkable. The tendency for 

 themalestohavedarkbasesto the wings ( = ab. hasalis), the union of the 

 two median, black, transverse lines in the lower half to form a band 

 (= ab. transrcrsa), the yellower ground-colour of some of the females 

 (= ab. l('uri)ipc), the widening of the black outer marginal line on 

 the fore-wings, the increased depth of the markings on the underside 

 of the fore-wings, and a tendency to pallid coloration on that of the 

 hind-wings, the central band becoming almost pearly in some speci- 

 mens, are remarkable. 



Paranie achine.- — This species was abundant in the shady portions 

 of the Forest, and in spite of the carliness, as it seemed to me [the 

 insect was common at Mendel (Tyrol) in July, 1894] , of its appearance, 

 only a few perfect specimens could be obtained. Freshly emerged 

 individuals were often disfigured by a slit extending almost through- 

 out the length of one of the wings. What alliance has this species 

 really with Parartie, as represented by P. eijeria and P. vici/arra ! 



Coe7ioni/))ipha arcania. — This species was in the greatest abundance 

 throughout our stay, the females in much better condition than the 

 males. I have never seen it in such numbers before. The 

 specimens exhibit considerable sexual dift'erence, the males having 

 a darker margin, and darker and more continuous nervures to the 

 fore-wings, and more smoky hind-wings. The male, too, has rarely 

 the ocellated spot situated towards the apex of the fore-wings. This is 

 usually present in the females, and the latter generally have some 

 spots on the hind-wings, but there is considerable difference in the 

 number of these spots. On the underside the apical spot may be 

 absent = ab. obsoleta, or even occasionally double = ab. bijmpillota. 

 The width of the pale band on the underside of the hind-wings varies 

 much, and the number of spots in this band is also variable. 



The moths of Fontainebleau proved much more interesting than the 



