EIGHTEEN DAYS ON MOUNT CANIGOU. 53 



Eighteen days on Mount Canigou. Pyrenees Orientates. 



(With tivo plates.) 

 By G. T. BETHUNE-BAKER, F.L.S., F.Z.S., F.E.S. 

 Continuing my Vernet notes, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and I wended 

 our way to Canigou on July 14th. The day was bright and continued 

 so until well on in the afternoon, when it became cloudy with more 

 or less of a mist. There was but little to record in our captures, 

 unless we make an exception of Sati/nm hriseis. This species we took 

 on the side of the hill in front of the little way-side well and spring, 

 where, no doubt, other pedestrians besides ourselves have often sat 

 down and had their lunch. In that spot one or two of the Anpjnmdae, 

 as well as 8. briseis were disporting themselves in addition to many of 

 the commoner species. The earlier part of the day was spent 

 collecting, so that we did not arrive at the Chalet Hotel des Cortalets 

 till just before dmner time. If the accommodation seemed at first some- 

 what primitive, the proprietors, M. and Mme, Saporte were kindness it- 

 self and showed quite a personal interest in their guests ; twice after 

 the departure of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson did my good host come 

 after me, fearing I had lost my way, as I was an hour or two later 

 than usual. The first time 1 met him 9\'as about an hour from the 

 hotel, and as he was gun in hand, I enquired whether he was after me 

 or an izard, as I feared I had not much in my pockets that he would 

 care for, and he replied, enjoying the fun. that he feared I should not 

 be good for food, as he rather expected I should be a tough morsel. 

 The mornings and early afternoons weie glorious almost all the time, but 

 occasionally the mists rolled up from below and involved an early return 

 to afternoon tea. There were several species I was keen to get : first, I hoped 

 for Flebeiiis pyrenaica, but in this I was disappointed and I suppose- 

 that there is no doubt it does not occur in the Eastern Pyrenees. 

 Then there were Krehia lefehcrel and HepialHs pi/renaicns, about which 

 latter I especially wanted to ascertain something of their habits, and in 

 both of these wants 1 was very fortunate. The first day we all three 

 made for the Canigou glacier, whilst on the second day we explored a 

 rocky gully on the left of the little valley through which we had to go 

 to get to the glacier. In each case Krebia lefebvrei was the object of 

 our search. 



On the 15th, in the trough of the vale or alpine pasture ./v/vi/Vf 

 lappuna was the first species to be caught. Insects were by no means 

 plentiful, and probably every one was chased. As, however, we 

 approached the rougher ground some black Erebiae were espied, and 

 soon Ave found ourselves among E. lefebrrei, but it was not abundant, 

 and a very different looking insect from the large spotted form I had 

 taken at Gavarnie. Superficially, it was much more akin to var. 

 astiir h'oin. the Picos de Europa. There was also another difference ; 

 at Gavarnie, I only took the species absolutely on the screes en route 

 to the Porte d' Espagne, or on the high track (now only a cattle track) 

 just before the " Porte " is reached, this spot also being entirely screes 

 again, though of a much finer material than lower down. Here,, 

 however, it by no means confined itself to screes, it liked the rocky 

 and rough parts, but we were most successful away from the real 

 screes, though it occurred on them, but less commonly. An 

 March 15th, 1914. 



