246 THE entomologist's IlECORD. 



I have had the advantage of a talk with Mr. Eothschild over my 

 observations and some he has made this summer. I do not agree with 

 him in regarding the ants' nest hypothesis as altogether improbable, 

 but I think there is more to be said in favour of a vegetable diet 

 found by the larva itself than I had previously appreciated. 



Switzerland and Tyrol in 1914. 



By D. H. PEARSON, F.E.S. 



It is very difficult in these days of war and trouble to carry one's 

 mind back to the summer holiday, or even to believe that it was taken 

 in 1914, but as so many people either missed their holiday altogether 

 or had it unduly prolonged, a few notes from one who was fortunate 

 enough to be early and to pick up a few " worms," may be of interest. 



We left London on June 24th, and travelled straight through to 

 Alvaneu Bad on the Albula, where we broke our journey to Pontresina, 

 as I was very anxious to find Brenthis thore and Livienitis populi, 

 which Dr. Keynes's interesting article had led me to expect there. 

 The weather was beautiful, but we were told that for about a fortnight 

 previously it had been persistently wet and cold, and this no doubt 

 accounted for the scarcity of butterflies, though it did not reduce the 

 number of " clegs " and other biting flies, whose appetites were 

 sharpened by the enforced fast. Dr. Keynes had very kindly given 

 directions for the spot for B. thore, but careful working for two or 

 three days failed to turn up a single specimen on the ground indicated, 

 i.e., in the meadows towards Tiefencastel, though I inanaged to tal\e 

 a short series, mostly in good condition, in the opposite direction, 

 towards Filisur, where Dr. Keynes had worked in vain. A large stone 

 slide had swept away a number of trees near the saw-mill, and it is 

 possible that his favourite patch of ground Avas destroyed ; but some- 

 thing had induced this very local insect to move its quarters. Of 

 Limenitis popuU nothing was seen at all, and possibly it was not yet 

 out. In the meadows of the river a nice little series of Melitaea aiirelia 

 was taken at a lower elevation than I had previously met with it. 

 Polyoiiuiiatus escheri was taken close to the hotel doors, and one P. 

 hylas, but the higher ground near Alvaneu produced practically nothing 

 beyond a few Coenonymplia ipliiA. 



On June 27th we took the train to Preda, walked on to the Weis- 

 senstein Inn, and then down to Bergiin, but though the day was fine 

 and the walk an interesting one, scarcely an insect was seen. One 

 Lycaena avion ab. imicolor was captured. 



On the 29th we moved on to Pontresina, where we stayed until 

 July 8th. A walk to the top of the Schafberg produced K^ebia yorye 

 var. tr lopes, one K. alecto, one E. eviaa, several Pontia callidice and 

 other trifles, but the top was still deep in snow. 



On July 1st we took the train to Alp Grum and walked down to 

 Poschiavo, meeting with some interesting insects on the way. In a 

 railway cutting below Alp Grum E. yorye var. triopes was not uncom- 

 mon, and could be comfortably swept oft' the wall face instead of being 

 chased over the usual scree ; some of the specimens were large and 

 very strongly marked. Several Erehia evias were taken, but all were 

 somewhat worn, and this was also the case with E. vwilKsa var. hippo- 



