NOTES ON MELAMPIAS EPIPHRON. 31 



the facts that (1) The iiniloubted specimens enumerated above, have all 

 been taken where both species occur. (2) The ^ genitalia are almost 

 precisely alike in both species. (B) Sabine notes {Proc. Sth. Land. 

 E)it. Soc, 1886, p. 61) that he once took & ^ A. theth in copula with 

 a 2 J. coridon. (4) The chief (? only) food plant of both species, 

 in places where both occur, is HippDcrepis co)iiosa. Now that the 

 various blue races of A coridon found in Asia Minor and Spain have 

 been referred to the names originally given to them, and polonus, 

 Zell., retained for the form that Zeller described, it w^ould be interest- 

 ing to learn whether an}^ other examples than those noted above are 

 to be found in any British or Continental collection. 



Notes on Melampias epiphron, its habits and habitats in Cumberland. 



By GEORGE WILKINSON. 



Melampias epiphron is one of our characteristic Cumbrian insects, 

 and for this reason it has always possessed a special interest for me, 

 and these stray notes may, I hope, be found of interest to others. 

 Melampias epiphron is essentially a mountain species, and, in Cumber- 

 land, is seldom taken at an elevation of less than 1500 feet. Below 

 this height it may be taken rarely, and, on one occasion, I noticed an 

 individual of this species as low as the foot of Green Gable, near the 

 farm of Seathwaite ; but the occurrence of specimens below the 

 1500 feet level, is probably due to their being blown down by strong 

 winds. With regard to the special nature of its habitat, an erroneous 

 impression seems to be prevalent. The general impression is that this 

 species is partial to high-lying, marshy places. Stainton, in his 

 " Manual " says, " always at a great elevation in marshy hollows on 

 the mountain-sides ; " and an entry in a MS. diary in my possession 

 reads, " June 30th, 1888, E. cassiope, at the head of Teesdale, on 

 marshy, peaty ground ; " but my own observations do not confirm 

 those just quoted, nor do they support the general impression that M. 

 epiphron shows a preference for marshy ground. On several of our 

 Cumbrian mountains it certainly does occur in marshy places, but it 

 appears to have a stronger partiality for 'dry, stony places; for, in the 

 latter localities, one can always find it in greater abundance. It is 

 found in some numbers ail around Styhead and Sprinkling Tarns, but 

 it is much more abundant on the rough boulder-strewn ground, which 

 surrounds the foot of Great End and Sprinkling Tarn, than on the 

 more boggy ground about Styhead Tarn. 



As regards the distribution of M. epijdiinii in Cumberland, it may 

 be said to occur on all our Cumbrian mountains possessing the 

 requisite elevation and suitable ground. Its headquarters are 

 undoubtedly at the head of Honister Pass, and behind Honister 

 Crag. On Dubs Moor, near the Drum-house — or Windlass-house — 

 belonging to the Slate Quarries, the species abounds in company with 

 Xemeophila pla)tta(/i)iis and Crambas ericelliis, M. epiphron is not un- 

 common on Helvellyn, and all around Ambleside ; it is very well- 

 established on all sides of Scawfell, Great Gable, and the Haystacks; 

 and the area of its distribution extends almost without a break from 

 Grasmere on the east, to Ennerdale Water on the west. At Styhead 

 and Honister at the end of June and throughout July, I have collected 

 A/, epipliron under the most diverse climatic conditions, and have been 

 able to take specimens even on the wettest days. On wet, dull days. 



