THE LEPIDOPTERA OF THE STAEFA BOGS IN 1909. 77 



The Lepidoptera of the Staefa Bogs in 1909. 



By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 



The Lake of Ziirich sparkled gloriously, and Sfcaefa was bathed in 

 brilliant sunshine when we arrived there on July 23rd, 1909, to pay 

 another visit to Mr. Muschamp, and Avith the idea of picking up some 

 thi'eads that we had lost all too soon the previous year when exploring 

 the bogs among the hills at the back of Staefa. These bogs were so 

 •entirely new to us as a collecting ground that one feels one could 

 never get tired of them, and we still feel that we would like to spend 

 some considerable time studying the micros which abound there, and 

 which we unfortunate!}^ had no time even superficially to sample. 

 The work we are engaged on, the life-histories and habits of our 

 butterflies, demand all our attention, and more than all our leisure, 

 and one has to keep one's nose very closely to the grindstone, both in 

 and out of holiday season, to get ahead with what seems a never- 

 ending entomological task. This will be considered, perhaps, only a 

 lazy excuse by our micro-lepidopterists who might reasonably expect 

 one to give them at least some material and some details from so 

 prolific a spot, as a contribution towards their special work. We 

 have already described the bogs of Staefa, their numerous springs 

 welling out from the hillside, and the pine-woods that back them up 

 on the side nearest the lake and Staefa, and there is no need to add to 

 what we have already said as to the beautiful outlook as one climbs 

 up behind the town into the fields and looks across the lake to the 

 mountains on its southern side. The morning of the 24th was 

 perfect, as we wended our way towards the bogs again, with memories, 

 however, that would not be silenced, that had recently come from 

 ■other visitors to Switzerland, to the effect that the weather had been 

 atrocious in Switzerland right into July, that storm and cold had 

 been the order of the day, that insects were amazingly backward and 

 scarce, and that one need not expect to get much in the usual well- 

 provided haunts this season ; Mr. Muschamp had also reported 

 unfavourably, and so our spirits were not unduly elated at expected 

 success. 



That the season was later and altogether less prolific than the 

 preceding year was evident. The large numbers of common species 

 observed in the town itself, in 1908 were altogether wanting, scarcely 

 any Pierids, and no sign of Coliads or Vanessids. Enodia hi/pt'ranthus 

 and Kpinephele ianira were only just emerging, and the former was 

 apparently especially well-spotted on the underside, with, occasionally, 

 the spots tending to a slightly elongated pear-shape (ab. cloiKjata, □. 

 ab.) suggesting the more highly developed form ab. lanceolata, Frohawk, 

 whilst a very bright brown form of the underside (ab. brunnea) appeared 

 to us unusual. Aiifiiades sj/lvanus and Adopaea jiava were still 

 abundant and not worn to shreds as they were in 1908, and a beautiful 

 •example of Papilio mackaon proved quite worth the time spent in care- 

 fully stalking it. f.cptosia sinapis now and again fluttered along in its 

 leisurely manner, but the summer brood was evidently not fully out, 

 whilst an occasional Loiccia dorilis only made up for its comparative 

 abundance of the preceding year. Turning into the open wood just 

 before the bogs were reached, Melanariiia (jalatea was frequent, as it 

 had been by the roadside just previously ; so also was I'ieris napi, and 

 April 15th, 1910. 



