SPRING BUTTERFLIES AT SIERRE, ETC. 167 



strayed into the house that same morning put us in good heart, and 

 next morning a mowing field of less than half an acre turned up no 

 fewer than 37 species, while, except for a day at the Glacier des Bossons 

 and a walk to Finbaut, we could hardly get past the spot. Here, we at once 

 found ourselves among the Parnassiids; J'arnassiita apollo was well out 

 and in grand condition, careering round the field, and then hovering over 

 a flower with that hesitancy which often landed it in the net. P. 

 mneniosi/ni' appeared twice, one being imperfectly developed. Of the 

 Lyc«nids, Ctipido minitims and Cyaniris .s^»/ian/».s were more abundant 

 than at Sierre, but freshly emerged, a GlaKcopsi/che cyllarus and 

 Scolitcvttides nrion were fairly common. I took some J. tlietia J s with 

 very pronounced orange spots on the lower wings. A single IpJiidvles 

 podaliriiis would take possession of fifty yards of high road, sailing 

 backwards and forwards, well on the alert, 3'et without apparently 

 moving its wings. A large Erebiid, Krebia evias I believe, becamecommon 

 as the road approached Finhaut, at about 4000 feet. Lcptosia sinapis 

 haunted every firwood on the way up to La Creusaz, and seemed to 

 run through the whole gamut of possible variation, very large, very 

 small, with very dark tips, and without any tips whatever. Fieris 

 rapae were very diminutive, one no larger than a fine A. thetis ; Pieris 

 rapae was now common, and I was pleased to take P. napi var. bnjoniae, 

 with nearly the whole upper surface clouded by the nervure shadings. 

 A brilliant Chrysophanid was just appearing when we left, Lotceia 

 alciphrnn var. (/unlius, skipping like a dancing flame from one blossom 

 to another ; L. dorilis was much more common, but worn. At 

 Chamonix I saw a splendid FJuvaneasa antiopa, and the pinewood 

 skirting the Glacier des Bossons was alive with F.uchloe canlaniines, 

 LeptoHia sinapis, and Mclonippe Iiastata. On June 4th, we went to 

 Zermatt, the weather was cold throughout the week, rain every after- 

 noon until the last few days, when it snowed continuously. Even in 

 the mornings we had only gleams of sunshine, the sun was often 

 obscured by one small cloud, which kept developing at the windward 

 side as it came up, and dispersing as soon as it was past the sun, so 

 we had the vexation of seeing the surrounding country bathed in 

 light while we were in the cold shade. I was much impressed 

 by the absolute necessity of the sun's rays for insect activity. One 

 morning about ten o'clock, before the sun had risen from behind 

 the Taeschhorn, I saw a fine Parnassius apolln on a grass stalk; the 

 net was carefully placed over it, but it did not move. I then tried to 

 tip it into the cyanide bottle, but it clung fast to the stalk ; finally I 

 pulled it off the grass and let it rest sideways on my hand, yet neither 

 leg nor antenna moved. Nevertheless, in ten minutes the sun had 

 risen hotly above the mountain, and /'. apollo were flying vigorously in 

 all directions. I often noticed this species and A/ioria rrataer/i drop 

 the instant the sunlight was clouded. It seemed as if they not only 

 preferred the sun, but were physically unable to fly without it. Can 

 this have anything to do with the supply of ox3'gen necessary to the 

 intense activity of insect flight? I^arnassius apollo also differs from 

 all butterflies of my acquaintance in its tenacity of life ; it was as 

 reluctant to die as the most intractable Sphingidor Bombycid. Lastly, 

 P. apollo must be made of good wearing material, for I have never 

 seen a specimen that was not in perfect condition. Pontia daplidice, 

 which I had not seen as yet, was common near Tilsch, also the Swiss 



