THREE WEEKS IN THE ABRUZZI. 277 



general run of Swiss specimens. Palyoviwati(>i icarus varied a good 

 deal ; the J s were all of a deep rich blue, but while some were 

 strongly spotted round the border of the hindwing, others showed no 

 trace of spots whatever, the S s were universally without blue on the 

 upperside, and had without exception a border of orange spots on all 

 the wings. This was in fact characteristic of the $ icarKs in all 

 localities visited, so I shall not refer to it again. The underside of the 

 (? s varied much in ground colour, some being of a pale grey and others 

 of the rich golden-brown shade, which is frequent in Central and 

 Southern Italy ; they showed also, as elsewhere in the Apennines, a 

 distinct tendency towards the ipliis and ieanniai forms. Both sexes 

 varied greatly in size, especially the ^ s. I have already mentioned 

 the tendency of Melanavf/ia (jalatea towards the (jalene form ; the only 

 other species in any way remarkable was the single specimen of 

 Erynnh lavateme, which has the forewings of a pale whitey-brown, 

 contrasting even more strongly with the dark hindwings than is usual 

 among the Swiss specimens, and differing widely from the North Italian 

 examples, e.;/., from Iselle and Varzo, in which the fore-and hindwings 

 are of nearly the same shade. 



On the lith we went for one night to the mountain village of 

 Scanno, reached by diligence from Anversa, the second station from 

 Sulmona on the line to Rome. The diligence now leaves Anversa 

 station after the arrival of the 9.43 train, which leaves Sulmona at 

 9.18, and it is well to secure seats beforehand, by writing or 

 telegraphing to the station-master. The village of Anversa is about 

 three miles from the station, and from this point a diligent entomologist 

 should certainly ivalk the remaming ten miles to Scanno, for it is 

 excellent hunting ground, with the exception of the only steep piece of 

 the road, namely the piece immediately below Villalago. It is, 

 moreover, in the lower part a magnificent, and in the upper part a 

 lovely, load, though it must be admitted that those writers who tell us 

 that the gorge of the Sagittario compares favourably with the Gondo 

 Gorge, are guilty of serious exaggeration. Scanno itself is a place of 

 extraordinary interest for the sake of its inhabitants, and is as yet 

 thoroughly unspoilt. The new hotel, the Albergo della Pace, is said 

 to be very comfortable, but not knowing of its existence, we had 

 arranged to go to the primitive Albergo del Lago, which was quite 

 passable and with very good cooking ; the bill for three of us for a 

 24 hour's stay amounted only to fr. 13 : 20 ! I am told that the 

 landlord speaks English, but we did not test his capacity, as we were 

 universally supposed in the Abruzzi, and indeed at Subiaco also, to be 

 French — I have no notion why ; at Assisi last year the peasants insisted 

 that I was Bavarian ! — Had they said " Bohemian" I should have been 

 less surprised. We arrived at Scanno in time to get some luncheon, after 

 which I took the path above the village on the right bank of the stream 

 where I took the following species : Acpiades bi'llan/Ks, one only, worn, 

 A. coridun, just coming out, Poli/Dnuiiatus irarits, common, but worn, 

 P. hi/las, worn, Plebeiits. an/iis (aeifcm), one of the $ s with blue on the left 

 side only, but not gynandromorphous, P. rt/v///r(>//HM»(o«, worn, Celastrina 

 aniioliis, Kliufia aptjii, Apnria crataei/i, mostly fresh, Pieris napi, worn 

 out, P. rapae, Colias edum, Brenthh daphne, quite in rags, Kpinepluie 

 hjcaon, very fresh. It was getting late, however, and it was also evident 

 that I should have been at Scanno some days sooner, even though it is 



