BUTTERFLIES OF THE RHONE VALLEY. 293 



noted a hybernated ? (Toiieptcnj.v rliaiinii. On the upper vineyard 

 paths I found several huoria lathonia, in prime condition, and picked 

 up three specimens of McUtaea dciune var. beriaaloisis, and another 

 individual of this species was netted as it sipped at the blossoms of a 

 high privet bush. 



The following day I left Sierre by an early train for Aigle. The 

 morning was gloriously fine, and I resolved to break the journey at 

 Vernayaz, and spend a few hours under the cliffs there. The glorious 

 promise of the morning was not realised, for long before midday the 

 sun became hidden by clouds, and afterwards it beamed forth only at 

 intervals. Some of these sunny intervals, though, were of sufficiently 

 long duration to afford a good insight into the entomological wealth 

 of the locality, and in consequence the day was very far from being 

 uninteresting. The privet bushes were laden with blossom, and as 

 soon as the sun burst forth insects were attracted to the bushes in 

 swarms. The commonest visitors were Brentiiis dajiltne, and Loireia 

 \&v. (jordius, the former being in excellent condition, as were also the 

 5 s of (jordius. Amongst the other species attracted to privet were 

 Headex vir(iaitreae, Nordwanuia ilicis, Melitaea dictijnna, Aporia cratacji, 

 IpJiidides jiodalirius, Knodia Iiijjieranthtis, Kpineplide ianiro, (JalUiiioijdia 

 doiiiinida and several species of Anthrocerids. Amongst the $ (/orditis 

 at privet I was delighted to net a particularly fine example of ab. viidas. 

 The brambles were also in full bloom, and attracted many insects, 

 including a freshly-emerged Dri/as pajihia ; this species formed an 

 addition to the list, which was still further increased by the capture 

 of a perfectly fresh Luiienitis Camilla, flitting about the pathway. 

 Only the J s of tJeodes vinjaiiieae were out, and several perfect 

 specimens were taken as they sat sunning themselves on the blossoms 

 of flowers. Hippanliia akyonc was not uncommon, flitting about 

 the pathway. Other species seen or captured included Knjimis 

 lavaterae, Adopaea lineola, A. flava, Aiii/iades sijlcaniis, Lycamta ariun, 

 Cijaniris seniiar(/iis, Poli/oniDiatiis aiiiaiida, Melitaea athalia, M. pJioibc, 

 Argijnuis adippe, Leptoi^ia sinapis, Ki(c/doe cardamines, Gonepterij.v 

 rlianini, Parnassins apollo, Pulipjonia c-albnni, Pararge viaera. Coeno- 

 nymplta ijdiis and Erebia i^ti/yne. Swarms of Vanessa io larvse were to 

 be seen wherever the wild hop was trailing over the undergrowth, and 

 a batch of young larviB which I brought back with me fed up well on 

 nettle, and produced a nice lot of good-sized imagines. 



The following day, June 23rd, I spent working the St. Triphon 

 marshes and Charpigny. In the marshes, Paranje acliiiie, a species 

 new to me, was very common, flying lazily about the willow hedges. 

 The specimens proved to be all J s, and were in the finest condition. 

 l>re)ithis ino was flying in small numbers over the marshes, but 

 unfortunately it was very worn. The latter remark applies also to 

 P(di/oiiniiatus aiiianda and Coenoni/iiiplia ipliis, which were both fairly 

 common. A worn specimen of Krynnis alceae was picked up in the 

 marshes, and other species more or less common here were Adajiaea 

 lineida, Polyommatus Jiylas, and Melitaea dictynna. On leaving the 

 marshes, I made my way up the slopes of Charpigny, with the 

 particular purpose of working Melitaea athalia closely, which I under- 

 stood to be a common insect in this locality. On arriving at the 

 summit of the hill, I found that the grass in the meadows had been 

 recently cut, and consequently the number of athalia on the wing was 



