November, 1001]. 261 



JULY IN THE CEVENNES (LEPIDOPTERA). 

 BY A. HUGH JONES, P.E.S. 



In June, 1899 (vide Ent. Mo. Mag. [2], vol. x, p. 1S6), I spent a 

 short time in the Cevennes. This year I paid a second visit, accom- 

 panied by my friend Mr. H. Eowland-Brown. Arrivine; at Sainte 

 Cecile d'Andorge on July 16th, on the following day we drove a 

 distance of about 20 miles through very picturesque mountainous 

 country, though not very suggestive of good collecting ground, to 

 Florae. Here we remained several days, visiting the Causse Mejean, 

 an elevated tableland of some 30 or 40 square miles, but our chief 

 hunting ground was near the chestnut groves on the low^er slopes of 

 the mountain I'Empezou where we found some patches of saintfoin 

 and lavender-covered hillsides. By way of Sainte Enimie we then 

 started down the Gorges du Tarn to Le Rozier, a distance of about 

 26 miles, breaking the journey at Chateau de la Caze (now turned 

 into a hotel) ; not far from the Chateau, on an uncultivated piece of 

 ground about half an acre in extent, we found an abundance of 

 butterfly life, and out of the 64 species observed in the Cevennes 46 

 occurred_ at this one locality. Some of the species were in the 

 greatest abundance, for instance, P. Podalirius, C. Edusa and Hyale ; 

 S. Briseis and P. Dorilis, P. Daplidice, A. Latonia, and L. Dolus 

 were also represented, and a Sphinx convolvuU just emerged turned 

 up in an unexpected manner. At this point of the stream, a some- 

 what narrow defile, the inundations of last year had left a sad 

 impression. Many of the big trees which skirted the river had been 

 torn up by their roots and lay in endless confusion, and others were 

 bent almost to the ground : nor can one be surprised at this when one 

 hears that in a few hours the river rose 30 feet ! 



On July 25th we started on our further journey down the river 

 and its rapids with much anxiety as to the fate of our specimens on 

 the setting boards, but thanks to the good steering of our boatmen 

 we arrived at Le Eozier without a single pin becoming loosened. 

 The road through the valley to the stalactite caves of Dargilan and 

 Meyrueis seemed very promising for collecting, but the weather was 

 unsettled. From Millau, the furthest point south reached by us we 

 took the train to Mende, north of the Cevennes, which place we 

 reached on July 27th. Bad weather now set in, and during our stay 

 at Mende we had but one fine day, July 29th, amply repaying us, 

 however, for our sojourn there. Among the lavender-covered hills 

 between Mende and the next station on the I'ailway (Balsieges) we 



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