102 [May, 



The distribution of H. lu/erana in the south of France appears 

 to be very limited, apparently it occurs over a considerable area in 

 Spain and Africa. The neighbourhood of Hyeres seems to be the 

 only French habitat. I have no data for deciding how far its re- 

 striction is due to climate, and how far to food plant. 



At Hyeres its food plant is Aspliodelus microcnrpus, Vir. The 

 names and synonyms of these Asphodeli are very pi'ofuse and intri- 

 cate, but this species seems now to be recognised by the name micro- 

 carpus, and its synonyms sunk. I do not know the distribution of 

 this plant westward of Hyeres, but eastward it is very limited (I 

 have certainly seen it in various places in Spain, but I am discussing 

 the French area). 



At Hyeres the A. microcarpus is widespread, occurring freely on 

 the hills close to Hyeres, and down close to the beach at La Plage, 

 some two or three miles off. Along the coast and coast hills it is 

 more or less abundant eastward at Bormes, Le Lavandou, and Cava- 

 laire, though the Tortrix does not seem abundant even if present 

 beyond Le Lavandou and at St. Croix, some 27 miles from Hyeres 

 the Asphodel ceases. At Ste. Maxime (36 miles) there is no Asphodel 

 whatever. Beyond this there is one little patch just past Ste. Raphael, 

 and a small field is crammed with it a little way from Agay. The 

 Tortrix is apparently not present here. There is also a small 

 colony of the plant on the He Ste. Marguerite, Cannes, which I have 

 always found very clean from any kind of insect attack. 



The Aspli. microcarpus fails entirely then as, going East, we 

 reach the Esterel. A. albus occurs all over these mountains, and in 

 places is abundant. Though Tortrix unicolorana, which affects both 

 AspJiodeli, is here abundant, there is no trace of H. liyerana. 



Having thus arrived at the conclusion that IL. liyerana is very 

 particular as to its food plant, and sticks to one Asphodel and refuses 

 another, which can only be discriminated by some little care, and one 

 would suppose would be just as palatable, we discover a further fact 

 that makes such a conclusion very doubtful. One day Mr. Eaine 

 gave me some Tortrix larvae which he had found near Le Lavandou, 

 on a rather rare Lupin, Lupinus cryptanthus, Shuttleworth, with a blue 

 flower. The same Lupin was common at Ste. Maxime, but it afforded 

 no larvae. I nourished these larvae on general principles, expecting 

 indeed they might be something good, the plant being a rare one, and 

 finally they spun up. I was somewhat astonished to find they did so 

 in just the same manner as H. liyerana^ taking in the same way a 

 colourless aestivating form. I concluded I had got a good thing, 



