BUTTERFLIES IN THE LEBANON. 169 



Butterflies in the Lebanon (with Map). 



By (Mrs.) MARY de la B. NICHOLL, F.E.S. 



Very little is known of the butterflies of Syria. A catalogue exists 

 of the lepidoptera taken by the German consul around Jerusalem ; and 

 another, printed by Lederer, professes to enumerate the butterflies and 

 moths of the Lebanon ; but Lederer himself never collected in that 

 district. He only sent a collector to Beyrout, and this man does not 

 appear to have penetrated into the mountains at all, but confined his 

 researches to the coast, and neighbourhood of Beyrout. Mr. Elwes 

 and I therefore resolved to make an excursion to the Lebanon and 

 Antilebanon in May and June last, in hopes of finding out something 

 about the butterflies, A map copied from my guide book, 

 with my route specially traced, gives some idea of the country in 

 which my collection was made ; I have also marked the heights of the 

 principal peaks of the two ranges, all of which I ascended, excepting 

 the highest, most northerly, and most interesthig of all — Dahr el 

 Khotib, 9500ft. I had fully intended to go thereabout June 20th, but 

 time failed me. 



It will be observed that the ranges of Lebanon and Antilebanon 

 run exactly parallel to each other, in a north and south direction, 

 divided by the high and fertile plain of the Beka'a, which is from ten 

 to fifteen miles in width and forms the watershed of the rivers Litany 

 and Orontes. The Antilebanon rises to its highest point at its 

 southern extremity, in Mount Hermon, about 8750ft., whilst the 

 greatest mountain of Lebanon is Dahr el Khotib, at its northern end. 

 The two ranges resemble each other very much in shape and character, 

 but the Antilebanon is much less fertile than the western face of the 

 Lebanon, which, rising abruptly from the Mediterranean, gets more 

 rain and cloud than any other part of Syria, and is, accordingly, green 

 and well watered. Both ranges were thickly covered with forest, 

 within living memory, but the wood has been entirely destroyed — the 

 Turkish Government having cut down the trees and replanted none — 

 much as the French Communes have done. The whole region is over- 

 populated, over-cultivated, and over-grazed ; but as the cultivation is 

 of a slovenly character, the butterflies contrive to exist ; and a young 

 cornfield generally affords a good opening to the collector, especially as 

 nobody ever objects to a chase m the corn ! 



I arrived at Beyrout on April 28th, at daybreak ; and that same day 

 went to see a local collection of butterflies, made by Professor Day, of 

 the American College. This was extremely interesting, though by no 

 means representative of the mountain insects, as Professor Day is 

 detained at Beyrout by his college work till July is well advanced. The 

 most notable feature of the collection was a remarkable variety of 

 Pieris callkliie, taken on the highest summit of Dahr el Khotib (this 

 species I never saw). I found that it was already too late for Doritis 

 apollina, Kiic/ilac ihviKinc, and K. beleniia, all of which are to be had 

 along the coast in March and April, I never met with either of these 

 insects on the higher levels. 



As I had to wait six days for Mr. Elwes' arrival, I resolved to pay 



a visit to Brummana, about ten miles east of Beyrout, where there is 



a good mountain hotel. The place is magnificently situated, about 



2600ft. above the sea, from which it is not more than four miles distant, 



June 1st, 1901. 



