BUTTERFLIES IN THE LEBANON. 171 



below Djebel Chekif, the highest point of the northern Antilebanon. 

 It is the summer resort of Europeans resident in Damascus, and is a 

 good place for collecting, though the mountains are dreadfully bare 

 from over-grazing. Zebedani is the station for Bloudan (or Bludein), 

 and here I started with the net soon after 10 a.m., and hunted the 

 railway banks near the station before beginning the ascent. I found 

 Aporia crataeiji common, also Arijynnis niobe var. eris, A. lathonia and 

 Syrichthus mclotis. I also took a bad specimen of Pieris napi — the only 

 one I saw in Syria. In the cornfields on the way up to Bloudan, 

 were a good many Anthocliaris belia var. miiplonia, and, in the deep 

 bushy lanes near the village, Cyaniris aryiolus was plentiful. I caught 

 Aryynnh pandora coming fast round a corner, and then, ascending the 

 mountain above Bloudan, found plenty of Satynts telephassa, and also 

 a small pale Melitaea of which I took two or three, and now regret 

 that I did not take more as they were a nice form of M. cin.via, many 

 of them without the row of antemarginal spots on hindwings. At a 

 height of at least 5000ft. Lcucophasia duponcheli was flying ; and close 

 to Bloudan, at 4.30 p.m., I was lucky enough to get two specimens of 

 Anthocharis charlonia. This pretty butterfly is taken all over the Lebanon 

 and Antilebanon, but never, I think, in any abundance. Professor Day 

 had captured a few in various places, and I caught two more specimens 

 in places far apart from each other ; several more escaped me but I 

 never saw more than one in a day on any subsequent occasion. Next day 

 I took three specimens of Ni-wniades marloyi on the way down to Zebe- 

 dani. Returning to Beyrout in the vain hope of getting news from Mr. 

 Elwes, I finally gave him up and went. May 14th, to Beit Chabab, a 

 flourishing village in the Lebanon, about 3000ft. high, completely 

 embosomed in mulberry gardens. Here my dragoman has a very nice 

 house, where I stayed very comfortably for two days, whilst he arranged 

 everything for our tour. His two sons showed me all the country 

 round, which looked promising for butterflies, but, though the weather 

 was lovely, I saw very few insects of any sort, those I got were much 

 the same as around Brummana, excepting that I took one indifferent 

 female specimen of Lycaena semiaryus var. antiochena, and one of L. 

 anteros var, cmssipuncta. 1 tried my best to get more but never even 

 saw a second specimen of either in this district. I also took one 

 specimen of Satyrus Jirriiiionr, very dark, among the mulberry trees. 

 May 17th we started with the tents and rode round the lower slopes of 

 Djebel Sunnin, across the pass leading eastwards over the range to 

 Zahleh, and encamped about r)000ft. above the sea in a beautiful spot, 

 red sandstone formation, and grass and water abundant, with rhodo- 

 dendrons and Os)ni(nda rryalis fern growing along the watercourses, 

 whilst butterflies were more abundant than they had been lower down. 

 Here I took Lyrarna anti'ms var. rrastiipuncta in some numbers, and two 

 female specimens of the lovely L. semiaryns var. antiochena, besides 

 Aporia crataeyi, Chry^ophanm^ dorilis, and other common things. Next 

 day it blew a hurricane and we rode only a short way down the east 

 side of the pass, and encamped in the most sheltered place we could 

 find, as I wished to ascend Djebel Kneysseh, a great limestone mountain 

 8600ft. high, which rose due south of our pass. Here, on the eastern 

 side of the ridge I had two good days notwithstanding constant 

 and very cold gales. I took I'arnassiiiN mnemosyne, Aporia crataeyi, 

 C/iry>tu}ihaniis t/iersanion var. peraica, C. asabinns, L. anteros var. crassi- 



