64 THE KNTOMOLO(tISt's RECORD, 



Butterfly Hunting in Greece, in the year 1900. 



By MAEGARET E. FOUNTAINE, E.E.S. 

 {Conchided from p. 35). 



To the butterHy collector in Greece Coliax hddrciehi is the one 

 prize before all others, to be sought after and looked out for. And 

 this buttertiy I had been given to understand only occurred on the 

 high and lofty mountains— such as the Parnassos — always above the 

 tree-line, at an elevation never lower than 7000ft. Judge, therefore, of 

 my surprise and delight, when one day about the middle of June, not 

 more than a few hundred feet above the village of Houdena, on the 

 lower slopes of Mount Chelmos, as we were riding steadily on, intend- 

 ing to reach the summit, I saw a large dark Colias, hovering rapidly 

 over the scrub and brushwood, but, as I found, on consulting my aneroid, 

 that it was only an elevation of about -iOOOft., I was not sufficiently 

 sceptical of the information I had received, even then, to dismount and 

 catch one, till one of the men who had come with the horses, and was 

 amusing himself by brandishing about my net, suddenly brought for 

 my inspection what I saw at a glance was unmistakably a magnificent 

 female of Colias Juidrcichi. I was soon on my feet and in hot pursuit 

 of every one I saw, which was no easy task over this rock-strewn 

 mountain-side, but the males of this lovely butterfly were flying in 

 every direction, so that I had soon secured several, not to mention 

 another fine female. A day like this is a day to be remembered in the 

 life of an entomologist. It is one which stands out quite distinct, 

 leaving an impression never to be forgotten. The long, toilsome 

 climbs of other and less successful days beneath a blazing sun, the 

 long hours of thirst and fatigue, which have so often brought in the 

 end little or no results, are all compensated for in the joys of the one 

 day, when the enthusiastic buttertiy hunter meets for the first time a 

 treasure such as this, flying everywhere in wild reckless profusion, 

 alluring the excited biped to run heedlessly over ground of the roughest 

 description, now jumping, now slipping, maybe even sometimes 

 falling, but never pausing \n the hot pursuit of the fascinating little 

 insect, that will make such a grand acquisition to the collection at 

 home. 



My companions on this occasion (an American gentleman and a 

 Greek, who spoke no language but his own) were neither of them 

 entomologists, but fortunately both were extremely good-natured, and 

 also apparently supplied with a good stock of patience ; otherwise — 

 well, otherwise — I suppose I should have been left behind. 1 have since 

 been told that I am the first British entomologist who has ever taken 

 Colias liddrcichi, or seen it alive ; and may I add that it is a sight 

 worth seeing. It began to appear, as I have already said, at about 

 IOOOft. and ceased above 5500ft., at least, such was the case with this 

 colony of them in the month of June. In July I have no doubt that 

 it would occur, as Herr Kriiper had said, above the tree-line and over 

 7000ft. To reach this much favoured spot was a three hoars' ride 

 over the mountains each way from Kalavryta, that being the nearest 

 village that could boast of an inn of any sort or kind. And they were 

 long tiring days ; but they left nothing to be regretted when, in the 

 late afternoon, beneath the lengthening shadows of western mountains, 

 Marcus and I would be riding home both with our pocket-boxes well 



