314 THE entomologist's record. 



Hesperiids are a hardy race, but, as it seems to be generally agreed 

 that there is but cue brood of this species, it may be assumed 

 that the emergence is somewhat prolonged. My earliest date of 

 capture abroad is June 23rd, 1899, at Susa, and this in the 

 mountainous country of the Mont Cenis region, whilst it was 

 not out at Digne that year before. The Riviera brood is not 

 likely to be later beginning than this. Bromilow in his Catalogue 

 gives June to September ; my earliest observations in England 

 show the first week in July. I do not remember ever to have found 

 it on the wing after the first weeks of September. Here, at least, the 

 fiight is prolonged over a much longer period. On October 16th — a 

 splendid day wnth a cloudless sky — through mountains gorgeous with 

 the changing hues of autumn, and especially beautified by the dazzling 

 red of the Bhiis cotinus, mingled with the burnt gold of the sycamore, 

 the diligence carried me from Puget-Teniers to St. Andre. Very few 

 butterriies were upon the wing, with the exception of the ubiquitous 

 CoUaa. At the top of the pass which looks towards St. Andre I 

 noticed, however, a single Brentliis cnphrosynf, evidently the last of 

 the second brood, and one specimen each of B. ilia and (J. deopatra. 

 On the 17th I was once more at Digne, but just as the first week in 

 April was too early, so the third week in October was obviously too 

 late, and an overcast day did not assist matters, though I spent the 

 whole of it in the morning on the right bank of the Bleone, in the 

 afternoon on the slopes above the old cathedral. The former locality 

 produced ( ^/iri/so/ihanns n/tlacas, quite fresh; one female C. dorilh 

 ('? third brood) ; several Pob/onDiiatns coiijdon, males, one, with most of 

 the black borders obliterated ; a brood of P. icartis, presenting no special 

 features ; and one small male /'. hcllarifiis. In the poplar copses by 

 the riverside Paiartic t'<ieria was common, and a large worn Catocala 

 flew up out of a small potato patch. On the other side of the river I saw 

 nothing on the wing, and with this morning terminated for me the 

 season of 1902, for the rest of my tune was devoted to towns and 

 cities, which soon brought me beyond the influence of the not always 

 " sunny "' south. I had certainly hoped to have made up a rather 

 better note-book of emergences, to say nothing of captures. Lampidex 

 tdicani(s, which occurs on the Riviera right up to Decen.ber, I did not 

 see. J J. haeticut^, which obviously hibernates in the imaginal stage- — if, 

 indeed, it be not continuous in these southern climes, for I found it 

 four years since at Hyeres in much the same condition on April 3rd 

 — was confined to Beaulieu {ef. Knt. llec, vol. ix., pp. 250-1). As far 

 as weather goes, the early season to the end of May appears to have 

 been unusually wet at Digne, but not so on the Riviera, where a rainy 

 season comes with the regularity of the tropics in October. In the 

 case of some single specimens I may add that, though I did not catch 

 them, I Avas most careful to secure absolute identification, and one 

 or two such (? A. helia, and ? an Erebia on the St. Andre road) 

 I have relegated to the "entirely doubtful" list. Entomologically 

 speaking, my spring and autumn visits have yielded little, but I have 

 " staked out " in a sanguine spirit several promising localities for 

 further investigation which I hope to reach next year, before the 

 autumn has finally set its seal upon the collector's hopes. 



