LEPIDOPTKKA AND COI.EOPTERA OK THE SAAS VALLEY. 175 



(rt) with two moderate- si zed normal spots and distinct angulated line = ab. 

 pallida : {h) with three spots, two ordinary and one intermediate = 

 trtiiKiciila-jKillida ; (r) the angulated line almost obsolete, the pale area 

 being continuous, and pale median area on hindwings =ab. ohsoleta- 

 pallida. Besides these there is an intermediate $ form, in which the 

 outer part of the pale area is lighter than the basal. These may have 

 the ordinary two spots =ab. Intrnnedia, or three spots —triiiiacida- 

 inti'iiiictlia. 



From Resti to Zenschmieden, three interesting species attracted 

 attention, n'z., Hippartliia alcijone, Hippaiclria setiieU', and Sati/ruK 

 rnrdida. The last-named was going over, and only three females worth 

 setting fell to the net. The variation in these three examples is very 

 remarkable (1) small, with four, well-marked, pupilled spots on fore- 

 aud well-developed one on hindwing, the pale bands being well marked. 

 Another is large, with the two central spots on forewings small, and 

 the pale band on forewings almost, those on hindwings quite, obsolete. 

 The third example is intermediate in size, with two spots only on fore- 

 wings, the others marked only by white points and the anal angle 

 of hindwings also almost obsolete. 



Those lepidopterists who want to record Satyrus actaea from Switzer- 

 land must get the real thing. I quite agree with those lepidopterists who 

 assert that the sonthern actaea is a species quite distinct from cordida. It 

 is an insect much nearer to statiliutiiy in shape of wings, etc., than to 

 conlala. My judgment is based largely on Spanish ac^rtm. The $ s are very 

 specialised. H. semch' was remarkable for the richness of the colour 

 of the orange-brown patches of the $ , two examples from Fontaine- 

 bleau being the only ones in my long series approaching these in depth 

 of colour, the undersides are equally richly coloured. This form is surely 

 not aristaeKs, which is the local form from the Mediterranean Islands. Of 

 H. alcyone I ought to have taken a long series, but the species is not 

 always easy to take, and uphill miles being long, one must not hang 

 fire too long on the road, otherwise the species had evidently not long 

 been out, and possibly 50 per cent, of those netted were worth keeping. 



There is an old Kentish proverb that " the older one gets the bigger 

 fool one becomes," which I presiime is meant to suggest that the older 

 you become the more information you get and the less cocksure of 

 things in particular you become. This is certainly my position with 

 regard to the athalia group of Melitaeas, of which I now begin to fancy 

 I recognise a lowland (and woodland) ioriw oi Mditaca athalia and a hill 

 or mountain form, the former, as I know it, occurring in the woods of 

 central p]iurope, and the latter, the Alpine lowlands from about 1500 or 

 2000 to almost 4500 feet elevation. This latter form was found here 

 and there between Stalden and Hiiteck in single specimens, very worn, 

 only four examples (and these none too good) being considered worthy 

 of pinning for reference ; a single specimen of il/. dirtipiua was also 

 taken. 



What a glorious valley this would be for those collectors who love 

 year after year to go to the New Forest to c&'pture 1 >njas paphia. Here 

 it is in hundreds, whilst ralesina is also abundant, and Ann/niiis niohf, 

 A. aylaia, A. adippe and A. latho)iia are almost as frequent, and. for a 

 change, a very fine race of I^oiiassiKu apollo. Our box was so full of 

 other fry that we were obliged to consign our samples of these larger 

 . species to the lining of our hats, a proceeding that does not, as a rule, 



