LEPIDOPTERA IN HUNGARY IN JUNE. 245 



Lepidoptera in Hungary in June (with two plates). 



By ALBERT HUGH JONES, F.E.S. 



I arrived in Budapest on June 4th, 11)07. and, on the following day, 

 visited the Museum, where I made the acquaintance of Herr Abafi- 

 Aigner Lajos, the well known authority on Hungarian lepidoptera. 

 Herr Aigner took an infinite amount of trouble in showing me the 

 collections — a special one solely of Eungarian lepidoptera was tome 

 naturally very interesting. The weather, the first week in June, 

 during my stay at Budapest, as elsewhere in Europe, was decidedly 

 bad; there were days of sunshine, but others were so cold and windy 

 as to render collecting quite out of the question. 



The first warm day, June (5th, I [err Aigner and I started by tram for 

 Kelenfold, and, after walking about two miles on the way, meeting with 

 only a, few Plebeius (L/ycaena) argus (aegon), we arrived at an extensive, 

 but narrow, strip of marshy ground, which had the appearance of having 

 been an old river-bed — there being a bank on either side. This was 

 the home of Chrysophanm dispar var. rittihix, and great was my delight 

 at seeing this beautiful snecies on the wing — specimens in the most 

 perfect condition, and as large as our dispar, whilst in the bright 

 sunshine the copper was most gorgeous. Yet another Chrysophanus, 

 almost as brilliant, < '. thersamon, occurred here. 1 secured one or two 

 very beautiful specimens of this, the first, brood, so much larger and 

 finer than the second. The latter species, however, was nearly over, 

 and so was ( '. dorilis, of which I took one or two examples. On the 

 banks of the marsh Coenonympha iphis was, particularly common 

 and in the finest condition. Here also I took a pair of Erynnis 

 (Careharodus) altheae. The most interesting moth was a black 

 Liparid with diaphanous wings, Hypogymna morio, which flew in 

 the bright sunshine and reminded one of a Psychid. Two days later 

 I again, with Herr Aigner, visited the marsh, but the wind was so 

 high and cold that nothing could fly in the open ; however, with some 

 difficulty we discovered a sheltered spot by the side of a wood a mile or 

 so distant, and butterflies were here most numerous — Coenonympha 

 arcania, a fine form, was in great abundance, and I took, among 

 other ' specimens of Melitaea trivia and Parnassius mnemosyne. 



1 was surprised to find this latter species so low down, probably the 

 high wind had blown it there. 



On June 11th, Herr Aigner organised an expedition to Svabhegy — 

 one of the numerous hills on the outskirts of Budapest. The elevation 

 was roughly about 1500 feet. Totally different species were here mel 

 with- Argynnis niobe var. eris was not uncommon, Colias myvmidone 

 was occasionally met with; Powellia (Hesperia) orbifer was very 

 abundant, but not in fine condition. Geometrids were numerous, 

 tlic most interesting being Siona decussata ah. fortificata, a species 

 peculiar to Hungary. 



Every collector of butterflies going to Budapest visits Peszer, 

 it possible. I particularly wished to do so, being anxious to take 

 Melanargia japygia var. mwarovius, which only occurs in Europe, 

 here and in South Russia. Herr Aigner told me that June 12th 

 would In- a good date, o, a 1 the early hour of 6 a.m., lie and I 

 left Budapest for Dabas, a two hours' run by railway. At Da has 

 we chartered a trap, and. after there taking in supplies for two days 



November 15th, 1907. 



