246 the entomologist's record. 



(for we proposed to stop one night at the inn on the outskirts of 

 the forest), started on our journey. The road for a few miles was 

 somewhat rough, but the remaining portion of the route was rougher 

 still ; the road disappeared and tracks across the marsh were mapped 

 out iu every direction, the one chosen by the driver being apparently 

 selected at the whim of the moment. We drove through various 

 lagoons, passed herds of cattle, and eventually reached Peszer. The 

 forest is a comparatively narrow strip of woodland, but extending 

 many miles, and the trees, consisting chiefly of oak and poplar, are 

 not large ; the undergrowth, principally blackthorn, is in places some- 

 what dense ; there are swampy spots and open sandy spaces both 

 of which, for .their respective species, offered splendid collecting- 

 ground. The species of Apatura, Limenitis and Neptis — which I saw 

 so abundantly later — were all conspicuous by their absence, yet 

 Herr Aigner told me that be once took a solitary specimen there of 

 Neptis aceris. Their absence, however, was made up by the abundance 

 of Melitasid and Argynnid species — Melitaea phoebe, M. cinxia, and 

 M. didyma were fairly common — M. trivia was plentiful, but getting 

 a little "passe." I however took, by careful selection, a fair series, 

 including two females. M. athalia was very abundant and so were 

 Brenthis hecate and Issoria lathonia, and in the finest possible condition, 

 whilst that magnificent species, Dryas pandora, was quite common, 

 although not always caught. In the swampy places in the wood I 

 took a magnificent series of Chrysophanus alciphrm, including two 

 females. The Theclids were well represented by three species — Thecla 

 $pini, T. ilicis, and T. acaciae, the last two being in the greatest 

 profusion at the flowers of the privet. Melanargia suwarovius so far 

 we had not seen, and we could only assume that it was not yet out. 

 On our homeward journey to the inn through the forest, I found, on 

 Aristolochia clematitis, full-grown larva? of Thais polyxena in the 

 greatest abundance, but, as I was starting in a few days for Hercules- 

 bad, I reluctantly had to leave them. Outside the wood on a sandy 

 waste, many moths were seen. Heliothis dipsacea was not rare, and 

 one H. scutosa was taken; at rest Cucidlia balsamitae was occasionally 

 met with. 



We were very comfortable at the inn, everything being clean, and 

 we returned to Budapest after two days' delightful collecting. Culti- 

 vation is making sad inroads into Peszer, and in not many years 

 to come it will probably not remain as a forest, and one of the 

 finest collecting-grounds in Hungary will be no more. 



On June 27th, on my return from Herculesbad, accompanied by 

 Herr Aigner, I made another excursion to Peszer after Melanargia 

 suwarovius. The day, as on the last visit, was absolutely perfect. All 

 the species of butterflies, with the exception of Dryas pandora, had 

 quite disappeared, which shows that the life of a butterfly in those 

 warmer climes is but a short one. Other butterflies now appeared on 

 the scene. Beautiful freshly-emerged specimens of Scoliiantides 

 (Lycaena) orion var. nigricans, a black form, second-brood, of course, 

 were common, and, in swampy places, Heteropterus morpheus was fairly 

 abundant, whilst here and there were specimens of Colias hyale and 

 ' '. myrmidone. The day was well advanced, and we had not seen a 

 trace of Melanargia suwarovius, but, after having practically given up 

 all hopes, two male specimens were seen and captured. They were 



