BUTTERFLIES IN SWITZERLAND IN 1908. 135 



restficted than formerly. This species was, as always, difficult to 

 distinguish on the wing from Polijonttuatus escheri, which was fine and 

 abundant. P. hylas was also particularly plentiful. Parnassius 

 mni'm<mine. was still flying in the fields above the hotel, but was 

 getting over. Besperia cacaliae appeared to be speciallj* common 

 towards the head of the Steinenthal, as also was Erebia erias, though 

 the latter was getting very worn. Lycaena alcon, on the other hand, 

 was scarce in this locality. E. ceto occurred plentifull}' up to a 

 certain elevation in the valley and was quite fresh ; beyond this point 

 it was replaced b}' K. erias. 



On July 3rd, the younger of us climbed a steep gully on the east 

 side of the Furgenbaumhorn,- and was astonished at the great num- 

 bers of G£neis aello and Erebia yorge, with which he met. It was not a 

 convenient situation for catching butterflies, but among his captures 

 were some remarkable forms of O. aello 5 , in which the ocellated 

 spots on the upperside are doubled in size and number. The whole 

 upperside of these specimens is also dai'ker than usual, the pale 

 fulvous portion being reduced to a definite antemarginal band. 



On July 4th we moved on to Simplon Kulm, but the road from 

 Berisal onwards was singularly devoid of entomological interest. The 

 fields at the top, however, were a mass of flowers, and here butterflies 

 were flying more freely, those most in evidence being Melitaea aiirinia 

 var. iiierope, and Af. parthenie var. varia. The former is certainly a 

 brighter form than that which occurs in the Engadine, and of the 

 latter we took an interesting series, one specimen having a broad black 

 border in place of the usual series of linear divisions. The females 

 varied considerably, the greenish tint of the upperside being much 

 more conspicuous in some than in others. We also found Hesperia 

 cacaliae, PolyoDnnatiis orbituliis, and Brenthis pales var. isis. 



On July 5th we visited the moraine of the Kaltwasser Glacier, but 

 the sun was unfortunately clouded over soon after we got there. We 

 were able, however, to show that Erebia alecto var. glacialis was just 

 coming out by securing two very fresh specimens. We were also very 

 much interested to take an undoubted specimen of Hesperia andromedae: 

 this was one of three or four small Hesperiids, which were seen 

 buzzing together over a damp patch of bare earth, and looking more 

 like flies than usual. We believe this to be a new locality for the 

 species. 



On July 6th we walked to the Seventh Refuge and back. On the 

 way we took an earlj^ Colias palaeno, and a fine melanic form of 

 Brenthis euphrosyne. We were surprised to find Lycaena alcon flying 

 in quite large numbers over the marshy ground on the right side of 

 the road as we descended. Its flight was heavy and languid, and it 

 was consequently easy to catch ; possibly this was owing to the com- 

 parative coldness of the day. We have previously only found this 

 species one at a time, but on this occasion w^e might have taken 

 twenty-five or thirty in as hort while. At the Seventh Refuge, Q^lneis 

 aello, Erebia mnestra, E. epiphron, and ft', evias were plentiful, but we 

 took only a single specimen of E. christi. 



On July 7th we again visited the Kaltwasser moraine, but wind 

 and cloud combined to make it too cold for any butterflies to be 

 tempted out of their retreats. 



July 8th, our last day, was spent very happily in the Laquinthal. 



