BUTTERFLIES IN HUNGARY IN 1910. 189 



Butterflies in Hungary in 1910. 



By J. N. KEYNES, M.A., D.Sc, F.E.S., and G. L. KEYNES. 

 {Concluded from page 164.) 



Earlier in June, 1909, Dr. Rosa found Liinenitis populi abundant 

 on tlie Domogled route ; we met, however, with one very worn 

 specimen only. On the other hand fresh specimens of L. caniilla and 

 L. s)/billa were taken, but these were not at all abundant. 



Previous collectors at Herculesbad have been successful with 

 the two species of Xeptis, and Dr. Rosa and Mr. A. H. Jones 

 both found N. lucilla very abundant on the Domogled route. For 

 some reason, however, the season of 1910 seems to have been 

 unfavourable to this species, and three specimens — two J s and a 

 $ — were all that we obtained. This was very disappointing, as 

 we had hoped to be able to become familiar with the characteristics 

 of this species and to compare its habits with those of the 

 genus Limenitis. N. aceris did not occur on the Domogled, and 

 was therefore never seen in the company of A', lucilla, and seldom 

 with Limenitis, but it was fairly abundant in the valley. For cabinet 

 purposes the species was quite over, and it was difficult to get 

 specimens worth setting, but by the time we left Herculesbad the 

 second brood had just begun to appear, and one fresh specimen was 

 secured on July 12th. N. aceris is an exceedingly fragile insect, and 

 the wings of nearly every specimen were irregularly chipped all round 

 the edges, but the character of the injuries did not suggest frequent 

 attacks by birds or lizards so much as damage sustained while the 

 insect fluttered amongst the brambles and other bushes. We may 

 mention in connection with this that only on one occasion did we 

 observe a bird making an attack on a butterfly. The intended victim 

 was a (? of Dnjas paphia, but the attempt was a half-hearted one and 

 the butterfly escaped. Birds were scarce in the district, and the 

 lizards must have been a more important source of danger to butter- 

 flies ; these lizards were very numerous, and seemed to be fond of 

 sitting among the bushes often at some distance from the ground. 

 Their green colour rendered them very difficult to see, but they could 

 be heard scuttling away, and the disturbance among the leaves shewed 

 where they had been. The flight of N. aceris is characteristic ; it is 

 very often to be seen floating about over bushes, and in this respect 

 resembles Limenitis, but its flight is so much more gentle than that of 

 its boldly flying relatives, and its size so much smaller, that it is not 

 likely to be confused with them, at any rate by its human enemies. 

 Our experience of X. lucilla was too limited to be of any value, but 

 such as it was, it suggested that this species bears a very much closer 

 resemblance to Limenitis than N. aceris. 



Single specimens of Apatura iris were often to be met with in the 

 Cserna-Thal, but there was no sign of A. ilia. In some seasons there 

 appears to be a very great abundance of Libythea celtis at Herculesbad, 

 and this was found to be the case by Mr. Jones in 1907 and by 

 Dr. Rosa in 1909. In 1910, however, this species was scarce, and we 

 obtained only four specimens, one in the valley and three at the Quelle. 



The Satyrids at Herculesbad are of great interest, chiefly on account 

 of Pararffe ro.velana, a very fine species, which has here its most 

 accessible haunts. This species was formerly restricted to the woods 

 immediately below the Weisses Kreuz, but during recent years it has 



