LEPIDOPTERA IN FONTVIELLE. 163 



number of Hydriomena /areata (eliitata) and H. imphu-iata, Cidaria 

 fidvata and C. corylata. A few Odezia atrata were noticed in their 

 very restricted haunts. Ort/iolitha plnmbaria was rather scarce, this is 

 a somewhat local insect with us. A fine fresh $ PacJn/a {AmpJiidasis) 

 hetularia was taken at rest on a grassy bank on the 22nd. 

 This usually common insect is decidedly scarce in this district. I 

 have only taken two or three altogether. One or two afternoons were 

 spent in a fruitless search for Kntepliria awsiata a species which 

 occurs rarely amongst rocks on the tops of these hills. 



On June 15th I went to Pont-llan-fraifch principally to ascertain if 

 Melitaea onrinia were still to be found there. This beautiful insect 

 was to be found in one field in abundance up till 1907, in which year 

 I took a good series, but for some unexplained reason, has decreased 

 in numbers since ; last year only a few were seen. I was delighted to 

 find M. aiirinia in decidedly increased numbers, I took a few picked 

 specimens, one or two had very large yellowish marginal spots on the 

 lower wings. The best aben-ation taken was one with the central 

 spots on the lower wing entirely black, instead of the usual yellow, 

 this example is exactly like the one figured by South in his British 

 Biittrr/lieH, pi. 65, fig. 6. I found insects were fairly plentiful up till 

 lunch time, but mostly of a common order, the commonest species 

 was (Jranibiis perlelliif; and its var. wat rini/tonellKs. I was very pleased 

 to take Botj/s lujalinalis a Pyralid new to me as far a,s this district 

 is concerned. About 2 o'clock it began to rain heavily which put a 

 stop to further collecting for the day. 



(To he concluded .) 



Lepidoptera at Fontvielle. Bouches du Rhone. 



By Eev. F. E. LOWE, M.A., F.E.S. 

 Spending the greater part of June in the South of France, I decided 

 to follow up a suggestion made by Mr. Kenneth Morton, in last year's 

 Entoiiiolor/iHt, and try the district near Aries, called " Les Alpines." I 

 am bound to say that from a lepidopterist's point of view it proved 

 entirely disappointing. Insects were, as a rule, very ordinary, and 

 with one or two exceptions few in numbers. I entered upon the chase 

 with great hopes, for the locality is weirdly-attractive and unlike any 

 other place I have seen. As will appear, however, the results of the 

 expedition were so insignificant that I should not venture to chronicle 

 them but for two reasons — first, that the Editorial Secretary presses me 

 for an account of my last year's experience, and secondly, that Mr. 

 Tutt so constantly urged that information of what districts do not 

 produce was important, as well as what they do. In a word, he 

 desired negative as well as positive evidence. Well, Les Alpines affords 

 little but negative evidence. The dates of my excursions were June 

 19th, 20th and 21st. We were lodged at the Hotel du Forum, Aries. 

 Les Alpines, or Les Alpilles as some French authors prefer to call the 

 hills, are reached by the strangest of railways from a little station 

 connected by a footpath with the P. L.M. Station. The line runs 

 through a desolate country skirting the Alpines which lie to the 

 left. The carriages of this Cliemin dc fer departmental <i' Aries are 

 remarkable even in a region notable for antiquarian interests, 

 and remains of hoary antiquity — they must be quite seventy years 



