164 THE ENTOMOLOaiSx's KECORD. 



old. Upon examination they proved to be old third-class coaches 

 of our own G.W.R. and M.R. They have, however, been promoted to 

 the dii^-nity of second class, and without any attempt to remove the 

 plain English "Third Class." A large 2 has been painted upon the 

 central panel of the doors, which would seem to be the only paint they 

 have received since they were discarded by* the English companies. 

 But at the cautious pace at which the train ran we were landed safelj' 

 at Fontvielle, our distination. After a hot walk of about half-an-hour 

 we reached the beginning of our hunting-ground which is an irregular 

 treeless moor between two ranges of low hills— those on the left Les 

 Alpines, sometimes attaining a fair height, but bare, the lower range 

 on the right is wooded towards the top. There are extensive stone 

 quarries at the base of the hills and strange excavations which are said 

 to date from prehistoric times. The moor is crossed in every direction 

 by rough cart tracks and covered by a rough growth of wiry herbs and 

 grasses. Flowers were not abundant. On the wide spaces between 

 the quarries flew in moderate numbers, Melanan/ia f/alatliea, a few 

 " blues," with here and there Melitaea didijma and Cnennnyinpha 

 paiiiphiliiH. The best thing here perhaps was an occasional T/u/uielicus 

 actaeoit, or a still less frequent Anthoc/taris belia var. aiisonia. But 

 working upwards, always to the right, on higher ground, which was 

 dotted about with some stunted bushes, I came upon my first 

 encounter with Kpi)u'pliele ida. These were scarce the first day, but on 

 the second and third visit very abundant. This was the only 

 butterfly, which was a new experience to me. I secured a long 

 and perfect series of both sexes. A little thing in the habits 

 of this species, at least in this locality, occasioned me some surprise. 

 I should have expected to find its behaviour like that of its near 

 relative K. tithonxs, which appears always to gambol round bushes, 

 and especially the flowers of the bramble, basking often in dozens on 

 a single small bush. But K. ida entirely neglected the bushes for the 

 ground, and showed more the habit of Pararge nictiaera or Coeno- 

 nynipha pawphilnx. Among the " Moths " I had little better success. 

 I had hoped, on seeing such unusual ground, that I might find myself 

 among interestmg species of AcidaUdae or Craiidudae, but of the 

 former only two, and of the latter none, revealed themselves, 

 neither did I see a single Zygfenid. Two moths, however, I did find 

 which were quite new tome. One fresh specimen of Kverr/estis extiinalis, 

 which I boxed under the impression that it was a most remarkable 

 specimen of Pionea forficalu. The other species, of which I obtained 

 two male specimens, was a Noctxa, Eublemma stiavis, Hb., which I 

 believe is rather a good thing. These were kicked up out of scrubby 

 ground at a still higher elevation. The following is a complete list of 

 the Lepidoptera observed during my three visits: — -Papilio machaon (2), 

 Pieris hyaf^sicae, P. rapae, Anthucliaris belia var. au-wnia, Cioitepteryx 

 cleopatra, emerging; Colia edtisa, early brood Avorn ; Thecla ilicis, 

 mostly worn, generally very small, and of the var. aesridi : ('allopJirys 

 riibi, worn to rags; and Rinniria phlaeas, scarce. The "Blues" were re- 

 presented by Plebeian an/iis (^aei/on), the brood was passing; of the females 

 there were both the brown form and also that with much blue at the 

 bases of the upperside. Plebeian aniyroiinomon was small and scarce. 

 Saditaiitides baton, a few dark, rather small, and with diminished red 

 band on underside hindwings. Aricia inedon (aHtrarche), few and 



