198 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



At Simplon Village and in the Laquinthal the season was unusually 

 early. Erehia christi, for instance, was well out in the last week in 

 June (which may possibly account for the pessimism displayed by 

 certain Swiss Entomologists as related in our last number), and I 

 thought that by arriving on the Albula Pass a week earlier than I did 

 in 1911 I should certainly not be too early for species such as Erebia 

 pharte, Melitaea matnrna var. wolfoifihen/ori, etc., which had been quite 

 in rags the year before, nor even for those which, like il. asteria and 

 Hesperia andromedae, had been well out on the previous occasion. My 

 disappointment was therefore great when 3i. viatnnia only put in an 

 appearance, in the shape of two very fresh specimens, on the last day 

 of my week's stay, K. jdiarte in one specimen on the same occasion, 

 and M. asteria and H. androiin'dae never appeared at all, other species 

 also being equally late, with the general result that, as far as 

 specimens here were concerned, I might almost as well have stayed at 

 home. — George Wheeler, 37, Gloucester Place, W. July 1st, 1913. 



GONEPTERYX RHAMNI AND G. CLEOPATRA IN COMPANY. An equally 



unsuccessful visit was one I paid to the Ligurian Riviera this spring ; 

 there was however one fact which seems worth recording, vi^., that 

 Gonepten/.r rhainni and G. cleopatra were just about equally common 

 in the Portofino peninsula. The former were generally as large as, 

 sometimes larger than, the latter. The <? s of course are easy enough 

 to distinguish and the 5 s may equally well be recognized by the pale 

 orange streak near the middle of the forewing on the underside of G. 

 clenpatra. There was no sign of intermediates, and if there is still 

 anyone who supposes that G. cleopatra is the southern form of 

 G. rhainni this experience should go far to remove the impression. — 

 [Id.] 



Apperceptional Expectancy. — In a short article in the Can. Ent. 

 for June, Harry B. Weiss contributes some interesting remarks 

 concerning Protective Resemblance. He says that, " The perception 

 of an insect is modified by associated perceptions from adjoining 

 surroundings or adjoining parts of the butterfly. In addition to 

 sensation, which is the result of stimulation upon the organ of sight 

 by the object in question, perception is also determined by apperception 

 which is the contribution of the mind from previous experience. In 

 other words the mind also contributes something which helps to form 



the complete mental content Without this apperceptional 



expectancy fact insects would be more conspicuous than they are. . 

 . . . Many trained observers, and in fact, numerous birds, are able to 

 overcome this expectancy, and as a result discriminate such insects from 

 their surroundings, although such discrimination may be due in part to 

 an ability to perceive them. By reason of this apperceptional expectancy 

 many insects also appear more conspicuous amid certain surroundings 

 than others. The more the coloration of an insect approaches that of 

 its surroundings, the less conspicuous it becomes, but in all cases 

 apperceptional expectancy tends to make this inconspicuousness more 

 complete, and, as a rule, more protective." — [Quite so!] 



I5)0TES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



Deiopeia pulchella. — On Saturday last, June 14th, whilst 

 collecting on the Surrey Downs with my brother, Mr. A. Russell, I had 



