COLLECTING KHOPALOCERA IN FRANCE, 1913, 227 



I had time to see the magnilicent cathedral before leaving the Place 

 Lamertine, in the centre of the city, by the steam tramway for Puy de 

 Dome. In early June the first train does not start until 10.15, and 

 though the line was open to the summit, I contented myself with 

 booking to the station La Font de I'Arbe, which was reached about 

 11.0. There I started working the lower slopes of the Puy de Dome. 

 Unfortunately the day was windy, and not too sunny, and possibly 

 because I was too high up for the date, I only succeeded in getting 

 about two dozen insects, the best species being Brenthis i'lijihrosijne. 

 As it was very close and threatened thunder in the early afternoon, I 

 left La Font de I'Arbe shortly after 8.0 p.m., and reached Clermont- 

 Ferrand Station in time to catch the train to Perpignan and Yille- 

 franche, in the Pyrenees Orientales, at which latter place I arrived at 

 noon the next day. From here one is conveyed by a good service of 

 motor cars to the Hotels at Vernet-les-Bains, a distance of about three- 

 and-a-half miles uphill. The hotels at Vernet are all under the same 

 management, and one has the run of all their grounds. I stayed at 

 the Hotel des Bains Mercador, which I found most comfortable and 

 quite reasonable. 



After lunch I set out " on the prowl," working up the valley of the 

 river Cady, on the road to Casteil. The day was fine and the sun very 

 hot, conditions which continued during my stay at Vernet. Only a 

 few insects were taken this first afternoon, but they included two fine 

 male examples of Papilio podalinnH var. feisthamelii. It was the first 

 occasion of my meeting with this form, and I was greatly interested 

 in seeing how much they were attracted to the damp patches on the 

 mountain roads round Vernet, occasioned by the overflowings of the 

 irrigation streams in the farmers' fields ; again and again did this 

 insect return to its feast after being disturbed by passers-by. I worked 

 up to Casteil, a quaint little mountain village with its tiny church, 

 and got as far as the Ravine de Saint Martin. 



On June 9th I walked to Casteil, and after passing through the 

 village and crossmg the river, pursued the road parallel to the Jou 

 torrent for about two hours until I reached two " cortals " (mountain 

 shelters for the shepherds and their flocks), where I turned to the 

 right to ascend up to the tower of Goa, which stands so conspicuously 

 on the hill-top. Around the tower I again found Papilio podalirim 

 var. feiatltamelii, with ['. )iiac/iaon and I'l/raiiieis atalanta, all three 

 pursuing one another with avidity, as is their wont on high ground, 

 but Loveia alcipliron var. f/ordins, which occurs there, was not yet out. 

 It was a hot and tiring journey, but repaid one for the trouble. 

 Between Vernet and the tower of Goa, I found that Aporia cratae(ii 

 was much the most common insect, although its predominance seemed 

 likely to be questioned very shortly by /'. pmlaliritis var. feist/iamelii, 

 which daily appeared in increasing numbers. I took ScoUtantidea orion 

 during the day and a tine specnnen of Arctia rillica. 



On the following day I collected in the Valley of Saint Vincent, 

 which is best approached through the winter garden at the back of the 

 Hotel des Bains Mercador, from the top of which descent is easily 

 made into the road. I went up the road as far as the Cascade des 

 Anglais, a very pretty spot, and here again P. podaliriiis var. 

 feisthaiiu'lii were both numerous and very fresh. More Scolitcoitides 



