26 tHE entomologist's RECOKt). 



difference. But I believe I am right in saying the fauna of the north 

 side of the Lake of Geneva, in Canton Vaud, is considerably less 

 numerous than on the Savoy side, while many of the commoner 

 butterflies I have met with to the south I have not found in this part. 

 In the cherry orchards, Apatura iris was supping on the ripe fruit, and 

 occasionally descending to suck up the moisture from the road ; 

 Leucophasia sinapis was generally common, but the only Erehia was 

 E. aethiop^, a very bright form, displaying a great predilection for the 

 wild parsnip heads. The Argynnidi were represented by Dnjas 

 papilla, with an occasional ab. valcsina, Aiyijnnis ai/laia, A. adippe, 

 with, higher up, A. niohc, Brent his cuphrosunc, B. dia, Mditaea 

 phoebe, Miianarf/ia (jalatca, in swarms, whenever the sun broke 

 through the clouds ; Paranje macra and Hipparchia semele, with 

 H. hermione in attendance. Under the Col de Jaman I took four or 

 j&ve fine Nomiades seniiarifus, and a magnificent Poli/ommatns dori/las ; 

 but the commonest of all the Lycaenidi here, as at Evolena, was 

 P. damon, the males very strong on the wing and large, the females 

 less active, and much addicted to the wild mint flowers. Parnassius 

 apollo, so common at higher elevations elsewhere, appeared to be 

 rare. On August 12th, after ten days' almost continuous rain and 

 mist, I started for Evolena, in the Val d'Herens, walknigup from Sion, 

 in the Rhone Valley. The next day dawned cloudless, and a more 

 beautiful road than that between Sion and Evolena, passing the 

 famous pyramidal rocks, both generally speaking and from an 

 entomological point of view, it would be hai'd to imagine. 1 have 

 tramped nearly all the lateral valleys on this side of the Rhone 

 Valley : the well-known Nicolaithal to Zermatt, the Saasthal ; the 

 Val d'Anniviers — a famous hunting ground ; the dusty road from 

 Martigny to the St. Bernard ; but for exquisite flora and all winged 

 creatures I give the palm to the Val d'Herens, and I am borne out 

 in my conclusion, I think, by Dr. Frey, in his invaluable Lepidoptcrcn 

 der Sclnveiz. Once up the long zigzag from Sion, and we avoided the 

 sun by an early start at six, the ascent is gradual, the road tolerable, 

 and the surroundings magnificent. It is. in fact, a garden of wild 

 flowers all the way to Evolena : the wild raspberry canes loaded 

 with luscious fruit, the scented alpine strawberry, inviting frequent 

 and delicious rest by the side of the numerous rushing waterfalls that 

 discharge themselves into the thunderous Borgne far below. The first 

 insect on the wing as we turned the last bend of the road was 

 P. damon— ihi?, must have been about 7.30 a.m. Then followed 

 Colias edusa, with C. hyale, in the lucerne meadows. Fapilio podalirius 

 and P. viac/iaon, Par}tassins apollu, and the usual Fritillaries, and 

 crowds of common fry. Melitaea atJtalia, almost over ; j\l. pJioehe ; 

 the interesting ill. didijma, Staudinger's var. aJpina : Arf/ijnnis 

 niohe, with an occasional Satyrus jwoserpina : and now, as we 

 rapidly ascend, Brenthis pales — no two alike ; B. awatJaisia, with 

 Erehia tyndarus shining glossy green in the sunshine. E. yorye, 

 E. yoante, Melampias nuiawpus, M. reto, and, in the marshy waste by 

 the roadside, M. epiphron var. nelamus, Cupido minima, with Pleheius 

 acyon flitted merrily over the boulders, and the knapweed Avas alive 

 with aberrations innumerable of Sy richthns fritillum, yvhich yot remain 

 to be identified, and S.sao ; Spilothy rm laratcrae (1). Pauipltila (■(niima, 

 very active and swift on the wing, was the predominant " skipper." 



