THE RIIOfALOCERA FoOND IN THE BASSES-ALl'ES (dIGNe) IN APRIL. 221 



The Rhopalocera found in the Basses=Alpes (Digne) in April. 



By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 



Three of our most energetic students and collectors of European 

 Rhopalocera — Messrs. A. H. Jones, Lemann and W. E. Nicholson- 

 have at various times visited Digne, in the Basses-Alpes, recorded 

 {E.M.M., vol. xxvi., pp. 280-2H8 ; vol. xxviii., pp. 270-275) its insect 

 fauna, so far as the species that occur in the summer months are 

 concerned, and thrown out hints as to the possibilities of the locality 

 in early spring. Dr. Chapman and myself arranged to meet there 

 this spring, and spend a few days, during Easter, exploring its 

 recesses. I was joined by Mr. Stanley Edwards, and on April 16th 

 we found Dr. Chapman awaiting us there. The doctor had arrived 

 on April 13th, and he stayed on until April 29th, so that the result of 

 this fortnight's work may be taken to represent a very fair sample of 

 the insects that can be taken at Digne during this period of the year. 



We were much impressed by the odours of the town. One of the most 

 evil-smelling streets was called the Rue de la Mere de Dieu, and this led 

 into a dirty court, known as the Place de Paradis. Whether the Digne 

 notion of heaven was idealised in these places we know not. How- 

 ever, we spent a very enjoyable time, captured a fair number of speci- 

 mens ; yet we were, after all, too late for fine Erebla epuUjiim', which 

 appears to be at its best during the last week of March, and there can 

 be no doubt that, as a mere matter of obtaining specimens generally, 

 we were a week or fortnight too early. True, we got a large number of 

 species, but, with very few exceptions, they were not fully out, and Dr. 

 Chapman's bag on his last day (April 29th) alone equalled that of the 

 combined nets on any other two days spent there, and insects that had 

 previously been scarce were by this time in considerable abundance. 



Digne lies at an elevation of 2,000 feet, a factor that all travelled 

 entomologists will understand. We directed our excursions to the hills 

 around the town, and the top of one of these hills from 3,000-3,500 

 feet was usually the objective of each day's excursion. At the eleva- 

 tion at which we collected then, the vegetation bore a very close 

 resemblance, in point of development, to that of a wooded district in 

 the south of England in late April, and one was rather astonished to 

 find so many diurnals abroad among such comparatively bare sur- 

 roundings. Still, in spite of the vegetation being so little in advance 

 of that in Britain, the days were intensely hot just before and after 

 noon, and Dr. Chapman found an Adiantum growing on the rocks at 

 8,000 feet elevation, which says much for the absence of severe winter 

 frosts even at this elevation. The butterflies obtained were numerous 

 and interesting. Perhaps they had better be dealt with seriatim. 



Hesperides. — Sidldt/n/nis alceac, Si/richthus alveus, IS. sao. — 

 Two or three specimens of each of these species were obtained ; evi- 

 dently they were just appearing. T/iauaos ta(/es, Sijriclithm inalrac, 

 both well out, the former very abundant, and differing, so far as I 

 observe, in no wise from British examples. 



Papilionides. — Lyc^nid/E. — CaUop/iri/s /7(6/. — This was probably 

 the most abundant species observed. It swarmed about the Pnuim 

 flowers, and flew about everywhere over the broom, on which 

 the eggs were possibly laid ; but the larva is not particular in its 

 choice. Chri/wpha)im dorilis. — Just appearing, the dark males with 



