276 iM'^y. 



others. Unfortunately, the weather at this period was not propit ious, but, one beau- 

 tiful day in the Val d' AroUa, showed what might have been done with better weather. 

 From the Val d'Hcrens we went over the Col du Torrent (about 8,000 ft.) into the 

 Val d'Anniviers, where we spent a week at Vissoye (about 4,500), and from there, 

 after an ascent of the Bella Tola (10,000 ft.), Sclater decending the other side to the 

 Turtman Thai, returned to Sierre, whence I returned home, via Brieg and Paris, 

 whilst Sclater continued over the Furka and thence home by Lucerne, obtaining 

 thus a few additional species 



The time (from about June 25th to July 15th) was probably, on the whole, as 

 good as any we could have chosen, though certainly too early for the highest ranging 

 species. The weather was only moderately good, fine and wet clays being in about 

 equal proportion. Nevertheless, we managed to see or capture in that time 83 species 

 of butterflies, and brought back about 600 specimens of these, as well as about 150 

 Heterocera, more than double that number of Coleoptera and Semiftera. In the 

 present notes, however, I only notice the Rhopalocera, not having as yet determined 

 fully the other groups. I may perhaps mention, to show the abundance of butterflies 

 in tlie Alps under favourable circumstances {i. e., on a fine day), that one day (July 

 6th), at Vissoye, we captured (or saw) no less than 45 distinct species, and on two or 

 three other days, both there and in the Val d'AroUa, the number observed exceeded 

 40. In the following list I have only enumerated the more interesting species, and 

 have followed Dr. Staudinger's catalogue (1871) throughout. 



Fapilio Machaon — only a few specimens, occuri'ing singly in various localities, 

 but never very high up. Parnassivs AjjoUo — common about Vissoye, also a few at 

 Evolena and in the Arolla Valley ; this species flies slowly and steadily, but, if 

 alarmed, goes off at a great pace, and is not then easily caught : P. Delins — this 

 species occurred, flying with the last, in the Val d'Arolla, and was rather abundant 

 on the slopes of the Col du Torrent, above the Val d'Herens ; both it and P. Apollo 

 vary much in the size, number, and intensity of the red ocelli and spots ; this species 

 is not found so low as P. Apollo, not, according to our experience, much below 6,000 

 ft. : P. Mnemosyne — this species occurred with the last in the Val d'Arolla, and on 

 the Col du Torrent ; the curious ovisac, with which, in this genus, the females are 

 provided, is, in P. Mnemosyne, much larger than in the other two, and of a white 

 colour ; all the three species frequent the wetter slopes on the sides of the valleys : 

 the occurrence of three species of this genus together in exactly the same locality, as 

 was the case at one point in the Val d'Arolla, is certainly very reinarkable, considering 

 tlie resemblance in habits of the difi^erent forms. Aporia cratcegi — one of the most 

 abundant butterflies in Switzerland, and extending some height up. Pleris napi, 

 ah. $ bryonicB — a few in the Val d'Arolla, and on the Col du Torrent and Furka, 

 with males of the ordinary form ; specimens vary considerably in darkness : P. 

 CaUidice — not common in the Arolla Valley, especially at Arolla itself, and a few on 

 the Col du Torrent, Furka, and Bella Tola at high elevations (8,000 ft. or so) ; the 

 flight of this species resembles that of a CoUas, more than that of our ordinary 

 English whites. A. Bella, var. simplonia — this species occurred with the last in the 

 Val d'Arolla, and was rather numerous in the meadows outside the inn there. Leu- 

 cophasia sinapis — very common at Evolena and elsewhei'e. Colias Phicomone — a few 

 of this mountain species in the valley at Evolena, but commoner on the slojDCS around 

 and higher up the valley towards Arolla; also on the Furka and Bella Tola. Thecla 



