182 [January, 



NOTES ON LEPIDOPTERA IN SWITZEELAND IN 1885—86. 

 BY A. H. JONES. 



I arrived at Saas-im-Grund in the Valais on the 22nd of July, 

 1885, where I met the Eev. J. C. W. Tasker and several other ento- 

 mologists. Here I remained ten days, and I have a very pleasing 

 recollection o£ the various excursions made in the neighbourhood. 



The Saas Valley, like most of the lateral valleys of the Ehone, 

 appears to be rich in Lepidojotera, especially in butterflies. The col- 

 lecting ground commences at Stalden, the well-known halting station 

 for visitors to Zermatt ; from this point to the Mattmark See there is 

 a difference in elevation of about 4200 feet, consequently a variety of 

 species occur. After leaving Saas I spent a week in the Yallee des 

 Ormonts, where I met with many species not taken in the Saas 

 Valley. 



In 1886 I spent the first week of June at Brunnen, on the Lake 

 of Lucerne. In this well sheltered spot there appeared to be an 

 abundance of insect life. The next point reached was Andermatt ; 

 here the weather was so bad that I had but little opportunity for 

 collecting, yet, during the few intervals of sunshine, it was surprising 

 to find so many butterflies on the wing ; P. Machaon, for instance, was 

 very abundant, and many other species were equally plentiful. I 

 reached Zermatt at the end of June. The following is a list of species 

 met with. I have added, as nearly as possible, the elevation at which 

 they occurred. The elevations of the places often quoted are — 



Brunnen 1434 feet. Saas-im-Grund... 5125 feet. 



Stalden 2736 „ Zermatt 5315 „ 



Andermatt 4738 „ Mattmark See ... 6965 „ 



Papilio Podalirius, not uncommon in the Saas Valley, up to 3000 feet. P. 

 Machaon, very common and fine in meadows, Andermatt, up to 5000 feet, in June ; 

 Becond brood in the Saas Valley in July. 



Parnassius Apollo, generally distributed and common, from 1500 to 5500 feet ; 

 more abundant at the end of July than in June. P. Delius, common in the Saas 

 Valley, 5600 feet ; more local than the preceding species, and does not appear to 

 wander far from the streams where a species of Saxifrage (the food plant of the 

 larvae) grows ; the butterfly was also common in the middle of Juno at Andermatt. 



Aporia cratcrgi, one of the most abundant and generally distributed butterflies ; 

 very plentiful at Brunnen and in the Rhone Valley, but most abundant in the Saas 

 Valley (up to 4000 feet) ; at Stalden it positively swarmed, and 20 or 30 specimens 

 might be seen resting together on the muddy places in the path — June. 



Pieria hrassiccB and rapd were common at Andermatt in June, and were identical 

 with the specimens occurring iu England. P. napi was also not uncommon ; the 



