November, 1892. 1 • 273 



good localities were the rough slopes on the right hand bank of the 

 Bleoune above the bridge at Digne, the steep hill-side behind the old 

 disused Cathedral, and the bed of the torrent near the sulphur baths 

 with the gorges leading out of the same. 



The most interesting expedition to be made from Digne is to the 

 limestone ridge of Les Dourbes, where the local Erehia Scipio flies in 

 some abundance. The village of Les Dourbes is situate about sii 

 miles from Digne, and the locality for Scipio is about two hours' rough 

 walking beyond the village, so that it is nocessary to make an early 

 start, as the whole journey is best performed on foot ; a road available 

 for carriages only running for about three miles out of Digne. We 

 made this excursion twice, leaving Digne on both occasions at 5 a.m., 

 which did not give us more time than was required. The country 

 between Digne and the village is very barren ; the dry dusty road 

 being occasionally lit up by the beautiful blue thistle, EcUnops ritro^ 

 in the hottest and driest places. The locality for E. Scipio is the steep 

 rough bank below the precipitous ridge of Les Dourbes, and formed 

 by the denudation of the ridge. A portion of this bank, immediately 

 below the highest point of the ridge, is covered with wood, and it is 

 on the rough, almost bare, ground to the right of this wood that we 

 found E. Scipio. It is rather difficult to pursue, owing to the steepness 

 of the slope, but it has the fortunate habit of occasionally settling on 

 the flowei's of Nepeta cataria and Cacalia alpina, which grow here and 

 there in scattered patches. This species offers a beautiful example of 

 the advantage of protective resemblance to the female. The male 

 is very black and conspicuous, whether flying or at rest, but the female 

 has the under-side of the hind-wings of a pale grey colour, exactly like 

 the rocks on which it settles, and which renders it almost invisible 

 when at rest. The device must be fairly successful, as out of between 

 seventy and eighty specimens, we only took five or six females, although 

 the latter are feeble fliers as compared with the males. 



It was too late to take the great local rarity, Thais Medesicaste, 

 var. Eonnoratii, in the perfect state, but the larvae of Medesicaste 

 were common wherever their food-plant, Aristolocliia pistolocMa, which 

 grows freely on most of the dry hill-sides with a southern aspect, 

 occurred. I collected a considerable number, as I had been fortunate 

 enough to breed four Honnoratii in the spring from larvsD collected 

 in June, 1890. This beautiful variety, which seems to be peculiar 

 to the Digne district, is interesting as showing how a distinct form 

 may spontaneously arise. It is in a large measure to Honnoratii 

 that Digne owes its entomological celebrity. A considerable portion 



