TWO MORE SEASONS AMONG THE SWISS BUTTERFLIES. 13 



It was little better on the other side, and the next day, though rather 

 warmer, was still cold and very windy, and very little was flymg. The 

 next day Friday, the 10th, was less cold and windy, and there was a 

 fair amount of sunshine, and I made my first expedition up the 

 Laquinthal in search of Erebia chrkti. I knew I had the right 

 locality, for I obtained it from its famous discoverer, Herr Ratzer, who 

 was staying in the hotel, but on this occasion, I failed to find a single 

 specimen " K. ceto var. nhscura was in some numbers, but not so 

 abundant, nor so dark, as in 1901 ; the other captures being Lycaena 

 avion var. obscura, Pohjommatm pheretes, $ , Ihisticns arnus var. olpina, 

 Anthocharh simjylonia, a. very fine Leptosia sinapu ab. .sflrf/i«, and a 

 specimen of Parnassius avollo without white centres to the red spots. 

 This species is small and somewhat approaching P. delius m the 

 Laquinthal, but though, during my visit, I netted a considerable 

 number, I never found a single specimen of the latter species. 

 The 11th was a glorious day, and I took my first Erebia cImsU. 

 The banks where this species occurs are exceedmgly steep, and 

 practically the only way of securing specimens is to stand on the 

 path and net those that cross it. Its habitat is so difficult of access, 

 or, rather, it is so difficult to maintain a foothold on the slopes which it 

 frequents, that there need be no fear of exterminating the species. 

 Further up the valley, at the foot of the Laquinhorn, Pieri!^ napi var. 

 bryoniae and A. dmphmia were very abundant, though not easy to take, 

 arid I did not find a single ? of the latter ; there was, however, among 

 a great number of typical mountain specimens, one example of the 

 yellower form of the Rhone valley, var. flavidior. Pararye hiera, the 

 <? s much worn, the 5 s fairly good, was to be found on the chnsti 

 ground, as well as Brenthh euplmmpie, B. amathuda, just emerging, etc. 

 Sunday was fine in the morning, but wet and cloudy in the after- 

 noon, but Monday, the 13th, was again a splendid day, and again I 

 sought the Laquinthal. On this day I took three Erehia christi (rather 

 rubbed), E. euryale var. adyte, E. ceto var. obscnra: also Chrysophanus 

 hippothoe var. euri/bi a {common, but very small), C. viryaureae, ^ s, 

 (very large and with a splendid border of black spots on the hmdwmg), 

 C. dorilis vars. bninnea a.nd subalpina (chiefly the former), Polyommatus 

 pheretes, ? , P. corydon, P. hylas, P. alexis, and Ctipido minima var. 

 also'ides, of portentous size, my largest measuring about 29mm. In the 

 evening our party was increased by the very welcome arrival of Mr. 

 Lemann and Mr. A. H. Jones. Herr Ratzer, having broken his only net, 

 had already departed, but Professor Reverdin, of Geneva, had previously 

 been added to the entomological coterie at the Hotel Fletschhorn. 

 Just in passing I cannot help advising all entomologists who are 

 making a round in Switzerland in July (or from the end of the 3rd 

 week in June), to pass some days at least in this charming village and 

 to be sure to go to this hotel. The insects of the Laquinthal and 

 neighbourhood are most interesting, and the owners of the hotel will 

 do anything in their power to make their visitors comfortable, one 

 great advantage, from an entomological point of view, being, that meals 

 can be had at whatever time one returns from the chase. 



On Tuesday the 14th, a cloudy day, but improving as it went on, 

 we again visited the E. christi ground and took several specimens, the 

 best day, in this respect, that we had ; I also took one Erebia eriphyle 

 between the village and the entrance to the Laquinthal, and Mr. 



