98 THF, F,NT<)M()I,<>(iIST"s RKCOliD. 



A morning spent on the banks of the Rhone was not unprolific, on 

 the way I picked up a fine Apatnra ilia, settled on the road, some 

 Cupido aebnifi, with plenty of Riisticus ari/us {aegnn) and U. arf/yrognouwn. 

 A fine form of Hipparchia seinele, approaching var. ariataeus, was 

 plentiful. I was unlucky Avith Lycaena iolaa once more, half-a-dozen 

 specimens were netted, but they were all mere rags, and this species 

 can get ragged. Evidently I was two or three weeks too late. An 

 afternoon round the " Tour de la Ratiaz " was chiefly notable for the 

 number of female SatuvKs roniiila taken, including an aberration with 

 four equal-sized white ocelli on each forewing, equidistant, in a line, 

 and with black rings round, a very striking form. 



July 16th and 17th were spent at the Col de la Forclaz, a very 

 charming locality, on a breezy ridge of about oOOOft. elevation, half- 

 way between Martigny and Chamonix, and reached from either by a 

 good road. I have not seen a more promising locality in Switzerland, 

 the country all round teems with butterflies, and one can get amongst 

 them by easy walks in all directions ; if one wants valley species, a 

 walk down towards Martigny will give any amount, whilst if mountain 

 species are required, the collector has a choice of half-a-dozen easy 

 ascents, in addition to which, very many species are to be taken just 

 outside the hotel, or on the walk to the Glacier de Trient. There is a 

 very good and comfortable little hotel, w^iose proprietor is most oblig- 

 ing, his cuisine excellent, and his charges five francs per diem, what 

 more can one wish for ? 



Of the two days 1 was able to spend here, one was wet, and unsuit- 

 able for collecting, consequently only the fringe was touched of the 

 wealth of insects that abounded everywhere. In the meadows round 

 the hotel, Erehia ti/vdarus swarmed, with many E. inelampia^, E. ceto, 

 E. ■•<ty(i)ie and Clirf/sopJianux hippnthn? var. eiiryhia was abundant, 

 including specimens very near the type ; alongside the path leading to 

 the Glacier de Trient, in the clearings amongst the larches, all the 

 above species occurred, and with them were fine Erehia lij/ea, Melitaea 

 ib'etjputa, Pnli/iiiiniiafiis fori/iJtni, ( 'lirj/sup/unnis n'ri/aiireac, Eirnthis 

 amatltHsia, ( '/inisap/iauiis (larilis, and mingled with these were wanderers 

 from the higher pastures, including ('alias phiroinone. Two fine male 

 roli/nininatiis <iptil('te, captured, made one wish we had allowed more 

 time here, for doubtless it was plentiful 1000ft. higher up. I shall 

 certainly hope to revisit the Col on my next holiday in Switzerland. 



July 19th found us once more at I'erisal, where we found quite a 

 gathermg of lepidopterists. The Rev. G. Wheeler, Mr. A. H. Jones, 

 and Mr. F. C. Lemann amongst them. Down by the 2nd Refuge 

 Rustinis var. li/cidas still lingered, with a few specimens worth catch- 

 ing. Along the Ganter Valley, Pohp)}iniiatiiH daninv swarmed, and 

 amongst them I picked up a very fine underside male aberration, in 

 which the whole of the spots on all wings, except the discoidals, were 

 wanting ; on the same day I also obtained a fine underside male 

 aberration of l'nhi<»iiiiiatus I'schrri, with the whole of the spots, inside 

 the peacock eyes, except two on the left forewing. and one on each of 

 the other wings, missing. 



Round the liotel Erehia inelaiiipiisVi'Hi^ abundant, and in good order, 

 and specimens of E. refa were still in evidence, Ar(/i/unis niohe ab. erix, 

 Melauari/ia ijalatea, and other species, were frequent, Epinep/iele b/eao)/ 

 was not common ; by the Ganter bridge the fine Krehia goavte was not 



