SWISS BUTTERFIJES IN 1907, 55 



occitanica being almost equal in numbers with the type. One aberra- 

 tion of the underside is very noticeable, the broad white band of the 

 hindwings being replaced by yellow, and the line which borders the 

 antemarginal band is so much strengthened as to become a narrow 

 black band, while, on the forewings, the usual black markings are 

 almost entirely absent. 



Close to the river at Vissoie, one Polyoniwatiis donzelii Avas taken, 

 while a dry bank near the bridge leading to the Weisshorn produced 

 Hipparcliia alcyone, Satyriis cordula, Powellia sao, and Melanargia 

 (falatlica. The meadows were alive with Heodes vinjaureae, but males 

 only, and on returning a week later still no females could be found. 

 A few Pob/o)iimatiis In/las were taken and two Lycaena alcon (worn), 

 while Ayriades corydon and Krebia ceto were plentiful. Lycaena avion 

 was not common, and mostly of the var. ohscura, but one or two very 

 brightly marked specimens were netted, and two Celerio yallii, flying 

 round the flowers in the hot sunshine. 



The Weisshorn Hotel (7694 feet) was our next objective, and 

 we walked up on the morning of July 1st. A few Melitaea aurelia, 

 two very dwarf Hrenthis eupJirosyne, and Erehia yorye, were the prin- 

 cipal things noted on the way up. The evening was wet, but the 

 morning showed a very different picture, as six or eight inches of 

 snow had fallen during the night, and the whole country round was 

 white well down to the tree limit. Practically nothing could be done 

 for the next two days, but, under the warm sun, the snow soon began 

 to melt, and a walk towards Chandolin produced Colias pliicanw7ie 

 and Antliocarifi simplonia, while one Melitaea cynthia was seen but not 

 taken. A fine walk on July 5th along the mountain-path towards 

 Zinal, produced a few more Erebia yorye, five Polyo)iiinatus orbitulus, 

 and one Erebia inelavipitii. After waiting in vain for a suitable day, 

 we walked up Bella Tola (9845 feet) on the 8th, beginning the ascent 

 by losing our way in a thick mist, which entailed some rough scram- 

 bling before the path was struck. The view was, no doubt, there, but 

 was not for us, and a hailstorm on the summit turned to heavy snow, 

 which soon covered our tracks and made the return journey neither 

 easy nor pleasant. It was curious the next morning to leave the 

 country again deep in snow, and within half-an-hour to be catching 

 butterflies in the meadows below the snow-line, on the way to Vissoie. 

 These included one Flebeius optilete ; and the bank at Vissoie now 

 produced plenty of HipparcJiia alcyone and Satyrns cordula, with a 

 sprinkling of the brown $ of the latter — which Mr. Wheeler does not 

 very clearly describe. FolyomwaUi^ danum was just coming out, and, in 

 the meadows between Vissoie and St. Luc, five or six were taken, in- 

 cluding one $ . On the 11th we walked down to Sierre, taking one 

 Folyonimatiis esclieri, one Epinephele lycaon, one Erynnis lavaterae and 

 other things on the way ; one Dryas paphia was seen but not bagged. 

 All the ground covered seemed to be very good, and insects abundant. 

 Possibly the very late season had held many things back, and these, 

 coming out Avith the later species, made the country seem especially 

 rich. I fear that the hotel proprietors Avould not find it a rich season. 

 At the Weisshorn Hotel the total master of guests for a week was 

 four, and the excellent chef certainly deserved a better gathering to 

 appreciate his efforts. 



