126 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



wings for freshly-emerged examples, the 3 s rather worn ; at present 

 they were busy feeding, or sitting with outspread wings basking in the 

 sun, the forewings pulled back Pa7-»rts.sn(.s-like over the hindwings, 

 which, in turn, were folded over, and covered in, the abdomen. On tiie 

 edge of the carr, Leptoaia sinapis, spring examples of good size, with 

 one undoubted J of the summer emergence that had caught up its 

 uncles and aunts, slowly threaded its way through the undergrowth 

 or entered the breaks in the bushes to pass, as it were, into the shade, 

 but quickly returned to the bright sunlight again. But the fritillaries 

 were the glory of the corner. Hundreds of J Dnjas paphia sported 

 from every flower, in the full beauty of recent emergence, many 

 possibly that very morning ; they soared over and around the alder- 

 bushes, and came back to disturb the peace of the dozens of Argijnnis 

 niobe, its ab. cris, and J. at/laia that Avere bent on feeding. Very 

 activealso were the Brentkh anmt/ntsia, which kept to the little hollows on 

 the borders of the alders, and were most fierceh attacked by their near 

 relatives, the somewhat smaller />.^///;//ros//»(', which were mostly on their 

 last legs, although some of the ? s were yet fair. Again and again we 

 were attracted to the bank to take just a few more of those lovely Mditaca 

 tU(hpiia, some with yet limp wings, basking in the pleasure of slothful 

 indolence in the hot sun, with the equally fresh and beautiful Melitaca 

 rtf/mZ/«, of the mountain forui. How that bank did swarm with " burnets," 

 chiefly Authrocera pHviniralis and A. hmicerae, but with a fair sprinkling 

 of lovely Authrocera carniolica, one with beautiful orange hind wings, 

 A. transalpina and A. oclisenheimeri, now buzzing furiously in the hot 

 noonday sun. On the path, a fierce rush, suggested a 3 Lasiocam}>a 

 i/xerciis, and another was seen investigating a ledge far above, where 

 we suspected a ? , either on the point of emergence or recently emerged 

 and now gone, for the 3 returned two or three times to the same spot. 

 Leaving it and doubling back the insect was in the net, a J of rather 

 deep chocolate hue. A few $ Fararge maera were also noted, and 

 then, towards the end of the bank, observation on the habits of Liicaena 

 arion, a rather large dark mountain form commenced, but the notes on 

 this species are too long to be given in detail here, and must be reserved 

 for an account of the species in our JSat. Hist, of Brit. Lepidoptera. 

 Tumbling over the banks from above, one discovered, now and again, 

 Setiua aurita, of beautiful golden colour and of spotted form, whilst one 

 kicked up by the roadside Merrifitidia tetradactifla, the only plume 

 species observed here, Avhilst almost to the bridge Hesperia alveiis was 

 very, abundant, and a concentration of Aricia axtrarrhe, Blebeiiis aeipm, 

 PolyoiiDiiatit)^ icarus, P.hylas, (Ji/a)iirix senriari/xs, and Agriades rorydan, 

 gave more material for our special work ; three common British 

 species of "skippers," Adopaea fiaca, A. lineola and Auyiades sylraviis 

 reminded one of our observations on these same species far away two 

 years earlier at Bourg St. Maurice. Here was the latter species egg- 

 Is^ing in just the same manner, Adopaea fiava, worn, almost all $ s, 

 and one would have thought certain to have given an Bgg, yet 

 resolutely refusing to do so, with A. lineola only just emerging, and 

 more intent on feeding than anything else. Back again to the edge 

 of the alder-carr, through a surfeit of many species, we at last got 

 round on the flat, and found a lovely glade about 5 or 6 yards in 

 width, and perhaps 200 yards long. The floor Avas covered with 

 flowers in their fullest beautv, and the alder arched above, but not so as to 



