136 THE entomologist's record. 



packed up, and three-quarters of an hour afterwards was running 

 past my collecting-ground of the previous day in the train. On down 

 to Faido, and a patch or two of blue was visible in the sky, 

 and, as I had taken a ticket to Faido, the capital of the Valle 

 Leventina, with the notion of going on and paying the differ- 

 ence if necessary, I got out on the arrival of the train there and 

 looked around. Hardly had I left the station than the sun peeped 

 out, the blue patches got larger, and by the time my nose was well- 

 directed to the task of walking back to Airolo, I had found a piece of 

 waste ground and netted my first Loweia var. ijordius. Plenty of 

 Aijriades corydon soon put in an appearance, followed by Melanargia 

 ijalathea, and we were evidently in for a lovely noon. Erehia yomite 

 was very common, and Leptosia sinapis, still the spring form, 

 flew enticingly over the little wall from the road to the bushes beyond, 

 but they were practically over, and an odd second-brood example 

 showed that, at least down to Faido, the late spring had delayed some 

 of the early species, whilst examples that had wintered in warm corners 

 had got out pretty well to time. Soon a rough flowery bank was 

 available, and here I was able to bag a few lovely examples of Loweia 

 var. {/ordiiis among other things, including the first $ s of the outing,, 

 although the ^ s were getting worn. About a mile along the road is 

 a ruined building. At the back, a long-since neglected garden leads 

 up into the wild ground beyond. Here thistles of 5 feet or more in 

 height luxuriated, and, as might be expected, butterflies swarmed ; 

 Dryas paphia chased each other wildly to and fro ; Krebia aethiops, 

 in most lovely condition, fluttered among the lower herbage, or flew 

 up the slopes among the bushes, Vanesm io looked gorgeous on the 

 thistle-heads, and the metallic green of Callimorpha dominula shone 

 in the sun. Epinephele lycaon was exceptionally abundant, and flew 

 with the crowds of Melitaea didynia and M. athalia, still of the moun- 

 tain form, which swarmed here, whilst Issoria lathonia basked in the 

 sun, its newly-emerged silver sparkling brilliantly when one hit it at 

 the right angle, as it lifted its wings. The drop of 1400 feet from 

 Piotta was noticeable, for here the two Melitasas were in nothing 

 like the glorious condition noted on the preceding day at the higher 

 level, and the ? s of M. did y ma observed were largely of the bright 

 orange tint closely resembling that of the J" , and not of the paler 

 yellow or clay-coloured form that characterised most of the specimens at 

 Piotta. Many other common species occurred, of Avhich record was 

 unfortunately not kept, and soon after noon we moved on again. 

 Lasiocanipa qiierciis insisted on obtruding itself upon our notice, and we 

 netted here and there an insect till we came to the marvellous country,, 

 leading over the Polmengo Bridge up toDazio Grande, through which the 

 railway tunnels circulate as the line drops some 600 feet between Dazio 

 and Faido. Here is the lovely Piottino Gorge, agloriously wild alpine spot,^ 

 influenced by its comparatively low elevation to produce an abundance 

 of flowers among the savage rocks through which the roaring, tearing 

 Ticino has tunnelled its path through the ages. The sun now shone 

 brilliantly, and, on the flowers, the abundance of butterflies fully 

 equalled that at Piotta on the preceding day, but there were no new 

 species. The magnificence of the "coppers" though was beyond 

 everything. Heodes virf/aureae, the J s exceptionally fine, the S s 

 frequently with black discoidal spots on the forewings, Loweia 



