THE LEPIDOPTERA OF THE GRISONS. 193 



The lepidoptera of the Orisons — St. Moritz to the 

 Morteratsch Glacier. 



By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 



Leaving Airolo, the weather changed : two days of broken weather 

 (including heavy thunderstorms) at Lugano were spent largely in the 

 town itself, Heodes vinjaureae, Melitaea athalia (certainly, I think, the 

 Airolo species), 21. didyuia, M. phoebc, I ytidia sinaptx, joining Epine- 

 phele ianira, Pieris rapae, P. brassicae, Polyommatus icarua, Coenoni/nipha 

 pamphihm, and Colias ediisa on the railway-bank, in the hot sun on the 

 morning of August 11th. This day was glorious, and we started early, 

 by boat, for Chiavenna, which was to be the stopping-place for the 

 night, on the way to the Upper Engadine. Nothing could have been 

 more delightful than the journey on Lake Lugano and Lake Como, 

 nor the next day's coach ride up the Val Bregaglia, over the Maloja 

 Pass to St. Moritz. We were now on well-known ground, and, as the 

 morning of the 13th broke gloriously, we wended our way through the 

 well-known woods to Pontresina. We spent the whole of the morning 

 on the way, with disappointing entomological results. At the very 

 commencement of the walk, Gnophos obfuscata was abundant, whilst 

 larvse of Fapilio machaon, from newly-hatched to fullgrown, were 

 common on the banks by the edge of the path. These pupated in due 

 course, and the first three imagines appeared simultaneously on June 

 27th, 1908, some of the other pup^ie showing the imaginal colours 

 distinctly on the same date. With the exception of Erebia goante, 

 E. ennjale, E. tyndanis, Agriades corydon, and Aryynnis aylaia, no but- 

 terflies were common, although Issoria latlionia, Melitaea athalia (worn), 

 Polyo)in)iatus icarus, Coenonymplm daruiniana, and a single Plebeius 

 optilete, were also observed, whilst a walk round the Statdsee would, 

 had one been disposed to take them, have produced long series of Carsia 

 imbutata, Crambits maryaritellns, Aphelia osseana, Bactra lanceolana, 

 etc., whilst a single plume that was captured proved to be Emmelina 

 monodactyla. In the woods Cidaria populata was in swarms, and 

 Fidonia brunneata was not uncommon, but this seemed poor for such 

 a district. At Pontresina, opinion was divided as to where the afternoon 

 should be spent, but entomological considerations finally took a second 

 place, and we settled for the Morteratsch. The fields by the road, 

 between Pontresina and the Glacier, showed an abundance of Erebia 

 euryale, E. tyndarus, Brenthis pales, Colias phicoiiume, whilst Heodes 

 viryaureae (worn), Plebeius aryus {aryyroynoiiion), and Issoria lathonia 

 were frequent, and one started the walk along the Morteratsch moraine 

 with hopes of better things ; but these did not come our way. The 

 afternoon was perfect, the surroundings delightful, but insects were 

 remarkably scarce. Aryynnis aylaia, Brenthis pales, Heodes viryaureae, 

 iJrbicola comma, Hesperia alveus, Plebeius aryyroynomon, and Coeno- 

 nympha satyrion were all there, but so sparingly that not more than two 

 or three of each species were taken, whilst, of Anthrocera exulans a 

 single large $ in fine condition, and of Erebia epiphron two or three 

 specimens only, were netted. One fine 5 of the latter was discovered 

 on the ground, but quite dead, evidently just killed by an ant that was 

 steadily working it over the pathway towards its nest. We reached 

 September 15th, 1908. 



