A SUMMER TRIP IN FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, AND ITALY. 15 



A Summer Trip in France, Switzerland, and Italy. 



By E. B. ASHBY, F.E.S. 



One feels it incumbent at the outset, for the sake of anyone who 

 may read the following account, in say, ten years' time, to make the 

 observation that the summer of 1911 having been so extraordinarily 

 fine, and the emergence of lepidoptera in general so very early, the 

 dates given for the times of appearances of species would not in many 

 cases' be quite reliable in ordinary seasons. 



I left Charing Cross at 9 p.m. on July 8th, and after a good 

 •crossing and a pleasant drive through Paris in the very early hours, 

 arrived the following morning at Fontainebleau-Avon station at 

 8.32. The day was perfect, but of the various species captured in the 

 forest all, with the exception of two fine Pab/f/onia c-albnm, two 

 perfect Arascknia levana, var. prorso, and two NordDiaiuiia (TJieda) 

 j'Zu'/s, could have been captured in our own New Forest. The day's 

 ■catch numbered 70, in good condition. Arriving the following morning 

 at La Sarraz station beyond Vallorbe at 7.8 a.m., I walked across to 

 Eclepens station and ascended the hill which Apaturids love. 

 Unfortunately, the day was very tempestuous, and I only saw ten 

 Apaturids altogether, some of which I could not approach. I caught 

 four, including a perfect female Apatitra iii^, and one A. ilia var. 

 <'h/tie in very fair condition. The marsh at Eclepens was devoid of 

 anything worth naming, but under the hills behind Eclepens station 

 were many Paniasdus apollo in perfect condition, sheltering, and I 

 simpl)' picked off what I wanted, and also one specimen of Calliworpha 

 doiiiinida, together with Coenomjmplia arcania in perfect condition. 

 Arriving at Vernayaz station in the early morning of July 11th, I 

 walked along under the cliffs as far as and round the Tour de la Batiaz 

 at Mavtigny and spent a very successful day, taking 95 specimens, 

 including 27 different species, amongst them being Hir^utina dcunon, 

 Pontia dapUdice, Coliaa ednsa (one of each), and many Luweia alciphron, 

 Satynis cdcj/onti, Satijrus cordula, Flnjnnis laraterae, Heodes vin/auraeae, 

 Brenthis daphne (going over), Dri/as paphia, and also one lAjcaena 

 arion in very good condition. The next day, Wednesday 12th, the 

 weather was again perfect, and I set out from the Hotel du Mont 

 Blanc at Martigny, which I had made my headquarters for a few days, 

 and walked to Martigny Bourg, a short distance, and crossing the 

 River Drance at Martigny Ville, turned to the right and walked back 

 along the vineyards in the Plan Cerisier, towards the Tour de la 

 Batiaz. Here I took one of the most perfect Papilio podalirius I have 

 ever seen on the wing, several P. daplidicc, and more S. alcyonc and 

 S. cordula. Afterwards I descended from the Tour and walked under 

 the cliffs as far as the Gorge de Trient, and saw several Limenitis 

 Camilla, and took one C. hera, almost fresh, and also two ^ Pobjom- 

 matus meleaiier and one $ of the ab. steeveni. The next day was 

 disappointing. I walked to Branson, searching all along the Rhone 

 banks under the Les Follaterres for Glaucopsyclie iolas, and Scolitantides 

 orion, but, alas, saw nothing of either, or of Coluthea arborescens. I 

 made up a day amongst Mclanargia (jalatkea and Leptosia sinapis, and 

 took one J C. ediisa in the Rhone meadows near Branson, and though 

 I wandered as far as Fully, got nothing different there except one 

 B. dia, quite fresh. It came on to thunder and rain about 2 p.m., 



