NOTKS ON (X)LLKCTIN(t. 121 



return home. After spending between a fortnight and three weeks in 

 the Pyrenees, my friend visited Mende again for a few days, and he 

 has asked me to incorporate his notes in this paper. 



He arrived at Mende on August 9th, and the following morning 

 being hot and sultry wended his way up the Ermitage de St. Privat, 

 and found the males of Erebia neoridas extremely numerous along the 

 path, but very deft in evading capture, whilst the females obtained on 

 the grassy slopes were not uncommon, and a long and beautiful series 

 of both sexes was obtained. Among other insects Mr. Jones mentions 

 that IsHoria lathonia was very abundant, two or three feasting on a 

 single head of lavender at one moment ; Satyrux setuele was common, 

 but worn; -S. circe being still plentiful and in the pink of condition. 

 This shows that the latter species is on the wing in good condition for 

 a month, s'. actaea was also still on the wing, a single male being 

 taken. The two following days were spent on the Causse de Mende 

 (3475 feet) and my friend writes as follows relating his experience : — 



" During my absence of nearly three weeks a complete change had 

 come over the butterfly life on the Causse. Plehfius afion, Aricia 

 iiiedon (astrarche) PolifouiniatKs icarna, P. hylaa, Ayriades coridon, 

 Hirsiitina dolus, H. daman and P. esclieri, were there it is true, but in 

 a most dilapidated condition. There was, however, one addition to the 

 Blues to enliven the somewhat disappointing scene, viz., Ayriades thetu 

 {hdlaryus). Not all the butterflies were in " rags and tatters " — by no 

 means. Numbers of ('alias kyale and ('. edusa were flying about in 

 every direction, ab. hrlicc being by no means uncommon and all in 

 lovely condition — Satyr us statilinus and -S. arethusa, of which I took 

 a beautiful but short series, were by no means rare ; indeed the former 

 seemed to be only just emerging, being so perfect. Fjijinephele lycaou 

 was in great abundance but very worn ! In a solitary freshly emerged 

 female of E. tithonus, I was surprised to take a species I had met 

 with in England five weeks previously. The Hesperida> I took were 

 interesting but require identification. The abundance of Anthrocera 

 (Zyyaena) carniolica was a great feature at rest on lavender 

 blossom. At the top of the Causse, and about a mile from its northern 

 pdge there is a slight depression or ravine extending some miles 

 southward and it was only here in this sheltered spot that butterfly 

 life was abundant. On the exposed Causse itself there was a singular 

 absence of insect life." 



Mr. .Tones sent me a couple of S. statilinus for examination, and 

 they are typical of all be took. 1 have never seen so beautiful a form, 

 they are all deep sooty black above, whilst below they are in general 

 tone much the same colour. I have never seen anything to compare 

 with the depth of colour. I have a fair series from Brussa, but the 

 specimens, though in good condition, are quite brown compared with 

 these Cevennes specimens. 



P.S. — On reading the proof of the foregoing lines I find 1 have 

 omitted one or two things. I took one beautiful, though small 

 specimen of Satynis hriseis on the Causse. where also Pararye lycaon 

 was plentiful. The head-quarters of the former species was lower 

 <lown in more wooded country. One day as we were sitting by the 

 river near the dolus ground we noticed an incident that I have seen 

 recorded from the tropics, but have never witnessed or seen recorded 

 from Europe. Both Melanaryia ynlathea and one of the Pierids were 



