BUTTERFLY-HUNTING IN THE BALKANS. 127 



of the little river which trickled along amid fast-drying pools in 

 the bottom of the valley. This curious lake bears the un- 

 pronounceable name of Popovopolje, and in summer its waters 

 are said to find a subterranean outlet. The water system of the 

 Balkans presents many curious phenomena of this kind, full- 

 grown rivers issuing from cliffs, and streams disappearing in 

 fissures of the earth in a remarkable way. The bright morning 

 was succeeded by cloud and rain, and it was wet when I left the 

 shelter of the hotel Narenta, at Mostar, to explore the sights of 

 this oriental city, and to admire its incomparable bridge, perhaps 

 the most interesting structure in the Balkans. Much valuable 

 time was wasted in an endeavour to get a permit to take photo- 

 graphs, which was absolutely refused me by the commander of 

 the garrison, but I got my way by telegraphing direct to the 

 headquarters of the military district at Eagusa. So that after- 

 noon slipped away, and I was not able to do any entomological 

 work until the next morning. Its early hours were cloudy, but 

 while I was having my coffee the sun came out, and a Pieris 

 brassicce was seen Hying in the little public park in front of the 

 hotel. This decided me to try my luck on the north-west of 

 the town, along the railway line. At first nothing but a few 

 AjitJwcaris, var. ausonia, were to be had, but as I got further 

 away from Mostar matters improved. The hillsides are highly 

 tilled wherever cultivation is possible, the vine being grown on 

 the lower slopes. I followed a narrow lane leading upwards 

 between the vineyards, and on a thistle-head a beautiful female 

 Dryas 'pandora was sunning herself. She fell a victim, and, hoping 

 for others, I lingered near the attractive flowers ; but although 

 no more imnclora were secured at this spot, I caught two Argynnis 

 adippe, var. clcodoxa, which seems to be the prevailing form of 

 this species in the Balkans. Libythea celtis, just out of the 

 chrysalis, was sporting along the thorny hedgerows, where it 

 was well protected and difficult to get without tearing the net. 

 A nice specimen which I succeeded in capturing was un- 

 fortunately smashed between the cork and the bottle, and 

 although a fair number of others were seen I only carried one 

 celtis home. A green hair-streak was observed, and hoping for 

 Thecla avis, I caught it ; but, like all other specimens I 

 captured in this part of the world, it proved to be only the 

 common species. A male Argynnis phocbe next came along, and 

 in a meadow two Melitcea didyma were added to the bag. On 

 the hillside Pieris ergane was abundant, and Polygonia egea flew 

 round the bramble blossoms. Three more D. pandora were 

 accounted for on the way home, as well as a very respectable 

 specimen of Ilesperia sides. The Lycsenids taken during the 

 morning were Agriades thetis, Polyommatiis astrarche, P. escheri, 

 Thecla spini, and Rumicia phlceas. 



Mostar is compressed into a few long streets on either bank 



