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THE TINE^l OF THE HIGHER ALPS. 



Of course the want of broad-leaved trees, which at such 

 elevations is a very general occurrence, accounts for the non- 

 appearance of many species of Tinea, since their larvae can 

 only feed on these trees, and the insects consequently here no 

 longer find their necessaries of life. The fir trees, poor in 

 small insects, cannot repair this blank, although they produce 

 some peculiar species of Micro-Lepidoptera. But many 

 Tinea larvae feed on low plants. Yet even the mountain- 

 side, with its shrubs, and the grassy meadow with its 

 abundance of the most lovely Alpine plants, nourish no great 

 number of Tinece. We repeat it again, the higher region 

 of the Alps is sparingly peopled with Micros ! 



We believe we must confirm this poverty of the Alps in 

 Micro-Lepidoptera as the result of our numerous wander- 

 ings ; yet we readily admit that we may easily fall here into 

 many errors. Generally our time for seeking larvae is too 

 short, and in this respect we have hitherto done little ; but 

 how very sparingly th6 mining larvae occur, I have re- 

 peatedly observed. The wind, which almost always prevails 

 up above, renders the capture of Micros more difficult ; and 

 the best time for collecting, the later evening hours, Ave can 

 rarely use, since we must then be already on our way down ; 

 moreover it soon becomes cold up there. 



Yet with energy and perseverance a tolerable number of 

 Micro-Lepidoptera may be taken on the higher Alps, the 

 best proof of which has been furnished by Herr Mann of 

 Vienna. These, in contradiction to the Macros, are mostly 

 species which also occur in the plains, especially in more 

 northern countries ; yet many are new, and peculiar to the 

 Alps. What a pity there are not more of them ! 



We will now attempt in the following pages to give the 

 results of our investigations respecting the Tinea? of the 

 Swiss Alps. For this purpose, some years ago, we stayed 



