12 MY FIRST VISIT TO THE ENGADINE. 



beautiful. Professor Hering assured me that the flowers 

 generally speaking were much more gone off than usual at 

 that period of the year ; the season had been an unusually 

 early one in that part of the world and hence flowers were 

 past and insects much wasted, and, as he assured me, not so 

 plentiful as usual ; but I am sure Professor Hering will 

 excuse me when I say that on this my first visit to the Alps 

 it seemed utterly impossible that insects ever could be more 

 plentiful than I then saw them. 



After waiting some time for our friends we decided to 

 proceed leisurely to the Bernina Inn, where we were soon 

 after joined by other three of our party, and we there feasted 

 on some delicious trout. Dr. Herrich-Schafler, who had 

 remained collecting to the last moment, did not appear till 

 fully three quarters of an hour after our arrival at the 

 Bernina Inn, thus indicating that though the oldest of the 

 party, he was not by any means wanting in fire and energy. 



I set off" back to Pontresina at half past five along with 

 Dr. Staudinger, but as evening drew on ho saw so many 

 moths flying in the woods around us that he turned off' to 

 capture them when about half way to Pontresina, and I 

 continued the walk alone, arriving at Pontresina in the very 

 nick of time, just as supper was being served. 



That afternoon we had succeeded in obtaining rooms in 

 the hotel, and our room, though not as large as that where 

 we had previously lodged, commanded a fine view up the 

 Val Roseg. The night was clear and the snow peaks showed 

 cold and grey against the sky. 



The morning of July 14th directly I woke I was reminded 

 of our change of domicile, by seeing a lofty mountain streaked 

 with snow as I lay in bed. On looking out of the window I 

 saw the grass on the valley white with hoar frost, the day, 

 again brilliant and cloudless, excursionists were already 



