RHOPALOCEEA FROM THE ALPES-MARITIMES. 35 



It is remarkable tliat such an extraordinary amount of 

 monstrosity and deformity should exist in this interesting species. 

 Certainly it is a fragile insect, but others, as Tdeplwrus, Mala- 

 chilis, Lfimpijris, although as lightly formed as Platijcis, are not 

 so prone to distortion. 



Oxford University Museum, December, 1893. 



RHOPALOCERA FROM THE ALPES-MARITIMES IN 1893. 



By Frank Bromilow, F.E.S. 



(Concluded from vol. xxvi. p. 349.) 



Vaneasa c-alhum, L. It has not been very common this year ; I saw an 

 example at Caussols, on September 29th, settled on a maple tree in front of 

 our house. V. c(jca, Cr. Seen for the first time, this year, on May 29th, at 

 Vence, settled on a wall ; I took nine examples near the same place, later; 

 also at Carabacel and the Vallon des Fleurs at Nice ; in the Alpes-Maritimes 

 it almost seems to replace c-albuni. It is stated by Milliere that tliere are 

 three broods in the course of the year. Egeas habit of settling on walls and 

 palings is noticeable, and it sometimes fiequents gardens. Ah, j-albwn, Esp. 

 Occurs with the type, but is rarer, being most generally met with in the 

 autumn ; first noticed on an excursion to the " gorges du Loup " (depart- 

 ment of Var), on March 11th ; a female was taken for the last time, near 

 our house at Nice, on October 27th. V. iirtica;, L. Common ; the first 

 example was, I believe, seen near Nice, on February 10th. V. io, L. 

 Always abundant; rare in mountain districts; first observed on March 

 17th, at St. Maurice, north of the town of Nice. V. antiopa, L. Common 

 on the coast; scarce at about 4000 feet altitude. V. atalanta, L. Very 

 common ; I have seen it at a height of 3960 feet above sea-level, but it 

 does not ascend to any great elevation in the mountains. V. cardtii, L. 

 Abundant, but less so than the last ; in former seasons I have observed it 

 at an altitude of tJ774 feet, on Mont Pepiori, in the northern extremity of 

 the Alpes-Maritimes. 



MelitcEa cinxia,!^. Common ; also in the mountainous parts. M.aurinia 

 V. iberica, Oberth. Several specimens were seen for the first time this year 

 at Vence, on May 29th. M. didijma, O. Abundant, and very variable in 

 coloration; first taken in Nice, on June 27th. M.athalia, Rott. Generally 

 distributed. This insect is also subject to variation ; several years ago I 

 took a form in which the two central rows of black spots on the fore winos 

 coalesced, forming a band. Dr. Staudinger, to whom I sent it, stated it to 

 be an "accidental aberration." ]\[. parthenie, Hbst. One specimen only 

 was, I believe, taken by our party at Caussols, on August 28th, but I have 

 found it common in less bleak localities in other seasons. 



Argynnis euphrosijne, L. Nice, in the Vallon des Fleurs ; it was 

 also captured at nearly 4000 feet elevation. A. diet, L. Common at 

 Nice, in the Vallon des Fleurs, and many other places ; this species 

 I took at a height of nearly 4000 feet. A. lathoiiia, L. Abundant, 

 perhaps the commonest of the genus ; a specimen, which had probably 

 hybernated, was seen for the first time this year at Cimiez (Nice), 



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