76 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



species frequent this area, including, amongst others, the following 

 much wanted and local species: — Apatura iris, A. ilia and var. 

 clytie, Limenitis populi and var. tremula, Araschnia Icvana, Melitcea 

 maturna, Argynnis aclippe var. cleodoxa, Erehia medusa, Hippar- 

 chia briseis, H. arethusa, Satyi'us statilinus, Enodia dryas, Pararge 

 achine, Canonympha hero, Thecla pruni, Chrysophanus hippothoe, 

 Lyccena alcon, and Heteropterus morpheus. 



With the object of making the acquaintance of some of these 

 species, I accompanied M. Brown on the evening of July 7th, 

 1906, down to the forest of Villers Cotterets, some forty miles 

 north-east of Paris, our chief objects being the Apaturidse — 

 Limenitis populi, and Araschnia levana var. prorsa. 



The following morning broke fine and cloudless, and the day 

 turned out to be an ideal one for butterflies ; it was, however, 

 the only quite suitable day I was favoured with whilst in the 

 district. 



The Apaturidae were in great force, sitting on a road running 

 through the forest, imbibing at the damp spots, or at horse- 

 droppings. Of the two species, Apatura ilia was by far the most 

 plentiful, about one-third of the examples being the type ; the 

 other two-thirds were var. clytie. It was most exhilarating to 

 come across half a dozen of these grand fellows settled on the 

 road, on a patch. They were not difficult to net, and I suppose 

 I must have captured some sixty specimens ; quite one-half, how- 

 ever, were released, not being perfect. Amongst my captures 

 was a fine example of ab. iliades. Apatura iris was not abun- 

 dant, and thus very difficult to capture ; only two examples, both 

 males, were taken. Limenitis popidi I did not see ; M. Brown 

 said I was a fortnight too late for it. The larvae of Araschnia 

 levana were abundant on the nettles, feeding in companies, each 

 containing several dozens. This larva feeds during the day in 

 damp shady spots. The broods are not difficult to distinguish, 

 for, although they do not defoliate a patch of nettles to the same 

 extent as a nest of Vanessa urticcs, they are sufficient to account 

 for the defoliation of one or two stems ; they do not seem subject 

 to parasites, nearly every larva producing a pupa. Odd early 

 imagines of the summer form (var. prorsa) were flying about in 

 the road ; they have much the appearance on the wing of a 

 Thecla, and are equally difficult to follow in flight, for, apart from 

 their inconspicuous dark colour, they move very rapidly. When 

 settled on the road, or on a leaf, they have a decided habit of 

 fanning the wings, after the manner of Issoria lathonia. 



Other species noted in the forest of Villers Cotterets in- 

 cluded Brenthis ino, plentiful and of large size, but past their 

 best; Limenitis sihylla, abundant; Dryas paphla, abundant; 

 Lyccena arion, a few ; Melitcea maturna, one much worn 

 specimen. 



Whilst staying in this part of France, I paid a visit, on July 



