216 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



euphenoides also was common, and amongst the white Ihcris 

 noticed at Ronda Anthocharis tagis flew in some numbers ; these 

 A. tagis were, however, a remarkable race, much larger than the 

 Eonda specimens, and having an average wing expanse of 

 45 mm., whereas the majority of the specimens taken at Eonda 

 and Granada — the only other places I met with the species in 

 Spain — did not average more than 38 mm. in expanse ; this 

 large form had also a much more powerful and swift flight, and 

 was, on the wing, not distinguishable from A. belia. Other 

 species observed were Nomiades melanops, Pararge egeria, Poly- 

 ommatus agestis, and Pontia daplidice. Colias edusa was common. 

 Ep'mephele yasiphae was just emerging, and females were found 

 on April 27th. Apart from the Lepidoptera, the cork-woods are 

 well worth a visit for their wonderful avifauna. Thanks to 

 Colonel Verner, I saw or recognized the notes of a great number 

 of most interesting birds, including bee-eater, hoopoe, golden 

 oriole, kite, and Egyptian vulture (on nest), and was informed 

 that pairs of goshawk, Bonelli's eagle, marsh harrier, and other 

 Eaptores were then nesting in the woods. 



In the Alameda gardens, at Gibraltar, the larv£e and curious 

 pupae of Zygcena bcetica were not infrequent on Coronilla glauca. 



The weather during my stay was very delightful, with a good 

 deal of sun each day and a minimum shade temperature of about 

 seventy-five degrees. 



On the morning of April 29th we travelled on to Malaga, a 

 ten hours journey ; this route is a very attractive one, travers- 

 ing some fine gorges, and with splendid mountain views most of 

 the distance. As we approached Malaga the train passed for 

 many miles through orange orchards, which loaded the air with 

 the perfume of their blossom. Large birds of prey were seen 

 at intervals, and a pair of magnificent eagles hovered quite close 

 to the train in a gorge a little to the south of Eonda, where they 

 were evidently breeding. 



Malaga enjoys the highest mean temperature of any locality 

 in Europe, and consequently produces certain tropical plants 

 that are not grown elsewhere, including the sugar-cane, large 

 plantations of which exist ; custard-apples and bananas are also 

 extensively grown. The weather was cloudless during our stay, 

 but abnormally hot for the time of the year, the shade tempera- 

 ture each day running well up to ninety degrees, and on one day 

 it reached ninety six degrees. 



The town is very dusty and insanitary, but the surroundings 

 are picturesque ; it is better, therefore, to stay in the suburbs, 

 and we found charming quarters at an English pension, the 

 ' Hacienda de Giro,' an old Spanish mansion situated in the 

 midst of a beautiful tropical garden in the suburb of Caletas, 

 about a mile and a half east of the town, and on the shore of 

 the Mediterranean. I found butterflies in great abundance on 



