THE ENTOMOLOGIST 



Vol. XXXL] APEIL, 189 8. [No. 419. 



NOTES ON LEPIDOPTERA FROM THE 

 MEDITERRANEAN. 



By Fleet-Paymaster Gervase F. Mathew, R.N., F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c. 



We left Plymouth on Sept. 6th, 1896, in H.M.S. ' Endymion,' 

 en route to the Mediterranean, with a new crew to recommission 

 H.M.S. 'Hawke' at Malta. On the afternoon of the 8th we 

 called at Vigo, and remained there until five p.m. the following 

 day. The next morning I landed after breakfast with one of my 

 messmates, and went for a long walk by the road which leads 

 out to the north-east of the town, and runs just above and 

 parallel with the beautiful harbour. As soon as we got clear of 

 the town and suburbs, we passed gardens and vineyards and 

 small fields containing Indian corn, melons, tomatoes, &c. 

 Grape-picking and wine-pressing were in full swing. The slopes 

 of the hills facing the harbour were cultivated for about two- 

 thirds of their height, but above this the ground became poor 

 and rocky, and more or less overgrown with pine trees. Nume- 

 rous ravines intersect the hills, and we crossed several bridges 

 during our walk. The day was fine, bright, and delightful, and 

 after proceeding for some four miles or so we turned up one of 

 the ravines, the sides of which in many places were thickly 

 clothed with Spanish chestnut, poplars, oaks, and a few fir trees ; 

 while in the more open spots there was a profusion of heath, 

 broom, wild sage, sun-cistus, &c. Pieris daplidice, Colias edusa, 

 and Pararge megcera were plentiful, and in fine condition ; Lyccena 

 telicanus was flying about heath, and L. argiolus over bramble. 

 Once or twice I saw a brilliant copper, probably Polyommatus 

 virgaurece, but not having a net with me I was unable to secure 

 a specimen ; now and then Pyrameis atalanta passed along, and 

 these, with one or two P. cardui, Pieris rapce, and P. brassicce, 

 comprised all the butterflies I noticed at this place. 



BNTOM. APRIL, 1898. I 



