82 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Rhodocera cleopatra, L. — Bather scarce, but occurs all over the 

 island, particularly in the " weids," or rocky valleys, where its food- 

 plant, a stunted thorny buckthorn, grows, and upon which I have 

 seen the females depositing their eggs in February and March. 



Polyommatus phlceas, L. — Abundant. Seen in December, January, 

 and February. At the end of July, 1897, it was swarming in several 

 localities, and the specimens were very large and dark — the var. eleus 

 of Fabricius. 



Lyccena boetica, L. — Eare ; only one or two met with. 



Lyccena astrarche, Bgstr. — Common and typical. The July brood 

 the most numerous. 



Lyccena icarus, Bott. — Abundant. First noticed March 5th. In 

 July it was swarming in certain places, and this brood was much 

 larger and much more strongly marked than those seen in the early 

 part of the year. In some cases the males have three or four con- 

 spicuous black spots on the hind margin of the posterior wings, near 

 anal angle, and the narrow black marginal line is as wide and distinct 

 as in L. agon ; the spots on the under sides are very large, black, 

 and broadly ringed with white, and the marginal series of orange - 

 peacock spots are bright and large. The females are large, have no 

 vestige of violet, but are as dark as L. astrarche, and for some time I 

 thought I was taking that species ; their under sides are exactly the 

 same, except for the addition of the two basal spots on the fore wings. 

 It is a very distinct variety. The violet in the wings of the females of 

 the spring brood is very slight. 



Vanessa atalanta, L. — Common. 



Vanessa cardui, L. — Abundant. Larvae on thistles, and spun up 

 between leaves of mallow. 



Pararge megicra, L. — Common, and there seems to be a succession 

 of broods throughout the year ; those met with during December and 

 January are smaller and darker than the spring and summer broods. 



Pararge egeria, L. — Common but local. A succession of broods. 

 Some of the examples very richly marked. Orauge gardens at Bos- 

 chetto, gardens of St. Antonio Palace, "weid" near Zurrico, &c. 



Epinephele ianira, L., var. hispulla, Hb. — Common but local, occur- 

 ring in the " weids," St. Antonio Gardens, &c. First noticed on July 

 10th, but it was probably out much earlier than that date. I was not 

 at Malta during April, May, or June. They remained a long time on 

 the wing, as I observed them well on into October. Some of the 

 females I have taken are very large bright specimens. 



Ccenonynrpha paw pit tins, L. — Abundant. The spring and early 

 summer broods are the typical form, but at the beginning of July the 

 var. lyllus, Esp., appears, and is much more plentiful than the type ; 

 some of the females taken are very large and strongly marked. 



Deilephila euphorbia, L. — Abundant in the larva state. A succession 

 of broods from May to October. Full-fed larvre were found on July 

 10th, and small larvae, only just hatched, were seen as late as Dec. 4th, 

 but it is doubtful if these latter would ever attain full growth, for they 

 would hardly be able to stand the rain and cold nights that were then 

 setting in. The parent moths do not seem to exercise much judgment 

 in depositing their ova, for I often noticed three or four young larvae 

 upon a small plant not more than three inches high, and no other 



