16 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
emerging, but became very common later. The specimens were 
not so largeas those I have taken at Digne and La Granja; more 
like the Rhone valley (Swiss) examples, but with the white line 
and blue spot on the under side more pronounced. Thecla ilicis, 
abundant, was generally worn; and var. esculi perhaps commoner 
still, but I did not find 7. tlicis var. cerri. Of T. acacie I was 
able to secure a few in fine condition and of large size; still it 
was very scarce, and considerably more alert than its congeners. 
One is accustomed to see Plebeius argus (egon) very abundant at 
times, but never have I seen anything like the multitude of this 
little ‘‘ Blue” extending over so wide an area. They fly in 
numbers over the whole plateau, and hang from every grass 
stem. The males were all of the form we expect in the south, 
with shining silvery white under sides. The females showed 
some variety. They were pretty evenly divided between all 
brown forms, and others suffused in various degrees with blue, 
but in many cases in both forms there is a very fine but strongly 
defined white line on the upper side hind wing just before the 
fringe. I sent one or two of these to Mr. Wheeler for inspection ; 
who writes: ‘‘ The white line on the upper side hind wing is very 
remarkable. I have only noticed it hitherto in medon, and it is 
hardly so marked in any specimens I have ever seen, even of 
that species.’ Of course, one effect of the white line is to throw 
up the orange chevrons into greater prominence. The orange 
in most cases (though not always) is continuous on both wings 
almost to the costa of the fore wing. In one beautiful brown 
specimen there is a series of small, but very distinct, blue spots 
on the inner side of the orange marks, on the upper side hind 
wing, faintly suggesting the marking of Orion var. ornata. One 
other male aberration is destitute of all spots on the under side 
of fore wings, including the discoidal, except the outer row, 
thereby outdoing Icarus var. icarinus; and in the lower wings 
the three spots nearest the anal-angle are long and elongated. 
The next day I turned my steps towards the woods on the 
east, especially one protected by a notice ‘“‘ Chasse Gardée ’— 
which I took not to exclude a butterfly net. Here I saw the first 
of a coming shower of Gonepteryx cleopatra, a male. Last year, 
by the way, I was rather surprised to see several females two or 
three days before a male appeared. Melanargia syllius had been 
not uncommon, but was much worn. The best thing was 
Leosopis roboris which appeared in increasing numbers during 
our stay. I saw no ash at Sainte Baume; evidently the food- 
plant here is oak; some German authors give also privet, and 
even elder. The specimens were finer than those of Digne, and 
the species much more abundant. Brenthis hecate also began to 
show itself on the edge of the wood, and B. dia was of 
exceptionally large size. I also got a very nice banded male 
of Melitea athaha. All the athalia were dark, and very strongly 
