A BUTTERFLY HUNT IN SOME PARTS OF UNEXPLORED FRANCE. 89 
groupe d’Alveus’). Also, I had no intention when I left England 
of visiting the Basses-Alpes at all, but had planned to turn west 
from Le Vercors (vide antea, p. 8) into Ardéche. I had not 
provided myself, therefore, with Bellier’s notes, which might 
have assisted me to the right localities, though a chance meet- 
ing at Barcelonnette with Mr. E. A. Tucker and Mr. Charles 
Morris, of Cannes—both ardent lepidopterists—gave me the 
clue to a locality in which, as I subsequently discovered, these 
French naturalists made their most important captures. 
The journey from Barcelonnette is advertised in summer to 
be performed by motor omnibus. As a matter of fact, when the 
motor reached Condamine—the half-way house—the driver was 
seized with a sudden spasm of economy for petrol; and another 
and altogether ‘‘ ancient piece’”’ was trundled out of the coach- 
house to perform the last long uphill climb. After the dizzy 
ordeal of the day before on the Col d’Allos the change was 
delightful; and as we jogged peacefully along the road it was 
possible to survey the splendid scenery and to note chance 
insects on the wayside flowers. But for the greater part of the 
journey, the forest gradually disappearing and the flora of the 
valley giving place to the veritable mountain kind, there was 
little on the wing, as the sun was still hidden behind the ever- 
rising barrier of the hills. 
When the room difficulty had been settled, I set off for the 
Lauzanier valley, the road diverging from that to Italy, and 
crossing by pastures to the left bank of the Ubayette. The first 
butterfly to attract attention was a remarkably fine brood of 
I. lathonia, just emerged and in perfect condition, with males of 
Epinephele lycaon flitting mera-like over and about the stone 
walls of the cornfields. On past the bridge, females of A. damon 
were in some profusion, with P. argyrognomon, C. virgauree— 
all males—some worn C. hippothoé, var. eurybia females, and a 
fair sprinkling of Argynnids—aglaia, and niobe, var. eris (very 
rarely typical). The season was, however, getting late for the 
mountain meadows; and I quite agree with Bellier, who recom- 
mends a visit to Larche before they are cut, as with the hay goes 
much of the best collecting. Down by the stream I could see 
some small Parnasside swinging lazily over the Sedum beds; and 
these subsequently proved to be Parnassius delius, rather worn. 
The steep grassy banks on the left-hand side of the mule path 
were full of butterflies, chiefly of the commoner alpine sorts; 
conspicuous by their numbers and exquisite condition being 
Cenonympha iphis, while occasional Black-and-White Skippers 
on the track itself were either Hesperia carthami, H. alveus, or 
Pyrgus sao. Unfortunately, upon the whole length of the green 
valley, which ends with a steep climb to the Refuge hut, vast 
herds of sheep, goats, and horses had been grazing ; and it was 
ENTOM.—MARCH, 1914. H 
