NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. Tas 
were black with larve of Vanessa urtice, perhaps the effects of a 
migration, and nests of larve of the Sicilian Lackey Moth. Cliszo- 
campa franconica were very numerous, there were thousands of 
larvee almost ready to scatter. (Is this a biennial? it was common 
in 1910 at Messina.) On April 9th the sun succeeded in making its 
appearance in the forenoon, and at once butterflies appeared in every 
direction, all in lovely condition. They included Thais polyxena, 
Huchloé damone, and of course cardamines and blues and whites. 
Unfortunately the sunshine lasted little over an hour, and was 
followed by clouds and a gale of wind, which quickly transformed 
the roads into a cloud of dust and ashes. Next day the gale 
continued, so I started. back to Messina by the Circum-Htna 
Railway. Hight miles from Randazzo, near the village of Sollichiata, 
the eruption of Mount Etna in 1911 had destroyed the railway track 
for about half a mile, and passengers had to detrain at Sollichiata, 
and walk over the lava stream of still heated ashes, and on to the 
next station—Castiglione—a distance of two and a half miles. With 
true Sicilian dilatoriness, no provision had then been made to fit in 
trains, and ours being an hour late, we found that the forenoon train 
had departed, and we had six hours to wait for the next train. 
(Later this was remedied.) Fortunately the wind was at our backs, 
and the road all down hill, so I decided to walk to the nearest 
station on the main line—Fiumefreddo, Sicilia—some ten or a dozen 
miles, and was fortunate just to catch a train. What with the 
reddish dust of the roads and the black ashes of the lava stream, I 
had the appearance of a Red Indian, and I felt no desire to visit the 
Sahara. 
Showery weather and the scirocco kept me indoors at Messina 
until April 14th, when a sunny morning tempted me up the nearest 
torrent-bed to the Cataract (Cattarati), a fine sight after the rain. I 
followed the gorge to the top of the hill (8000 ft.) and returned 
through the pine wood (the Bosco) and down the adjoining torrent- 
bed (Cammari). Butterflies were scarce after the rain, but those 
taken were in excellent condition, and included Huchloé ausonia and 
cardamines.. The lovely views from the hill and in the rocky gorges 
made ample amends for the fatigue of the journey. 
My favourite short walk near Messina is to Gravitelli, where 
there is a rocky gorge that rivals the dripping well at Knares- 
borough, and the Emperor butterfly Charazes jasius is sometimes 
common on the slopes in June. On April 16th and 19th I searched 
the Arbutus bushes close to a solitary pine tree that dominates the 
gorge, and obtained four larve; apparently the larva spins a white 
silken web on the upper side of a leaf, either for hibernation or at its 
last moult. Larvae of Lasiocampa (Bombyx) quercus like to sun 
themselves on the same plant, and in the gorge Vanessa egea flies 
rapidly; I caught one good specimen, and Leucophasia sinapis was 
very plentiful. 
With improved weather, I ventured to repeat my week-end visit 
to Randazzo, stopping during Sunday at Taormina, the most lovely 
health resort of Sicily. Once more luck was against me, and the 
grand view of Mount Etna from the Greek theatre at Taormina was 
denied us, and in its place was nothing but mist. I stopped three 
