74 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



RHOPALOCERA OF CARLSBAD. 



By the Rev. William Becher. 



In the year 1883 my brother Captain Becher and myself 

 spent three weeks at Carlsbad, from June 24th to July 12th. 

 During this period we worked hard collecting the Rhopalocera of 

 the neighbourhood. 



The weather, with one or two exceptions, was all that could 

 be desired, warm nights and hot sunny da}s prevailing; indeed 

 an occasional rainy day enabled us to thoroughly overhaul our 

 captures, and arrange them ready for our return to England. 



The town of Carlsbad is very picturesquely situated in the 

 valley of the Pepel, on either side of that river, close to its 

 junction with the Eger. We found comfortable quarters at the 

 " Duke of Edinburgh," in the Schloss-platz. Nearly opposite 

 our lodgings are some of the springs for which the town of 

 Carlsbad is so celebrated ; indeed its prosperity is owing to the 

 medicinal virtues of the waters, which in many places are hot. 

 With these, however, we have nothing to do ; rather let us turn 

 to the peculiarities of the town from an entomologist's point 

 of view. 



The valley, roughly speaking, runs east and west, with high 

 hills abruptly sloping down to the rive)-. Here and there some 

 hollow or projecting spurs lend variety to the landscape, and 

 give promise of fruitful hunting-grounds ; a promise very often 

 unfulfilled, as every entomologist knows who has ever explored 

 fresh districts. 



The all-important question of the flora of Carlsbad is a very 

 difficult one to answer. I should say there is a considerable 

 variety, including many well-known friends; but when one comes 

 to enumerate the trees the task is less formidable. Pine is the 

 most common tree, forming woods of great extent, and furnishing 

 the inhabitants with the greater part of their fuel for the winter. 

 Here and there the sombre foliage is relieved by a silver birch, 

 or an occasional row of acacia gives variety to the scene. Down 

 by the river bank the alder is abundant, while the moisture - 

 loving willow is far from uncommon. The oak does not appear 

 to be much cultivated, and, except in the gardens or in the 

 neighbourhood of the town, can seldom be dignified with any 



