RHOPALOCERA OF CARLSBAD. 77 



colouring they escaped our notice, I am unable to say. But I do 

 know that we searched most diligently, and considered it a 

 red-letter day when one fell to our net. 



P. hippothoe was very rare ; we caught only three on and 

 after June 25th. 



P. alciphron was rather more numerous than the preceding, 

 but difficult to obtain in good condition ; however we managed a 

 nice series. One rather marked variety occurred : — On the 

 under side of the right wing the spots were of normal size, but 

 on the left unusually large ; on both hind wings the two upper 

 spots of the inner submarginal row were very large and 

 pear-shaped. 



P. phlceas occasionally put in an appearance, but nowhere in 

 large numbers. 



Of P. dorilis we only took one specimen. 



The genus Lyccena was fairly well represented, for we took 

 nine species ; but the thrifty habits of the peasants sadly 

 interfered with our success: just as the "blues" were most 

 abundant they set to work to cut and make hay of the coarse 

 grass on the road-side, thus effectually spoiling the locality. In 

 spite of this drawback the Marienbad road yielded — 



L. argus, L. medon, and L. hylas, the latter in fair abundance 

 on July 10 th. 



On the 11th my brother took one fine specimen of L. meleager. 



L. amanda was fairly plentiful, but in very bad condition. 



We took a few good specimens of L. cego?i, on and after 

 July 4th, beyond the cemetery and on the path leading to 

 the Echo. 



L. optilete is a very local species, but in fair numbers where 

 it does occur. The only place where we met with it was on the 

 top of the hill to the right of the path, among the young pines. 

 Instead of going straight on up the valley leading to the Echo we 

 turned to the right, keeping Klein Verseilles on the left and a 

 large sandpit on the right; after passing the sandpit the path 

 bends rather to the left and runs along the crest of the hill. 

 It is very curious that, although the food -plant, Vaccinium 

 oxyococcus, is most abundant elsewhere, this was the only 

 locality where L. optilete occurred. Good specimens were scarce, 

 on account, I suppose, of the young pines. 



L. acis = L. semiargus. — A very common insect from June 



