BUTTERFLIES OF SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 61 



no bakhshish at the end of the journey, needless to add that that 

 net arrived at Jerusalem in a high state of preservation. 



I will now proceed to describe consecutively the few species I 

 did come across ; though my list lacks several that were taken 

 by Mrs. Nicholl in the same localities, and also often at about the 

 same time of year in 1900, and contains very few that she did 

 not take, though my stay in the country began rather earlier 

 than hers, and extended several weeks later in the season. I 

 shall not mention any of the commoner species one meets with 

 everywhere unless I have any remarks to make upon them. 



Thais cerisyi, B. — Abundant almost everywhere in Syria, from the 

 sea-level to an elevation of some 4000 ft. ; especially common at Ain 

 Zahalta in April. In May, at Aley, I found the larvte feeding on a 

 very large kind of Aristolochia, which I sent to a friend in Budapest, 

 but unluckily they all died on the journey. I did not see a second 

 brood of this butterfly. 



Doritis apollinus, Hbst. — This insect was practically over when I 

 got to Syria, even in the mountains in the middle of April ; for, though 

 in some places in the neighbourhood of Ain Zahalta it flew in great 

 abundance, it was almost impossible to find one specimen that was 

 not torn and rubbed. However, I collected a number of the larvae, 

 which I found in great quantities, full-grown, and rolled up in the 

 leaves of the same large Aristolochia, so that in a few days they all 

 pupated. I took some sixty or seventy of them, and could have 

 gathered hundreds more had I wished to do so. The larva of this 

 butterfly had been first pointed out to me by Prof. Day up the Dog 

 Kiver, near Beyrout, feeding on a different and smaller kind of this 

 plant.* 



Pieris mesentina, Cramer. — This butterfly was beginning to come 

 out on the plains south of Nazareth the first week in July ; but I only 

 succeeded in catching one specimen. It is the strongest and most 

 rapid flyer of any butterfly I have ever seen. On July 31st, at about 

 5 p.m., I saw several which I could easily have captured in the 

 grounds of the American College at Beyrout, but unluckily, not having 

 my net with me, I was unable to do so ; and the following morning, 

 towards midday, the chances of catching swallows on the wing with a 

 butterfly-net could scarcely be less than was my chance at this hour of 

 the day of netting one of these swift-flying Pieris. (Observation. — 

 Should not be sought for till after five o'clock on a sunny after- 

 noon.) 



Anthocharis helemia var. glauce, Hlib. — An occasional much worn 

 specimen down on the coast in April and the beginning of May. 



■■= The first emergence took place on December 22nd ; unluckily it was a 

 cripple. Several have since come out, but as yet only three specimens have 

 expanded properly ; the rest were all more or less deformed. One specimen, 

 after having remained for about twenty-four hours in exactly the same con- 

 dition as when it left its chrysalis, all at once began to expand, till it was 

 almost perfect, except for one of the hind wings. Is it usual for freshly- 

 emerged insects to wait twenty-four hours before they make up their minds 

 to develop ?— M. E. F. 



