FIVE WEEKS IN THE VOSGES. 85 



Brenthis ino, Melitcea dictynna, M. diclyma, M. athalia, &c. — 

 more pleasant perhaps for us than for the butterflies. We Imgered 

 all too long in this attractive spot, for there was still a stiff 

 climb to the summit, and the way again led through the forest. 

 By the time we had gained the top and were within sight of the 

 fort, the sky had clouded over and rain soon began to fall. We 

 tramped through the damp grass, turning out Erehia stygne in 

 abundance, but little else, and the weather becoming worse we 

 had to seek such shelter as the rocks afforded. However, we 

 persevered, and after a time it cleared up suflSciently for us to 

 explore a tempting looking valley, into the depths of which we 

 scrambled, down precipitous slopes, pushing our way through 

 the bushes, and at last arriving at the swampy ground at 

 bottom, which had allured us to the venturesome descent. Our 

 exertions were, however, without reward, for there was nothing 

 to be found worth catching, and having rested long enough to eat 

 our lunch and feast on the wild fruits, we succeeded in finding 

 a woodman's path which led us to the summit again. The walk 

 back to St. Maurice yielded nothing fresh, but we had done a 

 good day's work and added three species to our list— L. sinapis, 

 P. semele, and V. io. On the following morning a visit was paid 

 to the Vallee des Charbonniers, where the bag included a very nice 

 pale aberration of I. lathonia, and in the afternoon I climbed the 

 bill at the back of the hotel and found Brenthis dia sporting in 

 considerable numbers among the bracken, enjoying the last 

 brief moments of sunshine before the Monarch of the Day sank 

 behind the mountain and left the hillside in shadow. 



On Tuesday, July 7th, we decided to go a little further afield, 

 and leaving St. Maurice by the seven o'clock train arrived about 

 an hour later at Remiremont, whence a steam tramway runs 

 among the hills to Gerardmer. Our destination was Le Tholy, 

 in the valley of the Cleurie. It is a small village with a cotton 

 mill, and is a great centre of the cheese-making industry. There 

 is a little hotel on the mountain above the station, and on our 

 way up a magnificent female Limeiiitis Camilla, surely one of the 

 loveliest of insects, was secured. A few minutes later Cceno- 

 nympha arcana was taken at rest on a blossom, and on the edge 

 of a piece of woodland Mr. Barraud netted a male Apatura iris. 

 Another record for the day was Thecla ilicis var. cerri, of which 

 some four or five worn specimens appeared. After lunch a walk 

 on the other side of the valley resulted in two more L. Camilla, 

 and among less noteworthy things a dwarf Melanargia galatea, 

 but more curious still was a minute Lyccena arion, measuring 

 only twenty-eight mm., which Mr. Barraud captured. 



(To be continued.) 



