250 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



was a bad one with little sun, and beyond a few more Chri/so- 

 phanus var. rutilus we did not observe anything worthy of note. 



On the 8th of June we took the early morning train to Szada, 

 a residence of Baron V6csez, who had invited us to spend the 

 day there. We were met at the station by a carriage, in which 

 we drove several miles to the house, where we were received 

 with characteristic Hungarian kindness and hospitality, and 

 enjoyed a most delightful visit. In the morning we were con- 

 ducted by Baron V^csez through a tract of country consisting 

 chiefly of vineyards and orchards, in which many of the bare- 

 footed and picturesquely clad peasantry of both sexes were work- 

 ing, to some fine woods crowning rising ground ; here we were 

 pleased to come across ClirijsopJianus alciphron in large numbers 

 and in splendid condition. The day unfortunately was cloudy with 

 rain, and we had only a few minutes sun, but during that time 

 managed to secure about thirty specimens and also some jSIelitcea 

 trivia and Argynnis adippe var. cleodoxa. I found at rest a 

 female of Rusticus argyronomon {argus), which is certainly the 

 finest form I have ever seen of that species, and has a very 

 pronounced and brilliant orange band on the under side of the 

 hind wings. 



In returning we were shown some banks covered with 

 Aristolochia clentatitis, on which the larvae of Tliais polyxena 

 were feeding in enormous numbers ; it would not have been 

 difiicult, I believe, to collect 1000 larvae or even more, but I 

 contented myself with about five dozen full-grown examples, 

 which have since produced over fifty fine pupae. In the after- 

 noon we looked through Baron V6csez's collection of Hungarian 

 lepidoptera, which contained some interesting specimens. 



Our last day in the neighbourhood of Budapest (June 12th) 

 was devoted to the famous locality of Peszer. Before visiting 

 Hungary I had a very indefinite idea where this place was 

 situated ; for beyond stating that you took the train from Buda- 

 pest to Dabas, a two hours' journey, all the accounts I could find 

 of those that had visited P6szer were silent, and as Baedeker does 

 not mention Dabas and Bradshaw knows it not, I had not the 

 remotest idea of the direction in which it lay or how to get 

 there. It may therefore not be out of place to state that the 

 station in the railway guide is named Also Dabas, which means 

 Lower Dabas, and is situated about thirty miles south-east of 

 Budapest, on the railway to Lajosmizse. 



Leaving Budapest by the early morning train we arrived on 

 the ground about 10.30 a.m. I can quite understand the 

 enthusiasm which this wood produces on all who visit it. 

 Peszer is indeed a wonderful locality for Diurni, which were 

 far more plentiful than I saw elsewhere in Hungary; in fact, 

 I have not seen anywhere in Europe a locality in which butter- 

 flies were in greater abundance. Various causes have probably 



