COLLECTING LEPIDOPTERA IN THE LAKE DISTRICT. 131 



fusion. The butterflies were found over an area extending from 

 the top of the mountain, at the back of Harrison Stickle (the 

 highest "pike"), northwards to the top of High White Stones, 

 and westwards to the left as far as the track leading into 

 Langstrath, known as Stake Pass. This area is a wide, dreary 

 expanse of coarse grass, rushes, and bog, which slopes gently 

 towards the head of Borrowdale. The whole of this area is 

 above 2000 ft. high, and is exposed to the full force of the north 

 and north-west gales and storms, and these storms are some of 

 the worst it is possible to encounter. It is a remarkable fact 

 that on the south side of Langdale Pikes, about three-quarters 

 way up the mountain, there is an extensive grassy plateau, 

 beautifully warm, and sheltered from all the strongest winds and 

 rain ; but, in spite of this, I have never found epiphron on this 

 place, with the exception of one specimen, which, oddly enough, 

 we took on the first day we ascended the mountain. This was 

 the first specimen of this butterfly I ever saw alive, and was the 

 only one taken on that day (because on that day we did not go 

 high enough up to find others). I have been over this plateau 

 at least twenty or thirty times since, but have never seen epiphron 

 on it again. 



This butterfly is a most interesting insect ; it never flies 

 while the sun is not out, but however strong the wind or wet 

 the grass, directly there is a gleam of sun, the butterflies appear 

 in scores, and the whole place seems alive with little black dots 

 moving about ; directly the sun goes in, the " black dots " go in 

 too, disappearing as if by magic ; and so thoroughly do they 

 " go in " that it seems practically impossible to find a single 

 specimen in the grass, however diligent the search. 



We also found E. epiphron fairly abundantly on and near the 

 top of Red Screes, overlooking the Kirkstone Pass; and in 1903 

 I found it on the side (north-west) of Helvellyn, and on the top 

 of Honister Crag, and on the top of Brandreth ; in fact, on the 

 tops of all the mountains which form the head of Ennerdale 

 and Buttermere Valleys, viz. Fleetwith Pike (= Honister), Grey 

 Knotts, Brandreth, Kirk Fell, and the back of Green Gable ; but 

 I could never find it on Great Gable nor, with the exception of 

 one specimen, anywhere round Styehead Tarn, nor between 

 there and Esk Hause or Rossett Ghyll. I mention these places 

 in detail because many of them are mentioned in Newman as 

 localities for epiphron (Great Gable, Honister, Styehead Pass and 

 Tarn, Langdale Pikes, and Red Screes). I do not know the 

 experiences of other collectors as to localities for this species, 

 and should very much like to hear some to compare with my 

 own. I have very rarely found it at a less elevation than 

 2000 ft., and I cannot call to mind ever taking it on the south 

 side of any mountain ; the sides and tops of all those mountains 

 above mentioned on which it was taken are all exposed to the 



