A BUTTERFLY HUNT IN SOME PARTS OF UNEXPLORED FRANCE. 89 



groupe d'Alveus '). Also, I had no intention when I left England 

 of visiting the Basses-Alpes at all, but had planned to turn west 

 from Le Vercors (vide antea, p. 8) into Ardeche. I had not 

 provided myself, therefore, with Bellier's notes, which might 

 have assisted me to the right localities, though a chance meet- 

 ing at Barcelonnette with Mr. B. A. Tucker and Mr. Charles 

 Morris, of Cannes— both ardent lepidopterists — gave me the 

 clue to a locality in which, as I subsequently discovered, these 

 French naturalists made their most important captures. 



The journey from Barcelonnette is advertised in summer to 

 be performed by motor omnibus. As a matter of fact, when the 

 motor reached Condamine — the half-way house — the driver was 

 seized with a sudden spasm of economy for petrol ; and another 

 and altogether " ancient piece " was trundled out of the coach- 

 house to perform the last long uphill climb. After the dizzy 

 ordeal of the day before on the Col d' Alios the change was 

 delightful ; and as we jogged peacefully along the road it was 

 possible to survey the splendid scenery and to note chance 

 insects on the wayside flowers. But for the greater part of the 

 journey, the forest gradually disappearing and the flora of the 

 valley giving place to the veritable mountain kind, there was 

 little on the wing, as the sun was still hidden behind the ever- 

 rising barrier of the hills. 



When the room difficulty had been settled, I set off for the 

 Lauzanier valley, the road diverging from that to Italy, and 

 crossing by pastures to the left bank of the Ubayette. The first 

 butterfly to attract attention was a remarkably fine brood of 

 I. lathonia, just emerged and in perfect condition, with males of 

 Epmejjhele lycaon flitting mara-like over and about the stone 

 walls of the cornfields. On past the bridge, females of A. damon 

 were in some profusion, with P. argyrognomon, C. virgaurea — 

 all males — some worn C. hippothoe, var. euryhia females, and a 

 fair sprinkling of Argynnids — aglaia, and niobe, var. eris (very 

 rarely typical). The season was, however, getting late for the 

 mountain meadows ; and I quite agree with Bellier, who recom- 

 mends a visit to Larche before they are cut, as with the hay goes 

 much of the best collecting. Down by the stream I could see 

 some small Parnassidse swinging lazily over the Sedum beds ; and 

 these subsequently proved to be Parnassius delius, rather worn. 

 The steep grassy banks on the left-hand side of the mule path 

 were full of butterflies, chiefly of the commoner alpine sorts ; 

 conspicuous by their numbers and exquisite condition being 

 Coenonympha iphis, while occasional Black-and-White Skippers 

 on the track itself were either Hesperia carthami, H. alveus, or 

 Pyrgus sao. Unfortunately, upon the whole length of the green 

 valley, which ends with a steep climb to the Eefuge hut, vast 

 herds of sheep, goats, and horses had been grazing ; and it was 



ENTOM. — MARCH, 1914. H 



