IN SEARCH OF RUSSIAN BUTTERFLIES. 317 



eye in its swift flight ; from time to time tlie butterfly would settle 

 upon flowers, but even then a capture was difficult to effect, for it 

 would usually fly up when one was some yards distant. 



H. sidae. — Common in the same localities as the last species, and 

 of similar habits. Some of the examples are very large ; I have one 

 that expands 45 mm., as against 39 mm., the expanse of the largest 

 of my southern French specimens. The Sarepta form is also more 

 brightly marked, both on the upper and lower surfaces ; first seen on 

 May 28th. 



H. vialvae. — A few specimens were seen at all localities, of what 

 I presume is this species ; unfortunately, neither Mr. Jones nor myself 

 brought back a male, so we cannot be quite certain. 



■ Nisoniades tacjes. — Not uncommon at lalta and Novorossisk, a 

 very tj'pical form. 



Augiades sylvanus. — Common in vv^oods at Sarepta from May 21st. 



Adopaea flava. — Common at Sarepta ; a fine richly-coloured form, 

 expanding up to 40 mm. ; first seen on June 6th. 



A. lineola. — Abundant in the same localities as the last species, 

 from May 31st. 



The Heterocera of Sarepta were most interesting and abundant, 

 and it was a matter of keen regret to both Mr. Jones and myself that 

 we were not able to work at them more thoroughly ; but this would 

 have entailed a certain amount of night collecting, and one cannot 

 very well keep fit if both day and night work is undertaken, especially 

 when, as in our case, you are on the wrong side of a certain age. 



Perhaps the most striking moth we saw was the exquisite 

 Macroglossa croatica, which although not common, was not in- 

 frequent in June; it seems probable that it can fly rapidly, but those 

 I saw, all of which were captured, were slowly threading their way 

 amongst the herbage ; the larva is said to feed upon Centaurea. 



Zygffinidee were very rare ; a few examples of what I suppose is 

 Procris glohulariae w^ere taken at Sarepta and Novorossisk, and at 

 the former locality Syntomis phegea was seen not rarely. 



The larvas of Malacosoma castrensis were abundant amongst 

 Artemesia, sp. 



The beautiful Cuadlia argentina was not infrequent at rest on 

 the stems of dead plants, and w^as exceedingly well protected by its 

 resemblance to them. Heliothis scutosa swarmed everywhere, and 

 H. dij^saceus was equally abundant. I bred an example of this 

 species from a larva found feeding upon the flowers of a Salvia, 

 which resembled and might be S. pratcnsis. 



H.peltigera and the beautiful H. incarnata both occurred, and 

 Acontia htcida and A. titania were common; a handsome larva 

 found upon a species of Linaria produced Calophasia casta. 



Micra paula was not infrequently taken ; probably it was 

 abundant, but of course its small size made it very inconspicuous. 

 M. parallela and the beautiful M. piirjmrina occurred. 



Amongst the Plusias I have brought away examples of P. ni and 

 P. gutta, and the ubiquitous P. gamma swarmed. 



Emmelia trabealis was abundant and generally distributed, and 

 everywhere in swamps. 



Erastia argentula was abundant. 



