90 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



ordinary spring butterflies of the Riviera have, alas ! lost their 

 charm of novelty. 



On arriving at the locality, it at once became clear that a 

 long-handled net was an indispensable adjunct to success, as 

 several " Thecla" were to be observed disporting themselves on 

 the summits of the cork-oaks and lofty arbutus shrubs which 

 there constitute, in entomological parlance, "the ground." 



A stout stem of Arundo donax, some 10 ft. in length, having 

 been pressed into service, I proceeded to business. For the 

 first two or three hours, examples of C. rubi, in unvarying and 

 monotonous succession, alone rewarded my efforts. Towards 

 noon, however, I noticed a " Thecla'' in possession of a sunny 

 perch on a cork-oak far out of reach of my improvised weapon. 

 By dint of diligent stoning, it was at length induced to pursue a 

 descending pebble far enough to bring itself within range, and a 

 lucky shot secured it. 



On examination it proved, to my great delight, to be an 

 unmistakable male C. avis in first class condition. No further 

 success was mine on this day, but during the following week 

 I managed to obtain, by similar methods in most instances, some 

 fifteen specimens, three of which were female, and nearly all 

 freshly emerged. 



I was unfortunately unable to remain long enough in the 

 district to observe the females ovipositing, but the conjecture that 

 " Arbutus unedo" is an alternative food-plant to " Coriaria 

 myrtifolia" would appear to be well founded (Dr. Chapman). I 

 could find no trace of the latter plant (nor, from the nature of 

 the soil, did I expect to), and the imagines never seemed to leave 

 the arbutus trees, except for the purpose, common to others of 

 the genus, of sunning themselves on a leaf of a cork-oak, or of 

 driving off intruders. 



As regards the characteristics and appearance of the insects, 

 their flight struck me as somewhat heavier than that of C. rubi, 

 while, on the few occasions on which they descended to ordi- 

 nary levels, the tawny shade of the upper side was distinctly 

 noticeable. 



A very distinct difference between C. avis and C. rubi, in 

 addition to those noted by Dr. Chapman, is, in my specimens, 

 the colour of the under side of the abdomen. In rubi it is 

 slaty-grey, in avis nearly pure white. The white line on under 

 side' in avis appears to vary greatly in intensity, being well 

 marked and continuous in some cases, in others almost in- 

 visible, though the insect in each instance appears quite fresh. 

 Again in " avis," the white circles round the eyes of rubi are 

 effaced, or replaced, by thick reddish brown hair, and this 

 peculiarity makes it easily recognisable when handled, or when 

 the insect can be approached sufficiently close while at rest. 

 From my experience it would seem that the habitat of C. avis 



