LEPIDOPTERA AT ALBARRACIN. 285 



up possession, and consequently Azagra was compelled to con- 

 quer it. 



Upon obtaining possession the new lord declared bis in- 

 dependence of the ruling Spanish powers of that period, the 

 Kings of Castile and of Arragon, and he and his successors 

 succeeded in keeping it for several generations. In the thirteenth 

 century the town was besieged by Jaime I., of Arragon, " the 

 Conqueror." The siege lasted for four months, and the assail- 

 ants were eventually beaten off. Six years later a Mussulman 

 force laid siege to the town without success. 



In 1284 it was for the third time besieged, and this time 

 taken by its assailant, Pedro III., of Arragon. 



After various vicissitudes Albarracin and its territory was 

 finally, in 1363, peaceably incorporated in the kingdom of 

 Arragon, retaining great privileges, which remain in part even 

 to the present day, for it has jurisdiction over an extent of 

 country 97 kilometres by 61 kilometres ; and the community 

 owns a great part of the surrounding forests and mountains. 



We were fortunate in making the acquaintance of the cul- 

 tured Secretary of the Corporation of Albarracin, Don Mariano 

 Rabinad, from whom we experienced great kindness, and who 

 gave us valuable assistance and information in many ways, 

 showing to us, amongst other things, the Municipal records, 

 which are very perfect and voluminous. Those kept at Albarracin 

 date back to 1340. The earlier ones are at Barcelona. 



We made enquiries as to the collections of the famous 

 Spanish lepidopterist, Bernardo Zapater, who died at Albarracin 

 a few years ago, and were informed they had been deposited in 

 the museum of the Catholic College. 



An examination disclosed that there only remained three 

 small boxes of all orders of insects, which by this time, in 

 consequence of neglect, had resolved themselves almost entirely 

 into dust. 



The following is a list of all the articles on the lepidoptera of 

 the district of Albarracin, which I have been able to find in the 

 English magazines : — 



" The Butterflies of Arragon," by Mrs. Mary de la B. Nichol, 

 F.E.S. ; 'Transactions' of the London Entomological Society 

 for 1897, p. 127. 



" A Few Weeks Entomologising in Spain," by T. A. Chap- 

 man, M.D., F.Z.S., F.E.S. ; 'Entomologists' Record,' xiv. p. 70. 



"The Lepidoptera of Central Spanish Sierras," by the 

 present writer; 'Entomologists' Record,' xviii. p. 57. 



" Melitaea desfontainii and M. aurinia var. iberica in Central 

 Aragon" by Miss M. E. Fountaine, F.E.S.; 'Entomologist,' 

 xxxix. p. 42. 



" A Few Notes on Spanish Butterflies," by A. F. Rosa, M.D. ; 

 'Entomologist,' xli. p. 4. 



