16 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



helencB, Obthr., has, of course, been distinguished and named quite 

 recently by M. Charles Oberthiir from examples taken in this 

 same district. 



But, notwithstanding the arid condition of the soil and the 

 exhausted verdure both of plants and trees, there were countless 

 butterflies besides Lycaenidfe upon the wing. The fast-fading 

 clumps of valerian on the railway bank were clustered with 

 Colias edusa and C. hyale, and occasional Pontia daplidice; 

 while on the outskirts of a little pine-wood, which filled the 

 whole air with sweet resinous odour and afforded a grateful 

 shade, fresh examples of Papilio machaon were chasing each 

 other with an energy we poor perspiring mortals might well 

 envy. Pyrgus sao, isolated Carcharodus alcece, and Nisoniades 

 tages represented the ** skippers," while every blue thistle was 

 alive with Epinephele tithonus, and the driest pathways and 

 glaring masonry of the canal with Hipparchia arethusa ; that 

 other heat-loving Satyrid, H. hriseis, being not yet emerged. 

 Of the Argynnids I saw nothing ; they must have been well 

 over in this forward season, but a fresh brood of MelitcBa cinxia 

 was about, and some very small but lively coloured M. phcehe. 

 Several stout Anthrocerid larvte also found their way into the 

 net, although the only member of the family on the wing was 

 A.fausta, very small and in brilliant condition. 



But the sands of holiday-time were already running low, and 

 I could only give Dompierre a second visit of a few hours on 

 August 5th, though in a normal year, throughout the collecting 

 season, a profitable month might be spent in the Charente- 

 Inferieure. The difficulty is to work this locality from comfort- 

 able headquarters. The best way, I should think, to reach La 

 Rochelle is by steamer to La Pallice from Liverpool, thus 

 avoiding the tiresome journey across France; or, if the long sea- 

 voyage is not convenient, via Southampton, St. Malo, Rennes, and 

 Nantes. The trains stopping at Dompierre from La Rochelle are, 

 however, very limited in number, and there seems no alternative 

 between spending the whole day there from ten to six, or 

 returning a few hours before noon. But there is a small cafe 

 opposite the station, kept by a sympathetic landlord, who waxed 

 eloquent on the entomological treasures of his locality ; and it 

 is, therefore, not necessary to transport dejeuner, a considera- 

 tion when box-room is limited, and the sun making every ounce, 

 human or otherwise, tell against the carrier of bag or satchel. 

 I cannot recommend the small hotel in which I put up at La 

 Rochelle, but I dined each evening at the Hotel du Commerce in 

 the Place d'Armes, and it appeared to be admirably managed. 



Butterflies observed at Dompierre-sur-Mer, Charente- 

 Inf:6rieure, August 4th and 5th, 1911. — Carcharodus alcece ; 

 Pyrgus sao ; Nisoniades tages ; Lycana arion ; Nomiades semi- 



