35 



captured. A week later I went to Palermo to spend the week-end 

 (April 29th to May 4th), and the weather was sufficiently atrocious to 

 try the patience of the most ardent entomologist. The object 

 of my search was the Sicilian marbled-white {Melanargia pherusa), 

 and I only possessed Miss Fountaine's notes to assist me in my 

 search. 



In Italy the visitor is told that the pronunciation of the language 

 is quite simple, every letter being pronounced, and as c is pronounced 

 like our ch, I learnt quickly that Monte Cicci, near Messina, is known 

 as M. Cheeche. The Palermo locality is spelt a little differently, 

 M. Cuccio, and my efforts to pronounce this failed entirely, until a 

 happy thought struck me, and pointing to a high hill in front of me, 

 the top entirely covered with rocks, I asked a native the name of it, 

 and he replied Monte " Goche." After much time spent in fixing 

 the locality I waited for improved weather conditions ; the gale (a 

 sirocco) blew day after day, and the rain at times fell from the dull 

 clouds in torrents. On my third visit to the mountain (Tuesday, 

 May 3rd), however, the sun shone for a few minutes, and a specimen 

 of M. pherusa was tempted out of its hiding-place, but only to be 

 blown out of reach by the strong wind. Early on the following 

 morning I reached the village of Bocca di Falco, which lies near the 

 foot of Monte Cuccio, and a terrific thunderstorm reached there at 

 the same time, rendering the main street, otherwise the donkey- 

 track, a rushing torrent bed. In the afternoon I visited iht phen/sa 

 ground, and the gale still blowing I waited for the clouds to roll by. 

 About 4 p.m. there was a little rift, the sun shone for a few minutes ; 

 out came three or four specimens of the desired marbled-white, and 

 though much blown about, I managed to capture one damaged 

 specimen, and then the clouds obscured the sun. Once more I had 

 a " happy thought," simply to search the grass-stems; and before 

 dusk came on I had secured three specimens, apparently fresh out. 

 I returned to Messina content with four specimens — the result of a 

 week-end of six days under unfavourable circumstances. Fortunately, 

 I was able to re-visit Palermo a fortnight later, for another week-end, 

 and though I was told that the "sirocco" would prevent my getting 

 a single specimen, I managed to secure a full series by searching the 

 grass stems. The sun shone during one of the two days that I 

 spent on Monte Cuccio, and I found it much harder work and less 

 profitable to catch the species on the steep slope, when flying, than 

 to search for them on the grass-stems. 



In the meantime I had not forgotten my plan to go in search of 

 the sulphur orange-tip on the slopes of Mount Etna, which I 

 persisted in carrying out, in spite of warnings that I was too late. I 

 had to wait until May 24th for an opportunity to leave Messina, and 

 on arriving at Giarre, the junction for the Circum-Etna Railway, a 

 tropical rain-storm was in progress. Crossing from one station to 

 the other, only a few yards, some ladies with big hats and ostrich 

 feathers were so drenched that they looked like drowned rats ; how- 



