A NORTH ITALIAN VALLEY. 5 
only fritillaries observed, and single specimens of Pararge maera, 
Epinephele jurtina, a strong bright ¢ form, and Coenonympha pamphilus 
were taken. Two specimens of Melanargia yalathea taken, one on 
June 17th and another on my return journey on the 25th, were both 
of the dark form var. procida, Herbst. Rumicia (Chrysophanus) phlaeas, 
Aricia medon (astrarche), and Polyommatus icarus were also seen. 
Turning from Lepidoptera to some of the neglected, and to me, 
more interesting groups, the beautiful white-fly, Alewrodes proletella, L., 
was common in all stages on the undersides of the leaves of Chelidonium 
majus on the sides of the road to Varna, and on a stone wall edging of 
this road were thousands of a small red mite careering wildly backwards 
and forwards and in circles with intense activity, in spite of (or was it 
on account of ?) the fact that the direct rays of the sun had made the 
stones so hot that it was extremely unpleasant to touch them with the 
bare hand. Mr. C. Warburton has kindly identified specimens I sub- 
mitted to him as “ Trombidioid mites of the family Rhyncolophidae, 
all immature Rhyncolophus or Abrolcphus.”” Further up the road a heap 
of faggots yielded a number of interesting thrips which will be recorded 
elsewhere. 
At mid-day on the 17th I left Domodossola and drove to Foppiano 
at the head of the Val Antigorio. From about this date the post 
wagon runs daily between these two places and a seat can be obtained 
fora small sum. The distance is about thirty kilometres, but six hours 
was occupied on the journey, the delivery of the mails and the attendant 
ceremonies occupying the greater part of the time. 
Foppiano (in some maps Unterstalden) is at a height of 3,100 feet, 
and here the pale southern form of Pieris napi was replaced by a much 
more heavily veined form, and some of the males were almost as dark 
as those found higher up with females of var. bryoniae. At this height, 
however, all the females had a white ground colour. Other males were 
paler, approaching the southern form, and the range of variation here 
was greater than at the other localities. Aporia crataeyi was by far the 
most abundant butterfly and was in excellent condition: a pupa was 
found attached to a low plant about two or three inches above the 
ground and quite conspicuous, and the adult emerged a day or two 
after my return. Butterflies were most abundant on the hill-side along 
a small stream, about three hundred yards below the Hotel Foppiano. 
Here Papilio machaon, in poor condition, Parnassius apollo, P. mnemo- 
syne, one of which had an almost complete black transverse band on 
the hindwing, Colias hyale, Agriades (Polyommatus) thetis (bellargus), 
Aricia medon (astrarche), Lycaena arion var. obscura (one female), and 
Cupido sebrus were taken. Along the road-side were odd specimens of 
Leptosia sinapis, Gonopteryx rhamni, Huchloé cardamines, Cyclopides 
(Carterocephalus) palaemon, and Pararge maera, a female much ap- 
proaching the adrasta form, and also single specimens of Hrebia ceto, 
the form with strongly marked ocelli, as in other valleys on the 
southern slope, and FH. medusa. The only “copper” taken was Loweta 
(Chrysophanus) alciphron var. gordius, a male in which there was con- 
siderable striation of markings. In the woods just above the hotel 
Melitaea dictynna was common in company with Brenthis euphrosyne and 
B. amathusia. One specimen of the first named had intensely black hind- 
wings without any markings, while another had only a single row of 
orange markings on the hindwings. In addition to the above the fol- 
