OCCURRENCE OF SO CALLED "TYPE*' SPECIMENS OF THE J NAPI. 93 



swarms of bryoniae. If this were so, a certain number must have 

 come in my way as well as the hybrids, which one would expect to be 

 the rarer of the two. But what did I find ? Throughout the whole 

 duration of the flight period of the species (for I was fortunately on 

 the ground from before the emergence began until it was practically 

 over) I only saw nine of the supposed type examples, of these, one I 

 failed to catch ; five (as already stated) have the underside of bryoniae 

 and so must also be regarded as hybrids ; one is of the napaeae form 

 and can only be regarded as doubtfully typical (for why should napi 

 produce the characteristic feature of the summer brood of the 

 lowlands, in May at 5,000 ft. ? and also it must be remembered that 

 this form of underside is commonly found in bryoniae J s), so there 

 remain but two possible type specimens, from separate valleys, to 

 represent (with the possible addition of the one not captured) the type 

 race on which depends the existence of these supposed hybrids. The 

 theory that a certain number of napi migrate from lower levels 

 annually, need not be considered seriously ; for apart from the 

 extreme improbability of individuals reaching great altitudes in so 

 many small Alpine valleys each year, it would have to be supposed 

 that they were practically all $ s. Foe if even one or two 2 s were to 

 migrate also, a large number of pure type eggs would be laid ; as no J 

 could travel the necessary distance without pairing before she reached 

 the bryoniae zone. No more, I think, need be said of that impossible 

 theory. If napi and hybrids between it and bryoniae exist in the Alps, 

 then the type race of napi must be permanently located there. In the 

 Kandersteg district there can be no doubt that this is not so ; and I 

 should need very strong proof to believe it is in any other part, of the 

 Alps either. I strongly suspect, too, that if the white S s which have 

 heen recorded as type napi from other localities were examined, a large 

 proportion of them would be found to show some bryoniae 

 characteristic. 



That such specimens have only been recorded from a few districts, 

 a,nd continue to recur in those few localities and not elsewhere, may 

 be brought forward as proof that they are napi and not bryoniae ; and 

 so only appear when the former manages to establish itself at high 

 levels. On second thoughts, however, it will be seen that this is most 

 improbable. To begin with, there is really no proof that these forms 

 do not occur everywhere that bryoniae does. That they are very rare 

 there can be no doubt. Out of the hundreds of bryoniae I saw in the 

 neighbourhood of Kandersteg during the best part of three months, I 

 only came across fifteen of the pale coloured forms ; although always 

 •especially looking for them. In localities where bryoniae is not so 

 abundant these aberrations would doubtless be proportionately less in 

 evidence ; and it is more than likely that in the past, on many 

 occasions, collectors keen on capturing dark bryoniae have passed these 

 white $ s by under the impression they were 3 s, or if the sex was 

 noted, just as napi and not worth consideration. It is then, quite 

 probable such specimens exist everywhere in the Alps, only they have 

 not been recorded. Another point to be noted, is that the extreme 

 white J s did not occur at Kandersteg above 5,000 ft. ; while the 

 "supposed hybrids occurred from 3,800 to about 6,500 ft. This being 

 so, how is it that the hybrids exist 1,500 ft. above the highest level to 

 which the type ascended ? Mr. Williams notes that Professor Bateson 





