THE SWISS SPECIES OF THE GENUS HESPERIA. Te, 
August 8th. This record is of particular interest for two reasons; it 
is the first occasion on which the species has been recorded from Eastern 
Switzerland ; and it is the lowest altitude at which the species is as 
yet known. I captured it in the open fir forest on the lower slopes of 
the Alp, at (as near as [ can ascertain) an altitude of 5800 ft. I had 
visited this spot seven days before and had not seen any sign of this 
miniature alveus; so, having regard to their perfect condition, I feel 
sure that the species was only just beginning to emerge. Much to my 
regret, I could not visit the locality again. At first sight, perhaps it 
seems that this capture of ryffelensis at so low a level, points to its 
being a var. of alveus; but 1 think it can be shown that this is not 
the case. I do not know what the extreme limit of altitude reached 
by alveus in the Alps is, but in my personal experience the highest 
point at which I have found alveus was on the Gemmi Pass, where it 
ascended to something over 6300 ft. Now we have already noted that 
even at considerable altitudes, alvews emerges but little later than it 
does lower down; and at the height mentioned on the Gemmi it 
commenced to emerge between July 6th and 12th. The usual time of 
emergence for ryffelensis is, | understand, the end of July, that is at 
levels as a rule over 7000 ft. It would be quite natural to suppose 
that if ryffelensts occurred lower down, it would appear correspondingly 
earlier. But, as already noted, at 5800 ft. I found it just emerging on 
August 8th. This altitude is 500 ft. below that to which I know 
alreus to rise, at the same time maintaining its normal habit of 
emergence ; while itis certainly 1300 ft. lower than the hitherto known 
haunts of ryffelensis, and yet that latter holds to its own, somewhat 
remarkable, time of emergence; for andromedae and cacaliae at ereat 
altitudes emerge a month or more earlier. (I took cacaliae the same 
season and district, at over 7000 ft. on June 1sth.) It seems to me 
then, that if ryfelensis was a form of alveus, when it occurred in the 
alveus zone it would certainly commence to emerge at the same period 
as the latter; but, even allowing a week for a retarded season, we see 
that alveus commences to emerge, 500 ft. higher, a full three weeks in 
advance of ryjfelensis. As long as ryffelensis was only known at 
altitudes over 7000 ft.,.dates gave but little to work on that might 
not be supposed to be accounted for by the differences of level between 
the two species; but in the present circumstances it is different. 
Further, those who maintain ryfelensis to be an alpine race of alveus, 
can no longer attribute its diminished size and markings to be due to 
its elevated habitat, for it maintains these unchanged in the zone of 
typical alveus; and though really small alvevs do occur with the type, 
they are in my experience extremely rare, and never so small as 
ryffelensis. 'The above facts, I think, go near to supplying the missing 
quantity in the proofs required to separate these two insects. 
Of the variation of ryffelensis | cannot say anything. The pair I 
possess are just a little smaller than normal armoricanus, but the white 
markings on both sides of the wings are much finer than the corres- 
ponding ones in that species. This will give an idea of the great 
difference in the size of these markings between ryffclensis and alveus. 
The fringes of my g specimen are very dark, almost shaded over 
altogether ; but I cannot say if this is a constant feature of the species, 
or whether it produces any aberrations of the extensa form. I expect 
these do occur, as in every other species of the A. group. 
