THE UPPER ENGADINE IN 1914. 



163 



resting species were common, but in a meadow with uncut patches of 

 growth, we still noticed var. chrywcepltala of Admta ;)erijo)i. on the grass 

 and centaury heads. A strong bed of a large species of thistle produced 

 a goodly number of the brilliant Coleopteron Cetohia aurata, which 

 had nearly buried themselves in the large heads of flowers and fluffy 

 seeds, often two or three specimens together in a capitulum. The 

 weather became dull and threatened for rain so we went across the 

 mouth of the tunnel to the exit of the Innfall ravine, up which we 

 walked back to the village. Although this gorge afforded plenty of 

 shelter for insects we never found more than odd specimems of any 

 species along that path. 



The next two days, August 21st and 22xid, were dull and largely 

 taken up with worries. No definite news from home, the British 

 Consul could get nothing satisfactory as to our return, which was still 

 problematical, finances were nil, in fact worse than nil. The latter 

 item however was satisfactorily met for the hotel (" Westend ") 

 proprietor acted quite handsomely, he not only reduced our "pension " 

 without changing our accommodation, but lent us small change gratis, 

 and told us that we need not trouble to pay him when we left, but 

 could send to him after we had reached home. I am pleased to be able 

 to express our gratitude to Herr Runger for his kind and practical 

 sympathy at a time when to my own knowledge other visitors in the 

 village were not only in dire straits but in absolute want of food. 

 However we were relieved financially by the consideration of the home 

 authorities and were able to obtain from the Consul a sum sufficient 

 for our daily wants and for our subsequent return home. Aricia donzeUi 

 could be swept in fair numbers from the Geranium plants or found 

 hidden under the foliage by diligent search, but they are very difficult 

 to see. Among them appeared a very small Erebia melampus, which 

 was just the size of the males of A. domelii. On the 21st I saw a 

 specimen of Pyrameis cardai but failed to catch it, no other was seen. 

 At this date I was struck by the abundance of the sheep's bit, Jasione 

 mnntana, which attracted the day-flying Lepidoptera to some extent. 

 The brilliant Trollius europaeas was found to-daj^ for the first time. It 

 does not seem to be at all a common plant in this district. 



August 23rd. — On this day I took the first hsoria lathonia. On 

 several occasions I had a suspicion of this species, when a rapid flying 

 Argynnid went by with an unusual gleam of silver, but only at this 

 late date did an opportunity to capture one occur. A belated male of 

 Golian palaeno was also noted in that part of the Alpina where it occurs 

 sparsely apparently each year. A very worn female of Aricia eiunedon 

 was taken. This species seems very sca,rce here. A few An ri odes thetis 

 were still lingering on the flower heads, but quite passe. The females 

 of Aricia domelii were now well out. A few Charaeas (/raminis were 

 taken. The form from this place seems quite different to one I have 

 taken in England. Its markings are comparatively wanting in clean 

 definition and appear "woolly," if I may so apply the term. There is 

 no strong contrast of the shades as in many English specimens. 

 Polyotiimatns dainon and P. ems were still obtainable, the former Avas 

 never in abundance. The dark form of Urbicola comma could be taken 

 sparsely, such a contrast to the brilliant examples one gets from 

 Royston. Worn specimens of Krebia epiphron Avere occasionally picked 

 up, probably blown down from the higher levels, for the habitats of 



