64 
glare from the white road at midday is almost blinding, as indeed it 
is from all the roads in the ‘‘ Dolomites,” as this part of the Tyrol is 
called. 
A brown patch on the bare upright face of the rocky wall looks 
odd, and I walk towards it. ‘Cover them” comes from one of my 
friends, but before the net is ready for action two butterflies flit off. 
‘““Male and female,” I mentally ejaculate, “I shall not be done that 
way again.” Another brown patch, the net is over it, and two butter- 
flies are in my net. ‘The upper wings are of the richest velvet, deep 
brown-black in colour; a fulvous band runs parallel to the hind 
margin of the fore-wings, and near the apex in this band are two 
ocellated spots with blue-white centres, another ocellated spot being 
situated lower down in the band. The hind-wings have a narrower - 
band, with four similar ocellated spots, one between each pair of the 
nervures that reach the outer margin. ‘The under sides are rather 
remarkable ; those of the fore-wings are broadly fulvous with a black 
margin, and the ocellated spots of the upper sides repeated beneath. 
The hind-wings are coal-black, with countless wavy transverse lines, 
the spots (from the upper side) being almost lost in the reticulations. 
I examine these carefully for sexual distinctions, and am surprised at 
their similarity. .A moment’s careful examination shows me that they 
are both males ; and ‘‘ I thought they were paired at the time I caught 
them,” I silently murmur. 
Soon the sport waxes warm and furious. Twos, threes, fours, fives, 
sixes, and sevens, sit together in little coteries with outspread wings 
basking in the hot sun. The little bands are huddled together, but 
not a single female is to be found among them. ‘They are all males, 
enjoying bachelor society in the most approved fashion. 
We have soon captured enough males, and then the query arises, 
where are the females? But a member of our party—there are 
three of us—has already been to work. He is leaning over the stone 
wall frantically striking with his net at such specimens on the sloping 
skrees below as come within reach. Among the skrees grows a coarse 
kind of grass, thin and spare, and over this certain £. erie flutter 
about busily. The few specimens he brings up are all females ; so 
there can be no doubt that, whilst the males are enjoying their siesta 
on the burning rocks, the females are busy with the duties of egg- 
laying. ‘There is no following /. zerzme on these slopes, no one in 
his senses would attempt it ; and so, whilst the young Peregrines coo 
their delight at our helplessness from the rocks above, the lady 
£. nerine flutter tauntingly over the rocks below. 
But the male /. xerzze does not leave the perpendicular cliffs 
when the sun goes off them, and there can be no doubt that these 
are the natural roosting-place of the males. An odd one ina crevice, 
or little parties of from two to seven in number, are scattered here, 
there, and everywhere, long after the-sun has disappeared. Later, 
towards evening, they may be found in the crevices, or under an 
overhanging ledge, generally now singly, although several may be at 
