246 [November, 



A HOLIDAY IN THE PYRENEES. 



BY W. E. NICHOLSON, F.E.S., AND P. C. LEMANN, F.E.S. 



{Concluded from page 22^). 



Thecla ilicis. — Not uncommon at Vernet ; the specimens we captured are 

 referable to the var. cbscuU, which is a very dull looking insect compared with the 

 brilliant var. cerri, which represents the insect at Digne. T. rohoris. — This in- 

 teresting species was fairly common at Vernet in bushy places, especially in the wood 

 above the hotel, where it delighted to sun itself on the leaves of ash, alder, and other 

 trees. Unfortunately, nearly all the specimens we took were more or less worn. We 

 were fortunate enough to find upwards of 50 ova on stunted ash trees. The egg is of 

 a brownish-red colour, and in shape like a cone flattened at the top. It is laid on 

 the knotted branches of very stunted ash trees, frequently on the scar left by a leaf 

 of the preceding year. T. quercus. — We took one specimen of this species at Vernet, 

 which I have noted, as Mr. Elwes could not confirm Struve's observation as to its 

 occurrence. 



Polyommatus virgaurece. — A brilliant form of this species occurred on the 

 flowers of a species of Senecio, near St. Martin ; the marginal row of black spots on 

 the upper-surface of the hind-wings is well defined in our specimens, but we did 

 not see any which could be referred to the var. Meigii, which is said to occur in the 

 Pyrenees, and in which black spots occur on the upper-surface of the fore-wings near 

 the apical angle. P. Alciphron, var. Gordius, P. Dorilis, and P. Pklceas also 

 occurred at Vernet, and two handsome varieties of the latter were taken by M. 

 Oberthiir. 



Lt/ocBna bcetica. — A few specimens were noticed at Vernet, and we found it 

 fairly common at Biarritz on some heathy ground to the south of the town, and in 

 the marsh near the station. L. argiades. — A few were noticed at Vernet, on the 

 road to Casteills, near the monastery of St. Martin ; it was common at Biarritz in 

 company with L. hcetica, but usually worn. L. orhitulus, var. pyrenaica. — We 

 captured five specimens of the Pyrenean form of this insect on some marshy ground 

 near the Lac de Gaube ; it differs from the Swiss form in being larger, and having 

 the spots on the under-side whiter. The form occurring in the eastern Pyrenees is 

 claimed by M. Oberthiir as a distinct species Unfortunately, we were too early for 

 it on the Pla Q-uilhem, when we visited it on July 9th, as the season was backward. 

 The variation of this insect appears to be analogous to that of our Artaxerwes, with 

 its intermediate form, Salmacis. L. amanda. — We were too late for the first brood 

 of this species at Vernet, but we subsequently took a few rather worn specimens 

 between Cauterets and La Kaill&re. L. Arion. — A dark form of this species, some- 

 wnat like the var. obscura of Switzerland, but rather larger, occurred near the 

 Lac d'06. 



Nemeohius Lucina. — Worn specimens were noticed on July 9th at a considerable 

 elevation on the Pla Guilhem route. 



All the British species of Vanessa occurred at Vernet, and V. cardui was 

 present in the greatest profusion, probably the result of a large immigration from 

 Spain. M. Oberthiir took a very curious bleached variety of this species. 



