260 • THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



pardon from the government last year, and has taken up the 

 profession of mountain-guide. He came to our hotel one morning 

 with a large bouquet of flowers, from his own garden, for the 

 visitors, and a more benevolent-looking, mild-mannered old 

 gentleman you could not desire to see. Jacques is still at large ; 

 and when, occasionally, we heard the report of a rifle in the forest 

 near the hotel where we very commonly collected, the natives 

 would hint that it was only an exchange of courtesies between 

 Jacques and the gendarmes. He is said to have sent two of his 

 most beautiful children to President Carnot last year to supplicate 

 his pardon, but without success. Before leaving England we were 

 gravely cautioned to beware of brigands ; whereas, so far as we 

 could learn, this particular form of rascal does not exist — in 

 Corsica at all events. Certainly we were daily in solitudes most 

 favourable for his exploits, but he let us severely alone. It is true 

 that the ordinary peasant often looks as though he would cut your 

 throat for a song, but address a few words of Italian to him, his 

 face brightens up, and he looks the picture of good-nature and 

 amiability, with a large amount of intelligence thrown in. The 

 fact is, in their code of morals, the outlaw, or bandit, is looked 

 upon as, a noble fellow, who has done the proper thing and avenged 

 the family honour ; the robber, or brigand, as a miserable weak- 

 kneed skunk. We found the peasants almost invariably polite, 

 good-natured, and hospitable. 



Before leaving our head-quarters at Vizzavona, no less than 

 eight English entomologists, two of whom were ladies, had fore- 

 gathered there, and another was on the way; so I am afraid that 

 Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera have had rather a bad time 

 of it this year ; and one can only lament that so much energy was 

 expended for so comparatively small a result, although it is 

 perhaps a case where quality, and the peculiar interest attaching 

 to local forms, compensate largely for lack of quantity. 



On June 35th, six of our party assembled at Ajaccio to see 

 what novelties had emerged during the fortnight or more which 

 had elapsed since our previous visit. In addition to the butter- 

 flies recorded before, only Epinephile ida, which was quite 

 common, and Syi'ichthus sao var. therapne, second brood, were 

 added to the list. I secured also two Papilio podalirius and a few 

 Pieris daplidiee, so fresh as to induce the supposition that they 

 also, in this very abnormal season, belonged to the second brood. 



Ajaccio, on the south-west, with its 20,000 inhabitants, may 

 be called the social capital of the island ; Bastia, on the north- 

 east, with 23,000, its commercial capital. At Ajaccio, as may 

 be supposed, with its almost tropical climate, the art of strolling 

 and lounging is understood to perfection. What serious occupa- 

 tion the people have is a perfect mystery, as they appear to be in 

 the streets or the cafes all day long. At night the whole town 

 collects in the principal street to listen to two small orchestras, 



