258 THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 
Taschenberg}. Dr. Sharp also figures this flea in his recent work on 
insects}. 
_ The giant flea is parasitic on several insectivores and rodents, and 
occasionally on other mammals. Mr. J. J. Walker to whom I am 
indebted for some fine specimens, obtained it in the deserted nests of 
the field mouse. I have received specimens from Yalpa europaea, 
Sorex vulgaris, Crossopus fodiens-ciliatus, Mus sylvaticus, Hyperdaeus 
glareolus, Mustela vulgaris, and Mustela erminea. 
EXPLANATION OF PuaTtE X. 
A. Hystrichopsylla talpae. 2? 
B. do. 3g End of abdomen. 
C. do. 3 Ninth segment. 
D. do. ¢ Ninth tergite from the inside. 
EK. do, g Ninth sternite partly fused. 
F, do. g Highth sternite. 
+ Die Fléhe, Taf. iti., fig. 21 (1880). 
t Cambridge Nat. Hist., Insects, ii., p. 523, fig. 250 (1889). 
Lepidoptera in the Hautes-Alpes: Abries. 
By J. H. and J. W. CULT, F.EAS. 
Melitaea phoebe was abundant, and its rapid mode of flight is more 
like that of Argynnis lathonia than any other species we know, whilst M. 
parthenie, few, but in good condition, occurred on the wastes near the 
river. We suspect the J. varia found on the upper heights of the Créte 
de Reychasse must be a form of this species. The blues also were very 
abundant. First and foremost Polyommatus damon, then P. corydon, P. 
astrarche, P. hylas, P. escheri, P. eros and Plebetus argus, all of which 
swarmed at the puddles and runnels of water and rose absolutely in 
‘clouds’? as we disturbed them. There must frequently have been 
three or four hundreds in a single little congeries, and with these, 
Thymelicus lineola, which abounds everywhere in these mountains, but 
was going over here, although quite fresh at Larche and even at 
Barcelonette, Pamphila comma, Syrichthus alveus, and S. sao, the last 
in very poor condition. On the slopes Spilothyrus malvarum and S. 
althaeae were captured, neither in the very best condition. Occasionally 
Polyommatus icarus was observed, perhaps half-a-dozen altogether. 
Among the Satyrids, Satyrus cordula was in abundance, and in very 
good condition, the males intensely satiny-black in colour, the females 
brown with large well-developed ocellated spots. One is puzzled, con- 
sidering the apparent laziness of the females, to explain how it is they 
are frequently found, even in the earlier days of the appearance of the 
species, in such poor condition. The wings of both sexes are, however, 
of such a delicate texture that they split readily at the slightest provo- 
cation, and contact with the net is sufficient to ruin them. The insect 
occurred throughout the valley on every waste slope, and often up to 
a very considerable elevation. Hipparchia semele was abundant only 
by the side of the river, at Abriés, but on the roadsides towards 
Aiguilles becomes almost common; the males appear to be unusually 
dark, but the females much less distinctly of the aristaeus form than in 
many subalpine localities. Hpinephele lycaon was exceedingly abundant, 
and Coenonympha iphis also, but the latter quite disappeared at this level 
during our stay, whilst Pararye maera was not uncommon by the road- 
