LEPIDOPTERA IN THE HAUTES-ALPES! ABRIES, 959 
sides. HKirebia euryale, of an unusually small form, was in great 
abundance, and exhibited some variation in the size of the ocellated 
spots, the general tendency being towards the suppression of the pupil 
and to a lessened size. HH. neoridas was very common ; previously we 
had looked upon this as a species belonging rather to low than to high 
altitudes, but here, although in swarms throughout the lower part ‘of 
the valley, it went up to considerably more than 6,000 ft. elevation, 
asit also did at Larche. /. tyndarus was, as usual, everywhere, even 
in the village, whilst in one of the gullies, just above the hamlet, a 
single worn FH. stygne showed that this insect also occurred here and 
was over, and we suspect that this was possibly the case with many 
other species. It was certainly so with Chrysophanus hippothoe, a few 
worn examples of which only were seen the first day or two of our 
stay, and but few C. gordius could be picked from the many worn 
ones that haunted the wild thyme as being fit for setting. On the 
other hand, (. virgaureae was in abundance anal 3 in the very finest con- 
dition, although some of the males were noticeably small; the females 
appear to be unusually bright and without the dull shading so notice- 
able in the specimens of some localities. As we have said, most of these 
Species occurred in even greater abundance on the waste slopes get-at- 
able from the road than on the wastes at the level of the road itself, 
and on the slopes one noticed in addition Cupido minima, large and 
mostly worn, and Nomiades semiargus, some in the very finest condition. 
Worn specimens of what appear to be Cupido sebrus were also found, 
but their state precludes absolute certainty in naming them. The only 
Theclid seen was Vhecla spini, which was not uncommon on the 
wild thyme with (. gordius and generally in good condition. 
Occasional examples of Polyommatus orbitulus, P. donzelii, and other 
visitors from the higher pasturages were now and then observed, usually 
in poor condition compared with those taken at higher elevations. 
The usual alpine moths were abundant about the town, and we were 
very pleased to take a few fine 7’riphosa subaudiata at light, an insect 
we had not seen since we captured it at Mendelpass in the Tyrol. 
Thera simulata, Anticlea berberata, Gnophos obfuscata, G. furvata, G. 
glaucinaria, Hypsipetes sordidata, beaten from the willows, Acidalia 
mutata, A. flaveolaria, with black margins to the wings, Acidalia 
decorata, very like A. ornata, Cleogene lutearia, Sciaphila argentana, 
Eubolia mensuraria, Cidaria populata and a species very near H. 
bipunctata, were usually more or less abundant, whilst Hnnychia 
puncealis, Iv. cingulalis, and FE. cespitalis flew about the flowers 
everywhere with the common alpine Pyrales. The beautiful 
Psecadia bipunctella came to light, as also did a very ordinary looking 
Bryophila perla, whilst a species of Hupithecia was not uncommon on 
most evenings. In the early morning Lithosia lutarella, of almost 
Knelish pygmacola form, flew freely among the Hippophaes but Setina 
aurita was confined to higher altitudes on the mountains. ‘The 
Anthroceras that occurred were interesting from the fact that 
practically typical A. lonicerae of very normal appearance were accom- 
panied by large examples of the var. major which, however, rarely had 
a tendency to develop the peculiar characteristics of var. medicaginis 
like those of Pré St. Didier and elsewhere, but what interested one 
most was, that specimens with a small very faint sixth spot were 
occasionally taken in copula with typical five-spotted examples, and that 
