LEPIDOPTEROLOGICAL NOTES FROM ORTA IN PIEDMONT. 327 
mnemosyne Was in exquisite condition and very abundant just below 
Ponte Grande on May 19th, which to me was surprisingly early. On 
going again, June 12th, I could not find one. 
Preripes.—Besides the typical Pieris brassicae, P. rapae, and P. 
napt, there was at Orta a large female form of the latter, closely akin 
to ab. napaeae. Huchloé cardamines was everywhere, and Leucophasia 
sinapis very common, but presenting no marked peculiarities. Gonop- 
teryx rhamnt was sometimes seen, but, alas! not G. cleopatra. An early 
brood of Colias hyale was not uncommon at Orta, one of which I secured 
as being of the richest colour I have ever seen, and with the black spot 
in the centre of the forewings remarkably dark and large. Aporia 
crataegi, of course, was abundant, and one specimen from Orta, a male, 
is very beautifully shaded with smoky-black all round the outer border 
of the forewings—ab. swfusa, Tutt. Many others approach this form, 
but none equal this particular specimen. 
LisytHemes.—To obtain Libythea celtis was an ambition which was 
to be gratified. At Crevola, on May 26th, I took one battered specimen 
and saw no others, and fennadl that I was to be indebted to friends for 
this species, but, on June 12th, in the Val Anzasca I took, in con- 
junction with one Carterocephalus palaemon and several good Polyom- 
matus orion, one perfect L. celtis. The next day I went again and it 
rained persistently, and my only capture was one Macaria alternata. 
It was not until June 15th I could take train again for Piedimulera. 
Starting up the valley I soon saw and missed JL. celtis almost in the 
village. Going further, and beyond the tunnels, I was more fortunate, 
and took five specimens which leave little to be desired in the way of 
appearance. This same day P.orionwasveryworn. A. var. cleodova was 
well out, and I secured an aberration of Coenonympha pamphilus, of which 
more anon. JL. celtis when out seems to bea sure find in the neigh- 
bourhood of its food-plant wherever it occurs, and never to wander far 
from it. Though wild cherry is given as another pabulum of this 
species it would seem to be only so by accident and where C. 
australis is in possession, as the wild cherry is to be found generally 
over the lower alpine area, but not L. celtis. 
Nympuatipes.—Many miles I tramped through chestnut woods in 
the surrounding hills and valleys of Orta for Neptis lucilla, but either 
it was not there, or it knew that I was, forI saw none. Again prob- 
ably we were too early. Of the Vanessids, Polyyonia c-album was 
common, and Aglais urticae bright but quite normal. Vanessa io, 
Huvanessa antiopa, Pyrameis atalanta, and P. cardui, all with wings 
which had seen much service, not a specimen of ‘‘ cabinet rank’ among 
the lot. Melitaea cinxia was fine, close to Orta, and M. phoebe was 
abundant, and mostly worn by May 16th, but I brought back a small 
series because they are so much lighter in colour and generally smaller 
than the splendid fellows of Bérisal and St. Nicholas in July, and the 
still grander forms in the same month at Iselle, two of which latter, 
captured last year, I should almost venture to label var. occitanica, Stgr. 
Possibly the spring brood is less brilliant than the midsummer contin- 
gent. At the same date M. didyma was well out, and of the most 
brilliant colour. The females very handsome and inclining to the type 
form rather than to var. alpina, but scarcely ‘‘ clay cold yellow” as 
Kane describes the type, which is a form I have not seen, or colour 
terms represent very different ideas to different people ; but the 
