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CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 

 OF THE RHOPALOCERA IN THE ALPS. 



By W. Harcourt-Bath. 



As already announced (Entora. xviii. p. 258), I undertook a 

 very successful entomological collecting expedition to the 

 Pennine and Bernese Alps and Jura during the first half of July 

 last year (1895). In the note referred to I find that I slightly 

 underestimated the number of species of Rhopalocera which I 

 obtained. The number of species which I observed was ninety- 

 nine, and the sum-total actually captured amounted to ninety- 

 seven, which figures, I venture to flatter myself, rank among the 

 highest on record for the brief period of a fortnight, in the region 

 under consideration. This result was owing to two circum- 

 stances, namely, favourable weather during most of the time, com- 

 bined with the considerable number of different localities visited 

 affording a variety of geological and climatological conditions. 



The first four days and a half were occupied in traversing the 

 district between Spiez, on the Lake of Thun, and Loeche-Ville, 

 in the Rhone Valley, over the celebrated Gemmi Pass, with its 

 glorious panorama of Alpine scenery. I then went on by rail to 

 Zermatt, where four more days were passed, in full view of the 

 mighty Matterhorn and all the great giants of the Pennine range. 

 The remainder of the period, four days, was spent in the 

 St. Niklaus Thai, in the Rhone Valley at Aigle and Le Sepey, 

 and on Chaumont, above Neuchatel, iti the Jura. Three days 

 and a half were absorbed in travelling to Switzerland and back, 

 via Paris and Pontarlier. 



The following is a list of the Rhopalocera encountered, with 

 localities and notes on abundance, scarcity, &c. : — 



PAPiLioNiDiE (4 Species). 



Papilio podalirlus. St. Niklaus. Captured a female in the act of 

 ovipositing on Alpine barberry. —i-\ inachaon. Kandersteg, not uncommon. 



Parnassius apoUo. Abundant in most of the locaUties enumerated : 

 luden, Zermatt, Zmutt Thai, Rauda, St. Niklaus, Stalden, Aigle, Le Sepey, 

 Les Verrieres and Chaumont, near Neuchatel; very large specimens 

 occurred at the latter. — P. delius. Kandersteg, not uncommon ; Loeche- 

 les-Bains, Zmutt-Thal, Riffel Alp, Staffel Alp, Gemmi Pass. 



PiERiDJE (13 species). 



Aporia craatgi. Very plentiful at Spiezwyler, Miihienen, Reichenbach 

 Kandersteg, Loeche-les-Bains, Inden, Zermatt, Zmutt-Thal, Randa, 

 St. Niklaus. 



Pieris brassicat. Nowhere plentiful except at Loeche-les-Bains. — P. 

 rapcB. Not very abundant except at Aigle. — P. napi. Kandersteg, Gemmi 

 Pass, Zermatt, Zmutt-Thal, Riffel Alp. — Var. hryonicR. Plentiful at 

 Kandersteg and on the Gemmi Pass ; also an androgynous aberration as 

 announced (Entom. xviii. p. 258). — P. callidice. Very abundant on the 



