AMONG THE SPRING BUTTERFLIES IN THE ARDENNES. 227 



The woods in the district visited are mostly composed of 

 beech and oak, the former tree being at its best, and looking 

 beautiful indeed, with its cheerful, light green foliage. There 

 are also numerous coppices of birch and hazel, in addition to 

 artificial plantations of spruce-fir and other conifers. The under- 

 growth consists chiefly of hazel and bilberry, the latter being 

 found principally in the beech woods. Sloe was seen plentifully 

 in several localities, being frequently adorned with nests of the 

 lackey-moth {Boinbijx neustria). The hill- sides around Grupont 

 presented a gorgeous appearance with the golden flowers of the 

 broom, which was in full bloom, and entirely takes the place of 

 the gorse in our own country, the latter shrub being unable to 

 withstand the cold winter climate of the Ardennes. Heather of 

 several species clothed the more sandy uplands and waste 

 places. 



The principal products of agriculture appear to be corn of 

 different kinds, sainfoin, and Dutch clover. Apple trees were the 

 fruit trees mostly in evidence in the orchards. In all the lower 

 situations, beautiful, rich natural meadows abound, wherein 

 flourished a great profusion of flowers, affording good collecting- 

 grounds for the entomologist. These meadows are irrigated in a 

 similar way to what they are in the Alps, namely, by means of 

 trenches, along which the water of streams is carried from higher 

 levels and made to overflow. 



For the edification of those who may be fond of bigger game 

 than butterflies, I will mention that wild boars are exceedingly 

 numerous in the forest, and commit great depredations upon 

 farms in the vicinity. Wolves are still found, although in 

 gradually decreasing numbers each year. Of bears I could not 

 obtain any information ; but they probably still linger in some 

 of the more unfrequented parts of this wild domain, as they 

 were certainly known to do thirty years ago. 



I will now supply a summary of the number of species of 

 butterflies which I obtained each day, with particulars of the 

 weather experienced : — 

 May 24th, 3 species. Very dull and cold. 



,, 25th, 24 ,, Fine most of the day, with a very cold wind. 



,, 26th, 21 ,, Fine, with a cold wind. 



,, 27th, 21 ,, Fine in the morning, cloudy in the after- 



noon ; a heavy thunderstorm occurred 

 during the night. 



,, 28th, 22 ,, Dull all day to 4 p.m. 



,, 29th, 28 ,, Dull all morning, fine in the afternoon. 



I may here say, for the sake of comparison, that the largest 

 number of butterflies which I have met with on the wing in the 

 month of May in the South of England is twenty. 



The number of species of butterflies which I encountered in 

 the Ardennes during my brief visit was thirty-four, of which 



s2 



