SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



and extends up into the forest region. Myrtle, bay, 

 mountain pines, and thyme are also probable com- 

 ponents of this natural incense. 



A railway runs right through the island, and carries 

 with it its civilising power. There are no brigands 

 in Corsica now, though it is said one or two ex- 

 members of that profession are still to be interviewed 

 by the curious in such people or by students of 

 criminology. The train moves very slowly ; but 

 who would wish it to be faster that sees Corsica for 

 the first time on a July morning? For a period the 

 route is near the coast ; and the glimpses of quaint 

 towns with cupola-topped church towers, of rocky 

 headlands jutting out into the sparkling sea, make 

 one forget the time that is passing and the heat 

 that is increasing as the sun mounts up towards noon- 

 tide. Soon we get on to the " Makis," the wilder- 

 ness that lies between the sea and the forest zone, 

 sloping gradually upwards. It is as wild as Dartmoor, 

 but softened with the balmy breath of southern 

 breezes : and luxuriant are the plants already alluded 

 to, with many others. Here and there we passed a 

 road whose milestones reminded one that we are in a 

 department of France. Once there was seen a cyclist, 

 to show that Corsica is up to date. On we went, 

 Slowly but pleasantly upwards, until we reached 

 Corte, on the verge of the forests and backed by 

 lofty mountains. It is a strongly built and fortified 

 place, bristling with romantic episodes in the former 

 days of Corsica's history. After passing this town the 

 scenery increased in grandeur as we continued up- 

 wards through rocky gorges and steep mountain slopes 

 covered with magnificent pine forests^ ' We reached 

 the sub- Alpine pine zone at Vivario, and by the time 

 the train stopped at Vizzavona were in the very heart 

 of the best entomological collecting-ground, and in 

 almost the exact centre of the island. 



Vizzavona itself consists of a few scattered peasants' 

 cottages, a railway station, and a large hotel, " The 

 Grand Hotel de Vizzavona." This building looks 

 strangely out of place, and one is at first inclined to 

 view its presence with feelings of the deepest resent- 

 ment ; but a further acquaintance with its convenience 

 and comfort compels an alteration of opinion. It is 

 in the forest of Vizzavona, on, .the upper verge of the 

 pine region, consequently much better situated for 

 butterfly-collecting than the less pretentious and mo're 

 picturesque " Hotel de Monte d'Oro," which is higher 

 up the road to Ajaccio. On the right-hand side going 

 up the pass is Monte d'Oro, about 8,000 ft. high, 

 and on the left Monte Renoso, about the same alti- 

 tude. Vizzavona itself is at an elevation of 4,000 ft. , 

 consequently with a climate much cooler than that of 

 the coast or the " Makis." Above the pine zone 

 there is an extensive forest of beech-trees, such as 

 one sees on the hills in Buckinghamshire, and above 

 this rocky slopes leading up to the mountain sum- 

 mits ; but these are not the best regions for butterflies. 

 The mountain lepidoptera of Corsica are sub-Alpine, 

 and no Alpine forms occur. There are no Parnassii, 

 Erebiae, Alpine Argynnides, Coliades, or Lycaenids, 



such as one would certainly meet with on the main- 

 land at elevations equal to that of these mountains. 



The best collecting-ground is on the descent from 

 Vizzavona to Tattone, and on this route most, if not 

 all, of the special Corsican forms of butterflies may be 

 met with. Judging from the " sugar " marks on the 

 tree-trunks by the roadside, this is also a good 

 locality for moths. These special forms of butterflies, 

 some of them peculiar to Corsica and Sardinia, are 

 Papilio hospiton, Anthocharis tagis var. insularis, 

 Vanessa ichnusa, Argynnis elisa, Satyrus neomiris, 

 S. semele var. aristaeus, Pararge tigelius, Coenonympha 

 corinna, and Syrichthus sao var. therapne. On ar- 

 riving at Vizzavona, at about 2 p.m., I almost at once 

 started out to look for butterflies, the afternoon being 

 bright and sunny. Just outside the hotel Coeno- 

 nympha corinna was in great abundance ; but whilst 

 I was busy with these, there came on a very heavy 

 thunderstorm with drenching rain which compelled 

 me to seek shelter. The rain lasted for the rest of 

 the afternoon and evening. The next day being fine 

 with a cloudless sky, the following species were ob- 

 served : Papilio machaon var. aurantiaca, Pieris- 

 brassicae, P. rapae, L. sinapis, C. hyale, C. edusa, 

 Polyom mains phleas (with a dark form approaching 

 var. eleus) on Hclichrysum at Tattone. Lycaena 

 aegon is a small dark form at Vizzavona, L. 

 icarus has there an underside much resembling that of 

 L. zephyrus, but with intra-discoidal spots on fore- 

 wings. L. argiolus is common at Vizzavona by the 

 roadside, with underside nearly white and with very 

 small spots. This was chiefly found flying round 

 bramble bushes. L. argus was also taken. 



Whilst referring to the roadside I may mention 

 that on the road between Vizzavona and Tattone 

 nearly all the butterflies that are found in Corsica may 

 be taken ; and we can strike right and left into the 

 pine woods at the foot of Monte Renoso on the one 

 side, and Monte d'Oro on the other. It is in this 

 district that Papilio hospiton can be taken at the 

 proper time, though I, being too late for it, did not 

 see any. For the opposite reason, because too early, 

 I did not see any Vanessa ichmisa, which appears 

 about July 20th. The Vanessae I found were V. 

 c-albuiu, V. egea, V. to, V. atalanta, and V.cdrdui. 

 Fritillaries were tolerably common, the species being 

 Argynnis pandora (a fine fresh specimen of which 1 

 took in the hotel garden at 8 A.M.), Argynnis paphia 

 Var. anargyra, and A. elisa, which may be taken 

 commonly in open places in the pine woods when 

 the sun is out. It is very conspicuous on account of 

 the small size of the black spots on the bright fulvous 

 wings. Among the Satyridae I saw no species of 

 Melanargia nor of Erebia. Satyrus semele is repre- 

 sented by the var. aristaeus, which was not un- 

 common. The only other Satyrus was S. neomiris. 

 a pretty insect which is very abundant at Vizzavona. 

 I believe it is quite distinct, and not an insular form 

 of any other species. Pararge egeria in the usual 

 southern form was not uncommon ; P. megera var. 

 tigelius was common at Tattone and at Bastia, where 



