CUPIDO MINIMUS. 143 



specimens were typical, whilst others were almost as large as the Cyaniris 

 semiargus of this elevated district. In the southern departments of 

 France, Powell says that it is generally a rather scarce species, 

 occurring, however, in such widely different localities as a dry lime- 

 stone valley near La Mauniere, Hyeres, and the rich alpine pastures of 

 Mont Pelat, Basses -Alpes, at the foot of the peak, at above 7000 ft. ; 

 it is also found on the pastures above Beauvezer, in the high damp 

 marshy meadows of Esteng in the Alpes-Maritimes, on damp grassy 

 ground, surrounded by dry limestone slopes and terraces near the col, 

 to the north of the summit of Mt. Pacagnalia, near Nice, and on the 

 narrow strip of pasture on the north side of the Pic de Beguines. He 

 further observes that, even when found in dry valleys, in southern 

 France, its immediate surroundings are almost always damp and often 

 oozy, and that it never seems to be found on an absolutely dry 

 hillside, " or on a dry plain. It occurs on the slopes in the 

 Island of Corfu (Norris); and near Eagusa, in April, in a well-sheltered 

 estuary where the vegetation is almost the same as that of the Italian 

 Riviera, where also occurred Polyommatus icarus, Aricia astrarehe, 

 Agriades bellargus, 8colitantid.es Orion, Nomiades cyllarus, Celastrina 

 argiolus, Thais polyxena, Papilio machaon, P. podalirius, Pieris ergane, 

 P. rapae, P. brassicae, Leptosia sinapis, Anthocaris belia, Polyyonia eyea, 

 Pycameis cardui, Pararge egeria, and a host of other species ; 

 it was also found in a steep meadow on the slopes of the Drinaca, in 

 Bosnia, at about 4000ft. elevation, where Cyaniris semiargus, Hesperia 

 alveus, Melitaea aurinia, etc., were also abundant (JSicholl). Little is 

 known of its habitats in Italy; we took it sparingly on the steep slopes 

 at Courmayeur, almost opposite the foot of the Glacier de Brenva, 

 also by the roadside in the Val Tournanche, almost to Breuil, and in a 

 hot rocky little gorge, the slopes of which are covered with small 

 chestnut trees and large bushes of Colittea arborescens, at the back of 

 Susa, where it flew among E ceres argiades, Polyommatus hylas, 

 Agriades meleayer, Erebia aetJiiops,B,nd many other species, and Browne 

 says that it is fairly common in early spring, among broom, in the Isle of 

 Capri. In Switzerland its habitats are exceedingly diverse ; it swarms 

 in the meadows at the level of the river in the Valais, abounding with 

 Cupido sebrus and other species, near Branson, in the meadows at Bex, 

 on the banks of a little stream between St. Triphon and Bex, frying 

 with Cupido sebrus, Cyaniris semiargus, Polyommatus icarus, and 

 Nomiades cyllarus (Tetley), and on the lower slopes at Vernayaz, and the 

 borders of the Lavey woods, whilst it is equally abundant on the Rochers 

 de Naye, almost on the edge of the snow, above 4000ft. in May 

 (Barraud) , and on a marshy waste by the side of the road between Useigne 

 and Evolene, where it flitted merrily with Plebeim aryus (aeyon), etc., 

 over the boulders (Rowland-Brown); on Mont Pilatus, it occurs on 

 the slopes among Cupido sebrus, Loweia dorilis, (Jolias hyale, etc* 

 (Keynes), w 7 hilst we have taken it in a great variety of alpine habitats, 

 e.g., it was common in the Saas-Thal, between Stalden and Saas- 

 Grund, on the grassy slopes by the roadside ; on the upland flower- 

 clad slopes of the Simplon, and the edges of the woods in the Laquin- 

 thal ; at Ferpecle, in the alpine meadows at the foot of the 

 Glacier de la Dent Blanche ; on the steep flower-covered slopes 

 between Hauderes and Satarme, whilst at Arolla it is to be found in 

 the grassy hollows on the edge of the pinew r ood, as well as on the 



