BITHYS QUEROUS. 265 



Rondou observes that it flies during the warm part of the day, above 

 young oaks, ash-trees, and limes in the Pyrenees. Near Clelles, it 

 sported in the afternoon sun, above the summits of some oaks about 

 20 feet in height, growing on a rocky hillside (Tutt). Rowland-Brown 

 observed imagines at Digne, in early August, 1903, much attracted by 

 the pods of a shrub covered with honeydew. In the Rhine Provinces, 

 it is to be seen on the summit of the Neuenahr, flying abundantly 

 round the heads of the highest oak-trees (Maassen), whilst at Elberfeld, 

 its habit, like that of Nordmannia ilicis, is to fly round oaks, often 

 at a considerable elevation (Rothke) ; Fuchs also compares its flight at 

 Oberursel with that of A T . ilicis. In the Wetterau, at Giessen, around 

 the tops of oak-trees and over oak-bushes, it flies, at a good height, often 

 in considerable numbers. Glaser says that, in Hesse, the butterfly is 

 most abundant in the Hinterland, and on the Wintersfcein, near 

 Friedberg, flying high around the sun-lit heads of the oaks in numbers, 

 and only to be caught with difficulty. Pabst observes that, at 

 Chemnitz, the butterflies circle high round the oak-trees, especially 

 towards evening, at sunset. In Belgium, the imagines fly in July 

 in the ridings and clearings of woods, etc., and may sometimes 

 be seen flying in hundreds round the heads of large oaks, but they also 

 love to rest on the leaves of little oak-bushes, when they are not 

 difficult to capture (Lambillion). In Spain, too, their habit is to fly 

 round the tops of the tall oak-trees, e.g., at Monserrat (Cuni y 

 Martorell), in the Gibraltar district (Walker), etc. Engramelle 

 (Papillons, etc., i., p. 155) says that, when both sexes are flying together 

 about the tops of oaks, they appear always to be at war, chasing one 

 another continually. Blachier observes (in litt.) that the butterfly is 

 somewhat difficult to capture, for it loves to fly high around the trees ; 

 Rehfous adds that it appears to fly, as it were, by leaps from one 

 branch to another, but once it settles on a leaf often remains there a 

 long time. Nolcken states that, in the Baltic Provinces, its habit 

 is to fly rather high up round oaks, to sun itself upon the leaves, but 

 adds that, in dull weather, it rests on tbe underside of the leaves. 

 Others have also noted this same peculiarity. Crotch says that, in 

 North Wales, he found the species best taken by using two poles, 

 about 20 feet long, one on which the net is mounted, and the other for 

 tapping the trees. Studd records (Ent., xxxi., p. 71) the capture of a 

 male in his light-trap at Oxton, Devon, on the night of August 26th, 

 1897. We have already noted the pugnacious disposition of B. querciis, 

 but Healy records (Ent. Wk. Int., iv., p. 20) how, whilst examining 

 the "Bishop's Paling" one day, in July 1857, his attention was 

 drawn to a battle between a B. quercits and a wasp, in which he was 

 surprised to see the undaunted pluck of the former. " The butterfly 

 repeatedly charged the wasp in a most furious manner ; he never 

 attempted to fly away, but stuck to his opponent with bulldog courage. 

 The scene presented the appearance of a minature cock-fight. At 

 length the wasp altered his tactics, and, as B. quercits made a charge, 

 with wings erect, he dodged on one side, and whipped off a portion of 

 his wings ; this trick he repeated until the butterfly's wings were 

 half -destroyed, and, seeing that he would shortly fall a victim to' his 

 cunning opponent, I captured him, and now have him in my cabinet." 

 Habitats. — Throughout the more wooded portions of the British 

 Islands, where oaks are at all frequent, this species appears to occur, 



