SWARMS OF INSECTS, dc., IN THE CRIMEA. 11 
Butterflies (Pyrameis cardut)—Perhaps the most’ remarkable 
swarm was that of Painted Ladies. 1 quote from an entry in 
my field note-book, written just before leaving Arabat Bay for 
Kertch on July 20th :—‘‘ Ever since July 10th Painted Ladies 
have been very numerous, but on the 15th and 16th the ship was 
swarming with them, and as far as the glass could reach the 
air was full of them, all coming down with a north wind. Only 
comparatively few stopped on board the ship. The swarm con- 
tinued for two days. On the third day when I was ashore, as I 
walked along the Tonka among the low scrub, hundreds rose as 
I disturbed the bushes. Swallows and Hoopoes were about 
hawking for insects, but I did not see them go for the Painted 
Ladies. At night at the merchanit’s house* they roosted in 
thousands among the small trees and the creeper covering the 
verandah and were easily picked off asleep. On one occasion -° 
when we were dining under the creeper by candle-light someone 
gave the creeper a smart jerk above our heads, whereupon a 
cloud of the sleepy creatures fluttered down, and we counted 
over a hundred on the cloth. With this swarm there were a 
few other species, among which the most prominent were the 
Gold-tail (Porthesia auriflua) and the Spurge-hawk (Deilephila 
euphorbie).” 
“July 26th, 1907. We left Kertch July 22nd, and were 
followed almost to the Bosphorus by a north-west wind. On 
the 24th we came into a swarm of P. cardui, which had 
evidently been blown from the Crimea. Ever since the first 
swarm at Arabat I have noticed these butterflies in vast numbers 
wherever I have been ashore (i.e. at Akmanai, Theodosia, and 
Kertch). A very noteworthy characteristic and one that I have 
not observed before in any butterfly is the habit of soaring 
through the air like a bird without flapping the wings. It was a 
curious and beautiful sight.” 
Toads (Bufo viridis).—‘‘ July 13th, 1907. Leaving Theodosia 
by train for Akmanai (a distance of thirty miles) we passed 
over flat arable land which had been deluged with rain during 
the previous night. During the whole of the journey the railway 
* A small farm used by our charterer temporarily while we were loading, 
and where I often spent the night instead of returning on board after a 
ramble ashore. 
