32 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. [Februarv 



except Aello. It is said to appear but once every two years in 

 Switzerland, and is one of those interesting problems which our 

 science of entomology occasionally presents to us. 



The valley through which we were walking was narrow and bleak, 

 with little or no vegetation, and very few insects. To the geologist it 

 is one of the most instructive valleys in Europe, containing as it does, 

 so many evidences of glacial action. As we proceed, the bare granite 

 rock scenery gives place to grass and moss, and the Alpen Rose, and 

 bye-and-by the pine-zone is reached, and butterflies become more 

 plentiful. A few Blues were taken, notably Lycczna hylas and L. baton, 

 also Arg-ynnis thore, and on stony ground Erebia lappona was plentiful. 

 Flying towards the pines was a fine specimen of P. podalivius, which 

 however, never descended to within reach. But the insect which 

 occurred in greatest numbers was Melitcea dictynna. This species has 

 a penchant for settling on the roads, or on stones, as the Vanessas do. 

 The beautiful series before you to-night, were mostly taken here. 

 Dictynna very closely resembles Athalia at times, even in the markings 

 of the under-side, but is usually richer and darker, especially in the 

 hind wings. 



While I was netting these insects my friend came up, and we 

 walked on together to Guttanen, through scenery which testified to 

 the power of avalanche and torrent — debris lying all around us. 



It was when approaching this little village, through a long valley, 

 that we first met with those exceedingly local species Lyccena avion and 

 L. alcon, flying about with numerous Polyommatus hippotkce. The 

 specimens of this latter insect taken here, are interesting, as differing 

 from those captured on Rigi, in respect of the more or less entire 

 absence of any spot on the fore-wing of the male. One specimen of 

 Polyommatus netted here, Mr. Melvill has christened Dorilis. I con- 

 sider that there are at least two species in my series of Hippotha, but 

 have been unable so far to determine them. Feeling that we had done 

 enough walking and chasing for one day, we took a conveyance from 

 Guttanen to Meirengen, and invited our German friend to join us. 



Sleeping at the latter place, we proceeded next morning by train 

 along the Brunig Pass to Lucerne, passing through very fine scenery, 

 especially along the Uri arm of the Lake of Lucerne. 



In the late afternoon we sailed to Weggis, the best starting point 

 for the ascent of the Rigi on foot. We found the climb very fatiguing, 

 but eventually reached our destination about 9 p.m. This was Rigi 

 Kaltbad Hotel, 4,700 feet above the sea level, where we had decided 

 to stay for the remaining four days of our holiday, and to devote 

 ourselves to the entomology of the mountain. 



The time was utterly inadequate for the work, and my report 



