no less than 12,000 specimens, and it may interest the
general reader to learn that among them were several
of the well-known butterflies that bear English names.*
A third Russian explorer who has done good service
to botanical science in the Hi valley, and the valley of
R e p t i l i a , e t c .
Eremtas Velox Pallas I Phrynocephalus Caudivolvu-
( sands).
Eremias Variabilis (sands).
lus (sands).
Phrynocejhalus Helioscojus
Lacerta Viridis (Kuldja gar- (sands).
dens). Trojidonotus Hydrus (near the
Scajteira Grammica{sa.näs). Ili).
Gecko Kotchyi Steind. (rocks).
Gecko nov. sjb. (Kungess and
Tekess).
E la jh is Dione (Kuldja).
Tajhrometojon Lineolatum
(sands).
Vijera Berus (everywhere E ry x Jaculus (Kungess valley),
except high mountains). Testudo Horsfieldii (sands).
Trigonocephalus Interme- Bufo Viridis (Ili valley).
dius (mountains up to 8000', Rana A g ilis (Ili valley and
extremely poisonous). I Yuldus plateau).
The Swallowtail (P a jilio Machaon) is generally distributed throughout
the Kuldja country, and differs in no respect from the form that
frequents our English fens. The Wood-white (Leucojhasia Sinapis)
occurs in Kuldja, and also in the Ural mountains. The Large White
(Pieris Brassicce), so destructive to cabbage and other esculent plants,
does not appear to be very common, one or two examples only coming
in Mr. Alpheraky’s way. The Bath White {Pieris Dafilidice), that is
such a prize to the English lepidopterist, seems moderately common
up to 10,000 feet in the Thian Shan ; and the Orange Tip {Anthocaris
Cardamirles'), which adds somewhat to the charms of English lanes
towards the end of spring, is also found near the Ili. The Silver-washed
Fritillary {Argynnis P a jh ia ) is as common on the Kungess as in the
New Forest in Hampshire. There is a race of the female, which is
intermediate between the type and the aberrant form Valezina (so well
known to those who have taken the insect near Brockenhurst, Hants).
On the Kungess it quite supplants the typical female. The Dark-green
Fritillary {Argynnis Aglaia) is found along the course of the Kungess
up to 8,000 feet, and even on the Yuldus it is said, 2,000 feet higher,
where, however, it is rare. The High Brown Fritillary {Argynnis
Adij>J>e) is found in the same region, as also the Queen of Spain
Fritillary {Argynnis Lathonia), which with us is a very rare visitant
even on the south-east coast, but appears to be widely distributed in
Central Asia, though nowhere common, occurring up to an altitude of
the Baratol on the north, is Dr. Regel, who travelled
to Turfan in 1879. O f the two Englishmen who
preceded me in this region, Mr. Ashton Dilke in 1873
went down into the Baratol valley from Sairam Nor to
Ebi Nor, and then returning to Kuldja he ascended to
9,000 feet. The specimens from the Thian Shan are perhaps paler than
those in British collections. The Glanville Fritillary {Melitcea Cinxia)
is a mountain insect in the Kuldja district, and only to be met with
here and there at an altitude of 4,000 or 5,000 feet. The specimens
are inferior in size to those from the Isle of Wight ; but the markings
of the Asiatics are rendered more conspicuous by the dark ground
colours, and especially so in the female, in which the yellow colour of
the underside is almost entirely replaced by a grey blackish hue. The
Small Tortoiseshell ( Vanessa Urticce), though not so abundant in Central
Asia as in England, is nevertheless in many localities a common butterfly.
Hybernated individuals are to be seen in early spring busy in securing
a succeeding generation, which appears in the winged state in July, and
continues abroad till the frost sets in, and forces it to retire into winter
quarters. Some specimens are of much larger size than ours, and the
warmer portion of the coloration of these giants assumes a brilliant
red-yellow tint. The Central Asian peacock ( Vanessa To), found in
August, does not differ from our own, whilst the Camberwell Beauty
on the Ili agrees well with the European type, and specimens fresh from
the chrysalis make their appearance in July. The Red Admiral
( Vanessa Atalanta) was seen by Mr. Alpheraky, but the Painted Lady
( VanessaSC.ardui) was scarce in 1879. The Central Asian specimens
of the latter do not exhibit any appreciable difference from our insular
form so abundant on the southern coasts. The Green Hairstreak
{Thecla Rubi) occurs around Kuldja, but not so commonly as with us,
and the Brown Hairstreak {Thecla Betulce'), the female of which differs
from European representatives by having the orange blotch on the fore
wings of larger size. In the Thian Shan district the Small Copper
{Polyommatus Phlceas) becomes a mountain species, flying at 8,000
or 9,000 feet, and it fs noteworthy that these mountaineers are larger
than lowland specimens.- The Common Blue butterflies {Lyccena Alexis)
from the Kungess are generally superior in size to English ones, the
wings of some measuring from tip to tip 36 millimetres. With regard
to the Holly Blue {Lyccena Argiolus), which is apparently of riparial
habit in Central Asia, the black border of the wings in the female is
often much broader than in thé form taken in the British Isles. It
also occurs earlier than with us— so early as the end of March,— so that
possibly in the Ili valley there are three or more broods m the course
of the twelve months. The Large Blue {Lyccena Arion), that scarce
English butterfly (all but extinct, except at Bolt Head, Devon), is of