Mr. Scott Wilson, writing to the author of his visit to the Isle of
Palma, states that the Queen of Spain Fritillary (Argynnis Lathonia)
is very common in the meadows near the town of El Paso, 2000 feet
above the sea level in May. In the same month he noticed the clouded
yellow (Colias Edusa) in large numbers in the clearings amongst the
pine-woods. A few specimens of the large Fritillary (Argynnis Maia)
were secured by him at El Paso early in May, where the Vulcania was
also found; of these latter specimens only two out of one hundred
proved to be of the British form Atalanta. The Bath-white (Pieris
Daplidice) was common near Argual.
The Danais Chrysippus appeared rather uncommon, only a few specimens
being taken near the barranco Del Carmen, not far from the town of
Santa Cruz, and a few near Tijarafe.
Specimens of the small blue (Lycaena Webbiana) were taken near Argual.
In the middle of May the large white (Pieris Cheiranthi) was commonly
found on the large laurel-trees at La Galga.
The author believes that the same species of Lepidoptera are generally
distributed over all the seven islands, but that in Fuerteventura and
Lanzarote, both of which are dry, sandy, and somewhat barren islands,
they are not found in such numbers or variety. It is probable that
different species of small African moths, some of which are enumerated
on pages 93-4, may be found in Lanzarote, which is the nearest island
to the coast of Africa, and which more closely resembles it in climate
and vegetation, in greater numbers than in Teneriffe. The Euphorbia,
which grows so plentifully in most of the islands, is uncommon in
Lanzarote; hence the D. Tithymali, abundant in Teneriffe, would
be scarce in this island. The lack of water in Fuerteventura, and
consequent sparse vegetation, is doubtless the cause of the scarcity of
Lepidoptera in that island, though the interesting occurrence of the
insect “Euchlöe Charlonia,” a North and West African butterfly (which
has only once been recorded as having been observed in Teneriffe), is
accounted for by the proximity of the island in question to the African
mainland. This species probably occurs in Lanzarote, for the same
reason; it will doubtless become dispersed over the remaining islands
in time.