The text below is grayed out because it is not intended to be read. It is a necessarily imperfect OCR of the original and is only used by a search engine.
64
Vol.13: no.2
mon everywhere. I even took about 30 specimens at blacklight one night right here in the middle of Merida.
Any further migrations that may possibly occur in the current season will be commented upon in the Journal at a later date.
Calle 66 Norte, No. 426, Merida, Yucatan, MEXICO
LARGE NUMBERS OF NYMPHALIS CALIFORNICA IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST IN 1959
Nymphalis calif or nica Bdv. has been seen in very large numbers in several localities in the Pacific Northwest in 1959. My atention was first called to them on July 13 along highway 410 approaching Chinook Pass in Washington from the east. Considerable numbers of very worn, ragged specimens were flying along the road or resting where there was moisture, at 4,000 to 5,000 feet elevation. They had not been there June 30 and were practically gone by July 20. It was evident that they had come a long way. They could not have emerged locally, as I saw not more than two or three in that area in 1958.
On a trip to northern California late in July, I saw very few of this species. But returning by way of Crater Lake, Oregon, I encountered hundreds of them on August 4, flying about the rim of the lake, mostly going from north to south, perhaps just drifting with the wind. Many were lying in the road, having collided with cars. The elevation along the rim is about 7,000 feet.
On August 7, I drove to the summit of Mt. Spokane (elevation about 5800 feet) and began to see californica at wet spots along the road at 3,000 feet. The numbers reached a maximum at about 5,000 feet, where there were literally thousands of them, apparently flying aimlessly about or resting in the road where there was moisture. At one such spot I counted 50 in a square yard. At the summit they were also flying in considerable numbers, going in and out of the open door of the lodge, and sunning themselves on the bare rocks. Very few were on flowers. Mt. Spokane is northeast of the city of Spokane, about 425 miles from Crater Lake by airline.
On August 9 I was on Gisborne Mt., in the Priest River Experimental Forest in Bonner Co., Idaho, about 40 miles northeast of Mt. Spokane. Here there were only moderate numbers of calif ornica at 4,000 to 5,000 feet.
All of the butterflies seen at Crater Lake, on Mt. Spokane and in Idaho were in fresh or nearly fresh condition. But in 1958 I was on Gisborne Mt. on July 20 and did not see any. So it is probable that in spite of the fresh-looking condition of this year's flight, they had come from some distance. But I have no information as to where they came from.
E. J. Newcomer, 1509 Summitview, Yakima, Wash., U. S. A.