102 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



HYMENOPTERA, APID/E : Bombus lapponicus, F. LEPI- 

 DOPTERA, RHOPALOCERA : Erebia epiphron, Kn. HETEROCERA : 

 Geometridce, Psodos trepidaria, Tr. CRAMBID^E : Pyrausta alpinalis, 

 Schiff. DIPTERA, EMPIRE : Empis vernalis, Mg., E. lutida, Ztt. 

 ANTHOMYID^E : Limophora solitaria, Ztt. TIPULID^ : Tipula excisa, 

 Schum. COLEOPTERA : Atithophagus alpinus, Payk. 



The number of strath insects refusing to ascend the hills is far 

 greater. Such are the following : 



HYMENOPTERA, APID^E : Apis mellifica, L., Bombus mus- 

 corum, F., B. lapidarius, L., B. venustus, Smith, Andrena coitana, 

 Kirby, A. analis, Pan. MYRMICID.E : Myrmica rubra, L. TEN- 

 THREDINID^: : Allantus arcuatus, Forst. LEPIDOPTERA, RHO- 

 PALOCERA : Argynnis Aglaia, L., A. Selene, Schiff., Vanessa Urticce, 

 L., Polyommatus phlxas, L., Lyccena Icarus, L., Pieris Rapte, L., 

 P. Napi, L., P. Brassicce, L. HETEROCERA : SPHINGID^E : Mac- 

 roglossa bombylifonnis, Esp. NOCTUIDA; : Hydrvcia nictitans. 

 DIPTERA, SYRPHID^; : Rhingia campestris, Mg., Eristalis pertinax, 

 Scop., E. arbustorum, L., E. rupium, F., Chrysogaster hirtella, Lw., 

 Chilosia fraterna, Mg., Helophilus pendulus, L., Sericomyia borealis, 

 Fin., Volucella bombylans, L., Melanostoma inellinum, L., Syrphits 

 punctulatus, Verrall. EMPID^: : Empis bilineata, Lw., E. grisea, 

 Fin., E. pimctata, Mg., Pachymeria palparis, Egg., Rhamphomyia 

 sulcata, Fin., R. cinerascens, Mg. TACHINID^E : Siphona geniculafa, 

 Deg. MUSCID^E : Mesembrina meridiana, L., Pollenia Vespillo, F., 

 Cyrtoneura ccesia, Mg. 



It is evident that these insects are no use to the alpine plants of 

 the crags, for they never go near them. An entomologist running 

 his eyes over the names will notice that they are nearly all insects 

 of fairly strong flight, long or mid-tongued, and consequently desirable 

 visitors. There are two among them, Macroglossa bombyliformis 

 and Rhingia campcstris, which we have never seen away from that 

 warm corner of Glen Clova, under Craig Mellon, where the shooting- 

 box lies, and the larches are not twisted by the wind at their tops, 

 where the river is well lined with alders and rose bushes, where 

 Lychnis diurna first comes into flower, and Ranunculus Ficaria 

 reaches its highest limit. It is a very sheltered spot ; and the two 

 insects mentioned as confined to it are among the most specialised 

 of the whole insect fauna. 



We must now turn to the insects which ascend the hills, bridging 

 the interval between the strath and the crags. First, it is to be 

 remarked that, with the exception of Bombus terrestris and perhaps 

 the flesh flies, their presence at high levels is in almost all cases an 

 accident ; it is merely due to warm winds, such as Thornley has 

 shown ("Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist." 1896, p. 28), depositing all manner 

 of weak-flying insects on the snows of the top of Ben Nevis. Among 

 the Syrphidae those which ascend the hills are Syrphus vitripennis. 



