176 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



being dislodged from the firs by sharply tapping the branches, 

 Hypsipctes sordidata, Cidaria miata, Cidaria truncata, and 

 Cidaria popnlata. Larvae are very numerous, and any one 

 who makes this a special study would find his time and labour 

 well spent in this district. Among the heather Saturnia 

 pavonia, as would be expected, was very common, as also the 

 handsome larva of Bombyx rubi, and, in enormous profusion 

 in September and October, the larvae of Spilosoma menthastri, 

 which appeared on every plant, showing great diversity in 

 their colouring, from pure black to light brown. On the 

 broom (Spartium scopariuui} larvae of CJicsias spartiata and 

 Bombyx quercits were found ; the latter, which I have since 

 fed on bramble, have now hibernated, constituting the variety 

 callnucc, Palmer. On the brambles near the the roadsides 

 the beautiful larvae of TJiyatira batis were to be met with, and 

 in several instances were also found feeding on the common 

 stinging nettle. They passed into the pupa stage towards 

 the end of September. 



Larvae of Hadcna pisi were plentiful on the bracken. 

 On the birch, the larvae of Lophopteryx camelina were in 

 great abundance ; nearly every tree on the banks of Loch 

 Assynt had an enormous population feeding in company with 

 Notodonta siczac, which was almost as plentiful. 



A few larvae of Acronycta psi were also noted. 



Many other larvae too numerous to note in the time at 

 our disposal were observed. 



The micro-lepidoptera were plentiful, and included many 

 rare and interesting species. 



These few notes will, I hope, be sufficient on which to 

 base a claim for Lochinver as a lepidopterous district of 

 some importance. 



The nomenclature adopted is that of Richard South's 

 Synonymic List. 



[Lochinver lies in the district of " West Ross," so named 

 and defined in Insecta Scotica (" Scottish Naturalist," vol. i. p. 

 162). Of the entomology of West Ross a great deal has 

 yet to be learned ; and that it ought to be well worth 

 exploring, Dr. Beveridge's observations distinctly show. For 



