88 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



circles around the tops of birches, making as they did so a loud 

 buzzing noise somewhat like the humming of a humble bee. They 

 do not fly far, but generally, as has just been remarked, in short 

 circles, there being usually several individuals together, and after 

 flying for a short time they return to the tree top from whence 

 they started. The males are rather pugnacious with each other, 

 (any one who has ever collected these insects need scarcely be told 

 that they can use their powerful mandibles to some purpose 

 should they be able to get hold of the hand of the collector). 

 I Avas once a witness of a battle between two males v/hich lasted 

 for nearly ten minutes, or perhaps longer, for they flew away, and 

 may have continued the fight after I lost sight of them. Their 

 manner of fighting was simply to fly at each other in the air, a 

 concussion of the two bodies being the result ; and they must 

 have come together with some force, for the sound made thereby 

 could be distinctly heard. I could not observe w^iether they 

 tried to use the mandibles or not, but Westwood mentions having 

 caught two males with their mandibles interlocked. As a general 

 rule, however, they are very sluggish insects. T. vltellinae rare on 

 willows j AUa nitens common; Hylotomct uskdata abundant in 

 birch woods ; Cladius viminalis common on aspen ; C. jjadi 

 common; Hemichroa ntfa probably common; this species feeds 

 on alder as well as birch. Camyoniscus luridiventris very common ; 

 Dineura degeeri very common ; D. testaceipes not rare ; Croseus 

 seiJtentrionalis and C. varus rare ; N. fulvipes, Fall., rare ; N. 

 rumicis, Fall., in a mossy place near Loch Gynach ; iV. appendicu- 

 latus not uncommon ; N. querais, Htg., one specimen below Craig 

 Dhu ; the larva, which is red, with black dorsal marks, feeds on 

 the blaeberry. N. ohduchis, H., and N. conductus, Kutlie, not rare; 

 N. ccqyreae, Pz. (Kirhji, Thoms.), very common. Although I believe 

 the regular food plant of the larva of this species is various 

 Carices, yet it will also eat grasses; indeed, all the specimens that 

 1 have reared were fed on Foa annua, or any other grass that 

 might be had conveniently, and the larvae fed en them readily 

 enough. I captured what I consider to be N. wiperfechis, 

 Zaddach, Ijelow Craig Dhu ; it has been described this year by 

 Prof. Zaddach; and is very like N'. cajjreae, from which it is perhaps 

 not distinct." N. imnchdatus rare ; N. crassiis, Fall., Thoms., one 

 example on aspen ; N. lutms abundant on alder ; N. hilineatus not 

 so common on the same plant ; N. dorsahis, Cam., common on 



