60 The Scottish Naturalist. 



Stigmonota pygm/Eana Hub. There are only two speci- 

 mens of this species recorded as British, and without locality. 

 As it is a fir-feeding species, they may have been'obtained from 

 Scotland. It flies in April among spruce fir. 



Retinia retinella. ) These two species seem confined to 

 „ duplana. J the north, the latter being as yet very 

 rare, but most probably the larvae or pupae of both might be 

 found more commonly in the shoots of young fir trees in the 

 spring. When the young shoots are growing, those which are 

 stunted or distorted should be examined. Duplana, however, 

 flies in April and May, so that its larva must feed up early like 

 that of Turionafia. 



Sericoris Daleana. I Further information respecting these 

 „ irriguana. J two species, and long series of 



both, are most desirable, since they belong to a most difficult 

 group of closely allied species, and are not yet satisfactorily 

 determined. The latter species seems to frequent high moun- 

 tain districts. 



It may be well to say a word respecting the best method of 

 collecting Tortrices, so that time may not be wasted in finding 

 out their habits. 



Many species fly irt the bright sunshine, and for these a 

 sheltered spot and the bright sun is all that is wanted, but the 

 great majority love to fly in the latter part of the afternoon, and 

 are very partial to warm still weather. It can hardly have 

 escaped notice that, after a steady breeze, or even a strong wind, 

 all day, it is not uncommon for the wind to fall towards 5 or 6 

 o'clock in the afternoon, till there is an almost total calm. This 

 is the time to collect Tortrices. It is the very opportunity for 

 which they have been waiting, and they seize it to fly abroad ; 

 and, as different groups of species choose different hours of 

 flight, there is in such an evening plenty of employment until 

 dusk. In the case of fir-feeders, however, this weather is rather 

 tantalizing, as it induces them to fly high. They should be 

 beaten out of the sheltered side of the trees, or collected when 

 flying low, in warm windy weather. 



As there are so many hard working and energetic entomolo- 

 gists in Scotland, I sincerely hope that they may be induced to 

 turn a little more attention to the Tortrices, and that they may 



