The Scottish Naturalist. 275 



Sphxrophora menthastri, L. ; Sy/phus vitrip:nnis, Mg. ; S. baltcatus, Deg. ; 

 Platychirus manicatus, Mg. ; P. albimanus, F. ; P. peltatus, Mg. ; Rhingia 

 rostra ta, L. ; Volucdla injlala, F. This fly was very abundant, more so 

 than I have seen any where else, — in fact I had never seen more than two or 

 three together before ; here they were scattered over the moors in great 

 numbers, — all that I took, but two, were females. Sericomyia borealis, Fin., 

 also abundant ; one specimen of S. lappona, L. was seen. Eristalis 

 ustorum, L. ; E. nemorum, L. ; Helophilus pendulus, L. ; Syriiict 

 pipiens, L. ; Chrysogaster viduata, L. ; Empis tessetlata, Fb. ; Hilara nana, 

 Mg. in great numbers, over a stream near which was a young plantation 

 of trees, the only ones I saw on the island, except in Kirkwall. Heleod- 

 romia fontinalis, Hal.; Rhamphomyia variabilis, Fin., very numerous; 

 R. fiava, Fin. ; Cyrloma spur ia, Fin. ; Hemerod7'oviia ?nonostigma, Hms. : 

 Dolichopus rupestris, Hal. ; D. griseipennis, Stann. ; Argyra argentina, 

 Mg. ; Syntormon pumilwn, Mg. ; Synarthtis pallipes, F. ; Sympycnus 

 annulipes, Mg. ; Campsicnemus cia-vipes, Fall ; Lonchoptera punctum, Mg. ; 

 Tcchina vulpina, Fal. ; T. spinipennis, Meig. ; and Anthojnyia lardaria, 

 Fb. Rather disappointed with our three days' captures upon the island, we 

 left Stromness for the mainland where we hoped for better things. Arriv- 

 ing at Thurso near mid-day, we proceeded to Melvich, eighteen miles along 

 the coast, westward ; at which place we remained the next day, and visited 

 the braes along the coast, and some moorland, but little turned up among 

 the flies. The country up to this, and for nearly eighteen miles further on, 

 is very poor, and to us was unprofitable, but near to Betty Hill, which is at 

 the mouth of the Naver, the country is more broken up, and a day's search 

 and netting was very profitable; especially so in regard to Diptera was a 

 sandy brae and field nearly covered with the wild carrot and Centaurea 

 scabiosa, L. From Betty Hill we proceeded along the course of the Naver, 

 the day was again unfavourable or I think much might have been got here ; 

 there is a good deal of birch wood and other cover, and although so bad a 

 day we were very well satisfied. I should have much liked another day in 

 the Strath, but it could not be ; the day after we were up Ben Klibreck, 

 and the next saw us at Lairg. The road between Altnaharra on Loch 

 Naver, and Lairg is through the worst hunting ground I think I ever saw, 

 and yielded nothing but a few spiders, one Agrion, and, near Loch 

 Shin, a specimen of Syrphtis co?npositarum, Ver. During the six days in 

 the county I took the following, with perhaps a dozen that I have not 

 yet made out : — Sphcerophora scripta, L. ; Syrphus ribesii, L. ; Platychirus 

 peltatus, Mg. ; P. albimanus, F. ; Leucozona lucorum, L. , one specimen at 

 Melvich ; Rkingia rest rata, L. ; Sericomyia boreal is, Fin. ; Eristalis intri- 

 carius, L. ; E. nemoriun, L. ; E. arbustorum, L. ; Helophilus trivittaius, 

 F., one at Betty Hill; Chrysogaster viduata, L; C. metallina, Fb ; 

 Chryso?nyia formosa, Sc. ; Hozmatopota pluvialis, L. ; Leptis lineola, Fb. ; 

 Sympheromyia crassicomis, Hms., this fly was very abundant at a place 

 some distance east from Betty Hill, and it was also taken in Strathnaver ; 

 Empis stercorea, L. ; E. punctata F. ; Rhamphoj7iyia variabilis, Fin. ; Hybos 

 grossipes, L. ; Platypalpus comptus ^ Wlk. ; Hemetodromia prcecatoria, Fin. ; 

 H. monostigma, Hms. ; Dolichopus atripes, Mg. ; D. rupestris, Hal. ; D. 

 plumipes, Scop. ; D. trivialis, Hal. ; Gymnopternus germanus, W. ; Ta- 

 chytrechus notalus, Stann. ; Chrysotus neglectus, W. ; Campsicnemus scam- 



