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NOTES ON THE 

 ENTOMOLOGIGAL FAUNA OF PERTHSHIRE. 



BY J. GRAY, ESQ. 



'^Britisli Entomology, alone, to be well understood, is the study of a life." 

 This is a remark of one of the first naturalists which this country has produced 

 — a remark which cannot fail to be verified in the experience of those who 

 have made it a matter of studious moment; however much it may be regarded 

 in another light by others with whom possession is the greatest object of their 

 desires; for it lies only with the entomologist to understand and value the true 

 import — the great difierence between studying to obtain, and obtaining in order 

 to study. 



It surely ought to aiford a pleasing occupation for leisure hours, especially 

 during those months when nature is, in a manner, sealed up, to examine her 

 productions collected when a milder season of the year called them forth in all 

 their joyous activity; and digest those materials so well calculated at once to 

 exercise the reason and the judgment, and raise the mind in its aspirations 

 after higher attainments; which, however abused, it is the province of Natural 

 History in a peculiar manner to awaken. 



The investigation of the natural productions of certain circumscribed districts 

 tends very much towards the elucidation of peculiarities, often remarkable ones, 

 in the distribution and local character of species; opening up at the same 

 time a field of interesting inquiry, as to the changes which the march of civi- 

 lization and agricultural improvement has produced. It is only in this light 

 that collections of local fauna can be made subservient to the cause of science; 

 for looking upon them in any other aspect the philosophic naturalist can only 

 regard them as the most miserable attempts to restrict the interest in nature's 

 works, within the narrow limits of individual partiality; and, if instead of 

 looking upon them as what they really are — ^but a small link — a slight addition 

 to the knowledge of her extensive operations, they are recorded, as too often 

 is the case, as facts of exclusive moment; then indeed the attempt is made to 

 retard the knowledge of nature as she is, and the solution of rules which a 

 best are but partially understood, would seem but too truly to have become 

 a subject of little consequence; a circumstance of no rare occurrence amongst 

 British writers, and to which the majority of the entomologists of this country 

 certainly form no exception. 



The insect fauna of our native country Scotland, bears in many respects 

 a striking resemblance to that of Norway and Sweden : this is the case partic- 

 ularly in the northern and western highlands, where many localities of the 

 deepest interest to the naturalist, remain to the present day in much the same 

 state as they have been for many centuries; thus affording a stronghold for 

 species which otherwise might have been extirpated, or which at least, might 

 only have remained to be recorded as straggling or uncertain natives of 

 Britain. The following notes it is hoped may be thus useful in attempting to 



VOL. I. 2 F 



