231 



l^rnmMngs nf IntirtiBi 



Report of the Entomological Committee of the Roxjal Fhjsical Society of Edinburgh, 1851, — 

 In a second time presenting the Keport of the Entomological Committee, on the order Lepidoptera, 

 some apology seems necessary that it should again come through my hands. I had indeed half 

 expected that it would have heen undertaken by Dr. Lowe, this season; and it is only at 

 his request, in consequence of absence from home, and professional engagements at the height 

 of the season, that I have been induced to enter upon the subject. As the Committee, however, 

 issued a programme of excursions at the beginning of the season, some account of the results 

 of these will naturally be expected ; and it will be my endeavour to render it as accurate and 

 comprehensive as possible. 



The first-stated excursion on the list, is on the 17th. of May; but some of the members paid 

 a previous visit to the Pentland Hills on the 13th., when the cases of one of those singular 

 insects, called by the Germans Sacktriigers, were found in considerable numbers on the wall 

 of an old sheep-fold ; the enclosed insects being still in the pupa state, but quite ready to burst 

 their envelope; as all emerged in the course of a few days after, and were, without a single 

 exception, females ; which immediately commenced ovipositing in the empty cases which they had 

 just left, filling them with large oval yellowish looking eggs; after which they speedily died from 

 exhaustion. Without both sexes it is difficult to determine the species, but it would appear to 

 be closely allied to the continental Tal(cporia Lichenclla. On the same day several specimens 

 of Amphysa Prodromana were taken ; an insect with singularly pectinated antennae, first observed 

 in this country many years ago in Lanarkshire, and described by Curtis and Stephens under the 

 names of Walkeri and Walker an a. 



At Dalmeny on the 17th. of May there was a very poor attendance of members, and not 

 very many insects, though Incurvaria masculella was dancing round the hawthorn sprays, and 

 several rather curious Lithocolletes were beaten from Scotch firs. An insect new to the Edin- 

 burghshire list was taken at Roslin, on the 22nd., flying by the bank of the river: it is the 

 Roeslerstammia pygmceana of Haworth and Stephens. On the Pentland Hills on the 31st. of 

 the month, Phoxopteryx unguicana was abundant among the short heath near the summits; 

 and lower down, near the base of a hill covered with juniper, where the heath gave place 

 to short mountain turf, abounding with Potentilla tormentilla, (Ecophora Lewenhoekella was 

 discovered in the greatest profusion ; but somewhat difficult to capture, from their unwillingness 

 to rise from the turf, and extreme activity when they did so. One or two specimens of 

 Argyresthia Arceuthina were found among the junipers; another addition to the Edinburghshire 

 list, and several of a_ species of Eupithecia, which is apparently undescribed. In crossing over 

 the top of a hill about the same elevation as that on which Phoxopteryx unguicana occurred, 

 but in addition to the heath, covered with a crisp gray lichen, Gekchia longicornis, also new 

 to Edinburghshire, rose at every step; and a little lower, a single specimen of Plutella Dalella 

 was taken, which had no doubt lived over the winter, as it is an autumnal insect. 



On the 7th. of June, Tinea prcelatella was again found in the little wood at Ormiston, and 

 was observed chiefly on the shaded side of the wood, where a quantity of Gemn tirbanum and 

 rivale grows, upon which it is not improbable the larva feeds. It is stated by Freyer to live 

 upon Wild Strawberry, in a case ; but it not unfrequeutly happens, that an insect not strictly 

 polyphagus, feeds upon several allied plants in the same natural order. (Ecophora quadripune- 

 tella was not seen upon this occasion, but some small dark brown pupae, beaten out of wild 

 briar, produced this insect a few days after. 



At Torwood, on the 3rd and 5th of July, a great many interesting species were observed, 

 several of wliich have not previously been recorded as Scotch. Among the species taken, may 

 be mentioned Coleophora juncicolella, one of the smallest known species in the genus, Stigmonota 

 redimitana, Mixodia palustrana, Nepticula argyropeza, Microsetia GleichelUz, etc., etc. 



On the 12th. of July, the committee met at Grant's House, in Berwickshke, and proceeded 

 through the Tenmanshiel woods to the Pease Dean, meeting with several interesting species by 

 the way, though the day was unfavourable, the wind being very high. Trifurcula immundtlla 

 was taken from the broom, Lithocolktis ?* flying round hazel; ColeopJwra fuscedinella 



• This is one of the FrolichieUa gi"onp, but does not seem exactly to correspond with anj- of the known 

 species. It ra-iy be X. yicellii. 



