ENTOMOLOGISING IN AYRSHIRE 239 



byces, 40 Geometrae, and 27 Nocture. The most notable 

 butterflies were Satyrus Hyperanthus, L., Lyccena Alsus, Fab., 

 and L. Artaxerxes, Fab., the first being very abundant on 

 the damp ground along the Ballantrae Road. L. A/sus, we 

 got plentifully on one small bank half a mile south of the town 

 of Girvan, but it was seen in no other locality, so its range 

 must be very restricted. Even on the spot mentioned it 

 appeared to be confined to a small plot some twelve yards 

 square, for within that radius three-fourths of our specimens 

 were taken. L. Artaxerxes does not appear in the " Fauna 

 and Flora of the West of Scotland " published by the Natural 

 History Society of Glasgow, but, previous to our visit, it had 

 been recorded for Ayrshire by Mr. Birchall (" Newman's 

 History of British Butterflies," p. 128). It appeared to be 

 common enough on the hills in the Girvan district. Satyrus 

 Semele, L., and Thanaos tages were the only other butterflies 

 taken which are worthy of mention. 



Of the Bombyces the only species of any rarity was the 

 Cinnabar Moth, Euchelia jacobecz, L. Only one imago of 

 this insect was taken, but the eggs and young larvae were 

 exceedingly abundant on Turnberry Sands. We brought a 

 number of these to Glasgow and obtained a fair series of 

 perfect insects from them. 



The district appeared to be very rich in Geometrae, and 

 to this family belong the bulk of our captures. Among the 

 less common species were, Venusia cambricaria. Curt., Chora 

 lidienaria y W. V., Acidalia fumata, Steph., Abraxas idmata. 

 Fab., Lomaspilis marginata, L., Emmelsia affiniata, Steph., 

 E. alcliemillata, L., E. decolorata, Hub., EupitJiccia pyguurata, 

 Hub., Thcra firmata, Hub., Corcmia propugaata, W. V., 

 Cidaria cory/ata, Thunb., Cidaria silaccata, W. V., Eubolia 

 palumbaria, W. V., Tauagra cJuvropJiyllata, L., etc., many of 

 these being in great abundance. In Penwhapple Glen, for 

 instance, the most abundant insect was Abraxas ulmata, a 

 very rare insect in most parts of Scotland. It is to be found 

 by day at rest on elm leaves, and is very conspicuous. It 

 does not appear to be so obnoxious to birds as its relative 

 the common Magpie Moth, Abraxas grossulariata, L., as we 

 found the dry bed of the stream literally strewed with wings 

 and other relics of the departed. 



