2IO The Irish Naturalist. t August, 



INSECTS COttfiCTKD ON LUGNAOUII.I.A AND IN 



GLENMAI.UR VAEI^EY, CO. WICKI.OW. 



(For the R.I.A. Fauna and Flora Committee.) 



BY J. N. HAI^BKRT. 



Owing no doubt to the difficulty of access, many of the most 

 interesting parts of the highlands of Co. Wicklow are practically 

 unknown as regards their insect fauna. Probably none of the 

 old collectors possessed a greater knowledge of the county^ 

 exclusive of Lepidoptera, than the late A. H. Haliday, to 

 whom, from certain evidence afforded by his collection, it 

 seems to have been a favourite hunting ground. Yet un- 

 fortunately he left few S3^stematic notes of his own experiences 

 for the assistance of future workers, resting contented with 

 the recording of a comparatively small number of his captures, 

 as for example, his discovery of the most interesting ground- 

 beetle Calathus nubigiiia, Hal., from the summit of L^ugnaquilla. 

 Accompanied by my friend Mr. M'Ardle, I paid a brief visit 

 to this district at the end of last month. The day selected for 

 the attempt seemed at first unfavourable, threatening clouds 

 had gathered and mists hung about the hills, but as we 

 approached Drumgoff the weather fortunately cleared and we 

 succeeded in reaching the summit of the mountain, after a 

 toilsome climb under a scorching sun. We made the ascent by 

 the Clohernagh Brook, which seemed to be the readiest way 

 from the Drumgoff side, although a safer route might be 

 found in a wet season. On the following day we explored the 

 fine old birch and oak wood clothing the eastern side of the 

 valley for over a mile of its extent. This wood seemed to 

 teem with larvae, and I have no doubt a collector of Eepidoptera 

 would reap a rich harvest by a little hard work, as the pos- 

 sibilities of finding rare species are undoubtedly great. The 

 following list contains the most notable of the Coleoptera and 

 Hemiptera, excluding many common species. 



COLEOPTERA. 

 Carabus catcnulatus, Scop.— vSlopes of Luguaquilla. It was de. 



cidedly disappointing not to find either C. glabratus or C. clathratus ; 



no doubt both occur ; the latter has been taken by Mr. H. G. Cuth- 



bert on the Great Sugar-loaf. 

 Notlophilus palustrls, Duft.— Abundant. Also on summit. 



