126 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECOKD. 



road, there is a group which is practically never failing. 1 have laid 

 emphasis upon the fact that the insect is local ; here then is the very 

 nucleus of its habitation. At this spot one or two insects are a 

 certainty, or as much a certainty as may ever be counted on by a 

 collector. If you doubt me, come with me next July, and I will take 

 it upon myself to guarantee that you will not return empty-handed. 



I have confined my remarks up to the T^vesent to A. cu)itii/i(aria, hwt 

 now, just a word upon some other insects which are found upon these 

 famous crags. Upon approaching the rocks, disturbed by the sound, 

 numerous insects are seen to start up and disappear. If you take the 

 trouble to track them down they will usually be found to be either Larentia 

 ccti'siata or L. diili/iiiata, both of which species, especially the latter, 

 are constantly present. Next in order of profusion, but always quietly 

 settled, comes Knpitlwcia nanata, generally lovely specimens, evidently 

 but recently from the chrysalis, whilst Eupitheda pulchellata, Halia 

 tcacaria, Acidalia scutnlata, and even Larentia jiectinitaria, in spite of its 

 size, are interesting to mention, since all of these were constantly 

 pointed out to us in wildest excitement by the many friends, male 

 and female, whom we turned into keen collectors, at least for a limited 

 interval. Their lack of discrimination can, of course, be easily 

 understood — one species probably looked much the same as another ; 

 but what are to say of one member of our own family, who in kindness 

 shall be nameless, and, who, being left upon the spot at the appointed 

 time, dreamed away a few delicious days upon the hills, forwarding from 

 thence glownig accounts of his captures to his delighted parent at home, 

 and returned triumphant with a score or two of splendid specimens, 

 most of which, however, by some remarkable process, metamorphosed 

 themselves upon the journey into Kujiit/wcia nanata. AnaitU jdatiiata 

 is not uncommon, darting from the rocks in characteristic flight ; a 

 number of species such as Acidalia binetata and Buarniia i/fniinaria [rhoni- 

 boidaria) became familiar even to our uneducated eye ; while as for Scopa- 

 ria aiiibit/iialis, [thec&\ne known to us, in our not very scientific language, 

 as " the beast." Perhaps the reason for this was that we had to be 

 very careful to distinguish it from a much rarer Pyralid, namely, 

 Scoparia iiierciinila, one or two specimens of which we were fortunate 

 enough to secure. Mention must certainly also be made of Knjiithtria 

 vonstriftata, which occurs somewhat freely, but they were generally in 

 rather battered condition, as I suppose the season was for them rather 

 late. One other little friend, whose ac(iuaintance I remember I first 

 made at Silverdale, must not be altogether overlooked, namely, 

 Niidaria nmndana, with its tricky little way of tumbling down into the 

 undergrowth on the slightest provocation. In addition to the above 

 we not infrequently disturbed a sleepy member of the Noctuids re- 

 posing peacefully after his midnight dissipations. 



With regard to the flight of Acidalia coitii/Karia, in spite of our 

 somewhat extensive experience of the insect, we are unable to speak 

 with authority. Like most Acidalias they might reasonably be expected 

 to fly at dusk, and, at this time, we have netted an odd specimen or two, 

 but, though we have been out on the hills at most daylight hours 

 during the twenty-four (excepting perhaps early dawn), we have never 

 discovered a time when they can be taken freely on the wing, even in 

 the exact locality where they are known to abound. I have remarked 

 on the somewhat torpid condition of the sitting insect ; even when 



