NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 8l 



and Llianbrycle in Elginshire, tlie coast of Kincardineshire, and the 

 central and western portions of Aberdeenshire. I also worked over 

 the high mountains south of Braemar, on both sides of Glen Beig and 

 Glen Shee, the mountains at the head of the beautiful and romantic 

 Canlochan Glen, and the liills west and south of Loch Brothachan. 

 Work on the mountains was much interrupted by the heavy mists and 

 cold winds, but, in spite of these hindrances, I succeeded in " turning 

 up " many good insects, and, it was surprising how quickly the Alpine 

 species seemed to take advantage of every little chance they had. At 

 one time the hill tops would be swarming with life, and again — when 

 the sun dipped under a cloud — not a wing could be seen. I have no 

 doubt, on these mountains, if one were given good weather, it would 

 be an easy matter to capture rare and local Alpine species in hundreds 

 every day, while, on the other hand, it would be possible to spend 

 weeks on the same hills, and in the end have to come away with empty 

 boxes. I will now give a list of the insects seen or captured. It would 

 take lip too much time and sjiace to mention all ; I have, therefore, 

 only noticed the more interesting species. 



The Deltoides were represented by Hypena prohoscidalis, which 

 was swarming on the banks of the river Findhorn, near Forres, at dusk. 

 The Pyralides were more common than usual, and one or two were 

 very abundant ; jjerhaps as common a species as any, and one which I 

 have not seen for years, was Pyralis farinalis ; it was found swarming 

 in a meal mill near Pitcaple. Scoparia cevibrce was rare ; I found a few 

 by beating firs. S. ambignalis rose in dozens with every stroke of the 

 beating stick ; they also swarmed everywhere at dusk, and were a per- 

 fect nuisance. In July, S. duhitalis was found on the rocks along the 

 Kincardine coast, south of Aberdeen. Mr. Home has seen the variety 

 ingratella in the same locality. As yet, I have failed to do this ; all I 

 have captured are ordinary typical s}>ecimens. I have to thank Dr. F. 

 Buchanan White of Perth for putting me on the trail of S. aJpina, and 

 profiting by his kindness, have now succeeded in discovering it in a 

 number of different localities. It seems to frequent the lichen-covered 

 summits of the higher mountains, and I have never seen it as yet below 

 3,000 ft ; it flies with a short jerky flight in the afternoon sunshine, 

 and, on a windy day, they rise from among the herbage at one's feet, 

 and go skimming right away for several dozen yards, when it is a matter 

 of no little difficulty to keep them in sight. I nearly came by a fatal 

 accident while working for this species, by falling over a precipice in 

 a dense mist ; fortunately, I escaped with nothing worse than a fright, 

 and a lesson to be more careful in future. S. alpina occurs on nearly 

 all the mountains between Glen Shee and Braemar. On a fine day, it 

 is common enough to the west of the highest point on Creag Leacach, 

 and on the summit of the Glas Maol. NomopMla noctuella, generally 

 a very rare species with us, was not uncommon. I never saw so many 

 in a single season before. Pi/ransta purpuralis accom^janied by Herhula 

 cespitalis were flying merrily on the hill slojies near Braemar. Scojmla 

 alpinalis has been gradually growing scarcer year by year for some 

 time ; it frequents grassy places on the hills, and used to be very abun- 

 dant. This year I took it sparingly on the Braemar and Eannoch hills ; 

 owing to the high winds they required to be stalked, and I cannot say 

 I ever saw it on the wing without being first knocked up. S. Intealis 

 and Botys fmcaUs were abundant on railway banks and waste places, 

 the larva3 of the former feeding on Centatirea nigra. Spilodes forficalis 



