^\^^ AND ^^^^ 



JOURNAL OF VARIATION. 



No. 11. Vol. IV. November 15th, 1893. 



^FEWD/iy^' eOIiliEei'ir^Q in tlie Y/E^l'EI^pI filQjiL^J^D^. 



By J. W. TUTT, P.E.S. 



There is alwa3's a certain amount of interest in an English collector's 

 first visit to Scotland. So many of our local sj^ecies are restricted, or 

 nearly so, to that country, and the methods of collecting are so different 

 from those adopted in the South of England, that everj^thing is novel 

 and interesting. Besides, in nianj^ districts, the change of scenery 

 lends an additional charm, although it often detracts from the 

 attention that would otherwise be bestowed on the insects for which 

 quest is being made. At any rate a first visit to Scotland Avas not, in 

 the case of myself and my son, attended with a great deal of entomo- 

 logical work, our eyes being often attracted to objects other than insects, 

 and a day's work, entomologically, often ending in a most lamentable 

 fiasco so far as the capture of specimens was concei'ned, when compared 

 with wliat would have been done on similar ground in the South of 

 England. 



I am afraid our visit would have gradually resulted in tliorough- 

 going idleness, if it had not been for the remarkable example of oiu* 

 companion. Dr. Chapman. The mountains of Scotland are his native 

 home, and a fresh bit of scenery, another cairn to reach, and similar 

 fascinating joursuits had to be done every day. True, the Doctor pro- 

 spected for the scenery, often reached the cairns alone whilst we 

 ruminated below, found the best localities for species I wanted, and 

 then took me to see the choice bits of landscape and to catch the local 

 sjjecies by the easiest paths and most comfortable methods, but even 

 then, to a cripple like me, 2,000 to 3,000 feet was a most serious item 

 in a day's work. However, I think I got a pretty good idea of Avhat 

 collecting in Scotland may be like, and my bag looked quite respectable 

 before " we " had done with it. I say " we " advisedl}', for whilst my 

 companions caught insects now and again, they most assiduously left 

 me to do the setting. Once the Doctor tried his hand at the latter jol), 

 but my pins were small, braces cut Avrongly, and apparatus in general 

 so bad that after setting three or four Erehia cpAhiops, the further aid 

 given to this branch of the business consisted essentially in giving me 

 instructions as to how setting ought to be done, and I felt convinced 

 that if I had carried out, in their entirety, all the suggestions received, 

 there would have been no one in the country whoso insects I should 



