COLLECTING AT WALLASEY (LIVERPOOL), AND IN THE VALLEY OF THE DEE. 51 



course, occur freely in the low lands. Eventually we reach the cairn 

 which marks the summit. A few insects are found under the stones at 

 the foot of the cairn, but there is not much to tempt one to remain on 

 this bleak and bare summit, with its half-dried pools of inky black 

 peat water (the drought has evidently been very severe up here), so 

 we soon start on the return journey. On the way down, in a sheltered 

 little glen, a number of specimens of that beautiful insect, Cori/mbitea 

 aeneiisi, occur under stones, its usual habitat. 



Tired out, but thoroughly satisfied with our day on the mountains, 

 we regain the little inn, and after a good meal, set off by train up 

 the river valley to Berwyn, to meet Mr. W. E. Sharp, of Liverpool, 

 who had promised to join us for a day. 



Sunday was a beautiful day, only rather too hot for climbing the 

 slippery dry mountain slopes. Our special object was Mmodcra arctica 

 and ('i/uiindis vaporarionuu, two purely mountain insects; but first 

 of all, there was a possibility of something very good close at hand. 

 This w^as the spot on the Dee where that little rarity, Perileptus 

 areolatiis had been once or twice captured, so down to the shingly bed we 

 go, in great hopes of adding this to our takings. It has generally been 

 captured flying, but, though the sunshine was bright and strong, none 

 were about, so going down on our knees, we carefully searched the 

 fine shingle thrown up into the crevices of the great rocky bars which 

 here cross the river, and after much labour and toil at this, varied by 

 throwing masses of the shingle into still pools in the river, we did at 

 length secure a few specimens each, not enough to make one, however, 

 feel thoroughly satisfied with the work. Bembidium decorum and B. 

 atrocaeruleum also turned up. But time was hurrying on, so, leaving the 

 river, we start on our upland journey. The hillside is terribly dry and 

 burnt up, and insects are very scarce, a fine Ci/ehrm rostratus being 

 about the best thing till we get quite close to the summit. There the 

 ground flattens out a bit, and stones become more numerous, though 

 the moisture is still very much wanting ; however, one of our desires, 

 C. vaporariorum, turns up in fairly large numbers, with it OUsthopjis 

 rotundatus and Carabus arveiisis occnv, some most beautiful specimens of 

 the latter, and, of course, several of the other mountain forms we had 

 taken on the Saturday, but, alas, Miscodera is conspicuous by its 

 absence ; the drought has evidently been too much for it, as Mr. Sharp 

 has taken it at this time of the year on these slopes. 



Descending from the ridge, we try our luck with a water net, 

 in a small pool used for watering sheep. There is, however, not much 

 except A(/abus bipustulatus v. solicri and Ht/drophonisnif/rita. Another 

 summit is breasted in hopes of Miscodera, but in vain, and at length, 

 as the day is rapidly waning, we give up the chase and make once 

 more for the river valley. 



A little waterfall close by the hotel is our last spot. Here out of the 

 wet moss we wring Duinous coerulescens, Stcn^is gttijnemeri, Lesteva 

 pitbescens, Philontkm bipxiHtulatus, and a few other of the water-fall 

 loving Staphs. 



This is the closing scene of our mountain trip : a hurried meal, and 

 we catch a local to take us back to Chester, from whence a night 

 express soon lands us, early on Monday morning, once more in London, 

 with bottles full enough of choice things to keep one busy for many a 

 day setting and naming. 



