NOTES ON COLLECTING. 333 



approaching var. sodorensium ; Dasydia obfuscata, scarce on the higher 

 moors, an ordinary typical grey form ; Geometra pajdlionaria, scarce in 

 the birch wood along the Blackball road ; Zono^oma pendularia, 

 scarce ; Venmia caitibricaria, abundant, all of the ordinary pale form ; 

 Bupalm piniaria, abundant in fir woods, the males showed the usual 

 pure white ground-colour which is characteristic of our northern race ; 

 Fidonia pinetaria was discovered among bilberry, just as it was going 

 over, this insect is always excessively local in these parts ; Larentia 

 eaesiata was abundant, and proved to be a most interesting insect on 

 account of the great range of variation which it showed. I captured 

 some lovely melanic forms, quite black, whilst one or two others were 

 found exhibiting melanochroism in a remarkable degree, and one speci- 

 men had the ground-colour of the forewings creamy, with a deep black 

 band, like a specimen of Melanthia ocellata, besides which, many curious 

 mottled forms occurred; Larentia salicata, common, but local; L. 

 olivata, abundant, but, as usual, difficult to get in good condition ; 

 hhintieleaia alchemillata was scarce ; K. albidata, common, a very 

 ordmary form, showing no variation at all ; E. ericetata, also scarce ; 

 Kupithecia siibfulrata, not uncommon at ragwort-flowers, all were var. 

 ■oxijdata without the fulvous patch ; E. satyrata var. callunaria, 

 common ; E. lariciata, E. nanata, FJ. vuUjata and E. pninilata, also 

 common; E. sobrinata was abundant among juniper in the woods, and 

 some nice melanic forms were secured ; E. rectatufidata was represented 

 by a single specimen found at rest on the bridge of Dee ; Thera variata 

 swarmed, and was variable, and although dark forms occurred, none 

 of them approached the black Paisley race ; Hi/psipetes elutata also 

 swarmed, and was most variable, ranging from very pale green, through 

 reddish, to black forms; (Joremia uiunitata, common, and of the 

 ordinary lowland typical race ; C propwpiata, scarce, a small poor 

 form ; ( 'ampt<M/yanniia bilineata, abundant, a very ordinary lot, showing- 

 little or no variation ; Cidarla russata, common, and only varied 

 slightly, the majority were of the usual dark form ; C vinnanata was 

 abundant on ragwort-flowers, appearing after (J. riinsata was going 

 over, this was another most interesting insect, it showed extraordinary 

 variation in a most striking manner, from nearly white to black forms ; 

 (J. testata, common, all were dark and a few nearly black aberrations 

 occurred ; C. populata, abundant, dark unicolorous forms occasionally 

 among typical specimens ; ('. pyraliata, common, a rather large form 

 showing no variation ; Eubolia paluutbaria swarmed, a darker race 

 than the southern form ; Anaitis plaijiata, scarce, and did not appear 

 to vary ; Thi/atira batis, common at sugar ; Cyniatuphora diiplarix, 

 common, and, as usual, came freely to sugar after they were getting 

 worn ; Acronicta leporina, scarce, all were of the typical grey northern 

 form ; Vharetra nuiiicis, a few at sugar, this insect is rather scarce 

 here; L'u.yiidia nicnyanthidu -And Arctoiiyac is y -ay. myricae were common 

 as larvae, the former on heather on the moors, and the latter by the 

 roadsides, feeding generally on low plants, but chiefly on sorrel and 

 plantain ; (Jharaean yraiiiinis, common and variable on ragwort; 

 Celaena haworthii, also common on ragwort; Itushia tcnebrosa, abundant; 

 Lycophotia striyida {porphyrea), common; Triphaena coiiies {orbona) 

 ab. ctirtifiii, several very fine forms on ragwort ; Xoctua ylareoi^a, 

 common ; N. sobrina, scarce ; N. neylecta, scarce at heather-bloom ; 

 ■Orthopia >iit!ipecta, common ; Citria fiarayo {Hilayn), common ; Polia 



