1906.] 181 



Note on Agrion aniiatum, Ilet/er. — Tlie ivferenees lu tliis species as a Britisli 

 insect, as far as I liave seen tlieni, have been so meagre and guarded that about all 

 that I can say concerning it is, that its occurrence in a certain area has been 

 authenticated. It has also been referred to in these records as a species every- 

 where rare — on what grounds I do not know, as already in the " Revue" it is said 

 to be comn\on in Southern Sweden. Like other species of Agrion it is no doubt 

 local, and added to this, it is a species which has apparently a restricted geogra- 

 phical range. I owe to the courtesy of Herr Esben Petersen a fine series of both 

 sexes (males preponderating) taken this season in Denmark. The number and con- 

 dition of these seem to prove that it is neither uncommon where it occurs, nor is 

 the taking of it a time-robbing occupation. I think the true explanation of the 

 view of its supposed rarity that has got about, is to be found in the time of its 

 appearance. All the specimens referred to were taken on the same day, May 12th, 

 a date that would be considered, as a rule, too early for profitable dragon-fly 

 hunting. A specimen (J) in my collection, bearing the date June loth, already 

 shows signs of weai'. This note may serve as a hint to those who have opportuni- 

 ties of collecting in the Eastern counties at the right time. — K. J. Morton, 

 13, Blackford Road, Edinburgh : July 2nd, 1906. 



Diptera in Scotland in 1905. — During the past year I found JJiptera plentiful, 

 and many new species were added, to my collection. My captures are not all 

 worked out, and I only mention here those about the identification of which I 

 feel certain. 



In this district Porphyrops riparia, Mg., occurred in some numbers in May 

 and June, and I also took, among others, Ptychoptera albimana, F., 31.viii.05 ; 

 Chalarus spurius, Fin., 24'.viii.05, and Rhamphomyia nigripes, F., 28.V.05. A $ 

 of Spilogaster uliginosa, Fin., was taken on the window 2.vii.05. Several speci- 

 mens, (J and ? , of Beris chalybeata, Forst., were taken in May, and I should like 

 to mention B. geniculata, Curt., taken in August and September, 1903 and 1904, 

 and kindly named for me recently by Mr. Verrall. From fungi, I bred, in May, 

 Homaloinyia monilis, Hal., and I reared several examples of Corethra plumicornis, 

 ¥., from larvae found in abundance near the Pentland Hills early in May ; the flies 

 emerged from May 15th to June 7th. 



A visit to Polton on June 24th produced a good many flies, including : Macro- 

 cera angulata, Mg., 2 (? J , Molophilus appendiculatus, Stseg., Rhamphomyia Jlava, 

 Fin., <J , R. hyhotina, Ztt., 1 <? , 2 ? $ , Gloma fuscipennis, Mg., ^ , Dolichopus 

 popularis, W., Sphegina clunipes, Fin., Hyetodesia semicinerea, W., and HydrO' 

 tsea militaris, Mg., the last in numbers. 



On June 29th I went to Aberlady and found Diptera in swarms, consisting 

 chiefly of Anthomyidse and Dolichopodidx. Of the latter family my best capture 

 was Dolichopus clavipes, Hal., of which I got a long series. I took two J J and 

 one ? of the very pretty Oxycera trillneata, F., and might have taken hundreds of 

 a Nemo/eltiSy which seems to represent the two species uliginosus, L., and notatuS) 



