1895.] 5 



night, though still showery, we determined to sugar the scattered 

 birches on the rising ground behind the hotel, and although no great 

 rarity was found, we were well content with the result of our 

 evening's work. 



Xylopliasia rurea, var. alopecurus, X. monogJypha (polyodon), in 

 large numbers, Noctua augur, Apamea gemina, Hadena adusta, H. con- 

 tigua, and Caradrina qundripunetata (cuhicularis) , of the same richly 

 mottled form as previously alluded to, were the only species taken, 

 but the beauty and variety of the forms of X. monoglypha both here 

 and at Oykel Bridge, fully atoned for any lack of rarities. They vary 

 from pale brown to shining black, though the former are not altogether 

 like those from the south, but of a more regular and peculiar dull 

 brown, with the darker markings altogether absent. Others are of a 

 darker brown, devoid of the usual pale and white markings, in fact, 

 nearly unicolorous. Of the blacker forms some have the central 

 band black, and of these two are of extreme beauty, one having a 

 narrow black band, large pale stigmata, pale lines, and a general 

 clouding of rich olive-brown over the rest of the fore-wings ; the 

 other black from the base to the second line, then clouded with rich 

 warm brown and black. 



Drizzling rain and a nasty slip over a wet rock compelled an 

 earlier return than we had contemplated. The following morning we 

 found, to our disgust, to be again as wet as ever, so we determined to 

 spend our time in travelling, collecting being impossible. Taking the 

 slow open mail cart that starts from Lochinver, we passed most of the 

 day in driving thirty-five miles to Lairg, heavy rain falling nearly all 

 the way. Having missed the mail train north we were only able to 

 proceed as far as Helmsdale that night. The next morning was sunny, 

 and we noted by the river-side Pieris brassicce and Vanessa urticce. 

 Leaving by the early train we reached Thurso about 2 p.m., and 

 having four hours to spare before the departure of the Orkney boat, 

 walked along the cliffs to the north of Scrabster, where we soon 

 came on a fine colony of the beautiful reddish-purple Pri7nula scotica, 

 Hook., a plant confined to the coasts of Caithness and Sutherland, and 

 to one or two localities in the Orkneys. It was again quite too wet 

 for entomology. The mails from the south being more than an hour 

 late it was 10 p.m. before we landed at Scapa Pier, and drove to 

 Kirkwall. A visit to the ruins of the Bishop's Palace and the adjacent 

 Earl's Palace, then to the fine old Norman Cathedral, St. Magnus, 

 whose beautiful interior is sadly marred by the hideous modern fittings 

 of the chancel, occupied our morning. A stroll along the coast of 



