260 [November, 



NEUROPTERA OBSERVED IN GLEN LOCH AY. 

 BT KENNETH J. MORTON, F.E.S. 



With the view of increasing my acquaintance with some of our 

 more characteristic northern insects, I spent the whole of June of the 

 current year in Glen Lochay, Perthshire. I was not altogether un- 

 successful in my object, and as some of the results seem worth 

 recording, I here offer a few notes regarding them. 



M}'^ previous Highland experiences were practically limited to 

 two short visits to Rannoch. I had been there early this spring, and 

 ray first impulse was to return, for there cannot be two opinions about 

 the attractiveness of Rannoch when it has once been seen under 

 favourable conditions. But some one said, " Eannoch is worked to 

 death !" Allowing for the obvious hyperbole, I was forced to admit 

 that there were plenty of other districts less known, and well worthy 

 of attention. 



Mr. P. Ewing, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Glasgow Natural 

 History Society, had often urged me to try the Breadalbane country, 

 arguing, from its rich alpine flora, a correspondingly good entomological 

 locality. Circumstances favoured the selection of this district, and 

 there never was any reason to regret the choice. It proved very pro- 

 ductive, both in Neuroptera (including Tricliopierd) and Lepidoptera. 

 One disadvantage, as far as the former Order was concerned, was the 

 scarcity of "tarns" or " lochans " amongst the hills which I could 

 most conveniently work. Standing-water forms are consequently 

 rather poorly represented in my lists. Loch Tay, no doubt, produces 

 many of these, but I was quite unable to touch it, all my energies 

 being absorbed nearer my quarters. The only Loch which received 

 some attention was Lochan nan Damh, a peaty tarn lying at an eleva- 

 tion of about 1700 feet. A single visit to Lochan na Lairige (not in 

 Glen Lochay, but lying north of Loch Tay, half way towards Glen 

 Lyon), a lake of entirely different type with magnificent rocky sur- 

 roundings, lying at about 1600 feet, was brought to a speedy close by 

 a downpour of rain, a state of things quite exceptional, as nearly 

 throughout the weather was very fine. 



Perhaps the most interesting capture of any was jEscJina horealis, 

 Zett., a dragon-fly of boreal and alpine distribution, still little known. 

 Taken by Mr. McLachlan in Rannoch in June, 1865, it was subse- 

 quently found in the same district by Mr. King and myself in 1889. 

 Its occurrence in Glen Lochay marks an extension southwards of its 

 known range in Scotland, and leaves little doubt that it will also be 



