11880.] 149 



level peat bog, Ccenonympha Davus was to be seen, its tawny wings 

 Harmonizing with the quiet tone of the surroundings. At an elevation 

 j)f about 1000 feet, on either side of a picturesque burn which was 

 put in on both sides by rocky banks, we found Erebia Cassiope, at 

 first sparingly, but as we advanced a little higher it increased in 

 lumbers, and at 2000 feet was abundant. It was seen in greatest 

 numbers in the ravines formed by those small mountain rills where 

 ;;ufty grass grew, but was to be seen also flying over, alighting on, and 

 Lt rest (when out of the sun) on the heather. During the afternoon 

 'ind while the sun was bright they were very active on the wing, and 

 bometimes took pretty long flights, but always flew low, seldom rising 

 pore than four feet above the ground, and when a slight passing cloud 

 hvercast the sun for a few minutes, they did as Erebia Blandina so 

 pften does under the same conditions — dropped in among the grass 

 jind lay with folded wings close to the roots, looking like old withered 

 leaves. There was one sheltered place beside a small waterfall where 

 fountain thyme and a little yellow starlike flower grew in abundance, 

 md it was charming to see them resting on the flowers with expanded 

 jsvings, the dark red spots looking brighter in the sunshine than they 

 lo in the cabinet. At a height of about 1000 feet Larentia ccesiata 

 ceased to appear, and was succeeded by Mixodia Schulziana, Scopula 

 jlpinalis, Amphisa Gemingana, and Tortrix viburnana, all these on 

 !]his hill ascending to 2000 ft. A little above this altitude the dense 

 cloud which had overshadowed us in the morning, still shrouded the 

 bill top, and rendered the air too chill and damp for butterflies and 

 moths. And a strange experience it was to be so near this thick mist ; 

 while standing in the sunshine about 100 feet below it, the distance 

 30 clear that the blue peaks of far-away Jura and Mull were visible. 

 An occasional drift of chill misty air blowing past, warned us that it 

 was unwise to remain so near the cloud, and getting over the shoulder 

 af the mountain we began to descend the southern slope, keeping in 

 [the gorge of a water course. A little below 2000 feet Erebia Cassiope 

 p.gain appeared, in some sheltered spots, literally swarming, and alto- 

 gether in fresher condition than those on the north side of the mountain. 

 It was pretty early when we started in the morning, but I was so 

 charmed with the sight of this pretty Alpine butterfly, that I lingered 

 iamong them until the sun went down behind a higher mountain, and 

 then the Cassiope betook themselves to their night's quarters. A very 

 iew simply closed their wings, and hung like little withered leaves 

 rfrom grasses, but the majority dropped in among the heather and 

 [clung to the stems a little above the ground with their wings drooping 

 ' downwards. 



18, Moray Place, Edinburgh : 



October 15th, 1880. 



