1867.] Ill 



embracing what is called the Laigh of Moray, the surface is generally level, and 

 the soil very light. Towards the south the country gradually rises into moorland, 

 and culminates in the " Knock of the Braes of Moray " at about sixteen miles from 

 the coast. This eminence yielded me but Httle beyond a specimen of Caraius 

 nitens. The Cluny Hills, near Forres, forming part of the town lands, and to 

 which unrestricted access is allowed, are about 200 feet in height, planted chiefly 

 with fir, oak, and birch, and intersected by numerous well-constructed footpaths. 

 These hills afford excellent hunting-ground to the Coleopterist. Here occur 

 Blethisa multipunctata, Pterosticlius lepidus, Amara ewrynota, Bradycellus harpal/imis, 

 Harpalus tardus, Amphycillis globus, and AgatJiidium Icevigatum and nigrinum. 

 Of Thalycra sericea, seemingly rare iu all parts of the country, two specimens were 

 secured, and Melolontha hippocastani was not uncommon. Clerus formicarius and. 

 Cis lineato-crihratus were occasionally met with, and Anoiium nigrinum, though 

 mutilated in four instances out of the five, was an agreeable capture. Orohitis 

 cyaneus was not unfrequent on Viola canina; and on the broom growing hear Nelson's 

 Monument I was not a little surprised to find a dozen or more of the pretty Tychius 

 venustus ; Antlionomus puhescens, Magdalinus phlegmaticus and M. cwrbona/rius, 

 Rhinomacer attelaboides, and Bhyncliites teneo-virens, none of which I had ever seen 

 alive, were specially acceptable. Dorytomus tortrix was not scarce upon the aspen, 

 Acanthocinus cedilis, Pogonocherus fasciculcdus, and Ascmum striatum were the only 

 noteworthy Longicornes ; Tachinus pallipes, and T. elongatus and Quedius ruficollis 

 among the larger BracTieVytra. 



In the town, after a keen hunt in many questionable localities, I succeeded in 

 obtaining a few of Blaps mortisaga of Linnaeus, which presents very decided marks 

 of distinction from the common insect formerly known under that name, but now 

 catalogued as B. mucronata. Of this species I previously possessed only one 

 specimen, taken several years ago in an outhouse belonging to an inland farm in 

 Forfarshire. 



At Burghead, among stones that had occupied a place in fortifications, sup- 

 posed to have been reared by the ancient Caledonians and subsequently renewed 

 by the Danes, I found a single specimen of Leistus montanus. It had evidently 

 fallen from the high estate of its progenitors and most of its contemporaries, for 

 the spot of its capture is not more than thirty feet above the sea level, and within 

 half a stone's throw of high-water mark. 



On the banks of the Findhorn, near the Suspension Bridge, Dorytomus pedoralis 

 and D. maculatus, with Crepidodera aurata, were beaten from sallow, while Bern- 

 hidium paludosum careered over the damp sand in considerable numbers. There, 

 also, turned up a specimen of Morychus ceneus ; and Lagria hirta, not hitherto 

 observed north of the Tweed, was evidently quite at home. Farther south, on the 

 Divie (a tributary of the Findhorn), near its confluence with the Dorbach, Bern- 

 hidium pallipes, Cryptohypnus maritimus, and Euryporus picipes occurred — all, 

 alas ! in single blessedness. At Altyre and Relugas, Otiorhynchus septentrionis 

 was found ; in the one place by beating, in the other, and more plentifully, under 

 dead leaves along with Ot. picipes and Quedius fulgidus. Near Dunphail I obtained 

 MagdaUnus phlegmaticus, Rhinomacer, and Anohium nigrinum, with two species of 

 Tomicus and a dozen Salpingus castaneus, aU from a single branch. Although a 

 specimen of M. carhona/rius may have been found on hazel, as recorded by the late 



