18(17.] 189 



common in a locality divulged thi-ough the liberality of Dr. White, of Perth, then 

 located at Kinloch, with whom we had several pleasant days of collecting. Plusia 

 pidchrina and A. porphyrea were taken at dusk, flying near the " burn." C. graminia 

 was rather common at Ragwort flowers, and Q. papilionaria fell to Mr. Buckmaster's 

 net near Camachgouran. 



Day collecting proved far the most productive, and furnished many highly- 

 prized insects. On the moors round Loch Rannoch C. Davus occurred in extreme 

 abundance, and E. Blandina was captured commonly on some grassy hills. If. 

 velleda (var. ca/rmts) was taken sitting on a stone wall and on old stumps ; fine 

 specimens of D. fascelina and A. tincta, were found. On the rocks that apparently 

 sluggish but inexplicably worn insect D. ohfusca/ria was rather plentiful, and P. 

 tnferro^aitoniswasrepeatedlyseenflyingwildlyoverflowers— seldom caught, however, 

 till the idea suggested itself of looking for it at rest on rocks, and especially on 

 stumps. A. fumata and E. ericetaria occurred in great numbers flying over heath, 

 and towards the middle of August C. imhutata and P. fusca were taken in the same 

 way, — the former not uncommonly, while M. helgiaria was seen and missed. An 

 experimental search of stumps one morning at six o'clock produced A. occulta in 

 fine condition, and a repetitition of the dose on the following day was rewarded 

 by Stilbia anoynala. The lucky recollection of the recorded habits of the latter 

 insect led to a careful seai-ch of the ground at dusk, and in a few days we had the 

 pleasure of securing considerably more than a fine series. M. palustrana was 

 plentiful everywhere, and S. ustomaculana occurred fi'eely in the Black Forest ; 

 while E. atomalis, G. galbanella, and A. prmlongana, were taken on tree trunks, in 

 heathy places, and among birches respectively. T. ochraceolla was not uncommon 

 round nests of Formica rufa^ and A. similella was to be had in plenty on fir logs in 

 an old shed. 



Near the foot of Cross Craig, S. decrepitalis occurred, and C. ericellus was not 

 uncommon on the neighbouring moors. At Dahl, L. cinerana was in profusion on 

 the trunks of poplars, and P. Solandriana of every colour and jiattoru was beaten in 

 plenty from birches, together with H. PaykuUiana, G. scriptella, and A. Gmdartella 

 and pygmxella, the latter more frequently from sallow. 



The Black Forest produced E. hrunneata flying in swarms in the sunshine, and 

 E. angiistana frequent on sallow leaves. Here also were taken A. uncana, A. 

 cnicana (partial to thistles), and C. farinatella (beaten from Scotch firs). 



Much time during the expedition was devoted to working the mountains, 

 which, perhaps, scarcely at that time of year repay, entomologically, more than one 

 or two visits ; but those will not wonder at frequent ascents who know and appre- 

 ciate the perfect beauty of Perthshire scenery — wooded valleys sweeping down 

 from one's feet to the margins of lakes far bluer than Great Britain is generally 

 credited with, and countless mountain ranges of every form stretching far away 

 across the horizon. 



About a thousand feet above the sea E. Cassiope occurred commonly, flying 

 over short grassy slopes ; and from this elevation to the tops of the mountains 

 S- alpinalis was frequently roused from the ground. On the sides of streams L. 

 ccesiata was so abundant that tho air sometimes seemed suddenly full of it when a 

 shadow passed across a rock, and was often accompanied by C. munitata. L. flavi- 

 cinctaria, so far as our experience goes, does not cccur in the Rannoch district, 



