266 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Here also the small Achillea feeding form of Dicrommpha 

 herhosana occurred. 



After the meadows came the foothills, a lovely spot with 

 most attractive hollows. The weather seldom favoured us when 

 we came this way, and a very promising spot gave rather poor 

 results. Melanippe tristata flew with some well-marked M. sub- 

 tristata, whilst the solitary birches harboured wonderful forms 

 of Cidaria tnincata, but, oddly enough, no C. immanata. The 

 dead and rotting pine-trunks often gave a specimen of CEcophora 

 stipeUa. Surmounting the foothills we come out on to a very 

 large and wet plateau. Before crossing this a turn to the 

 left will lead to an easy ascent up Cross Craig. Although this 

 high ground looked most promising, we only ascended once, and 

 then did not obtain much, Mixodia scJtulziana , Coccyx nemoriraga, 

 Elachista kilmuncUa being amongst the most interesting things 

 taken. More work here would doubtless produce good results. 

 The large plateau beyond looked as if it might produce anything 

 almost, but here again the weather nearly always spoiled sport. 

 Cmnonympha tiphon and Erehia cassiope were common when the 

 sun condescended to shine, and fine Argynnis aglaia were also 

 seen. Amongst the small fry, Cramhus ericellus, Torlrix vihur- 

 nana, Amphisa gerningana, Elachista rhyiicosporclla were captured. 

 Crossing the plateau we come to the foot of Meall Grayvel, 

 which rises to nearly 3000 ft. The ascent is quite easy, though 

 rather trying to wind and limb. Great hopes were centred on 

 what might be had on the summit, and Mr. Whittle ascended 

 tvvice and I four times in all. We saw enough to realise how 

 much, given good weather and sunshine, ought to be taken, but 

 as it was we got not much more than samples of the good 

 things, captured in the extremely brief intervals of sunshine 

 vouchsafed to us. It was evidently an off year for Psodos 

 coracina, as I only saw two specimens. Lareiitia salicata was 

 abundant, but going over, whilst Cor<',mia miuiitata and Scoparia 

 alpina were not rare. In the past I have had many a vain 

 climb after Scopa^-ia alpina, and here at last I found it, in some 

 numbers, but poor condition. Of Cramhus furcatellus, a much- 

 wanted insect, I secured a short series in the finest order. 

 Sericoris irriguana was in great plenty, and a solitary prize, in 

 the shape of GelecJiia .scotiiiflla, taken on the extreme top, has 

 left us wondering what it was doing there. Altogether Meall 

 Grayvel is a most promising mountain to work, but we were not 

 favoured with the absolutely necessary good weather. Once we 

 got badly caught in the clouds, and were much relieved to find 

 ourselves safe at the bottom again; and once, when alone, a big 

 thunderstorm overtook me, and the experience was something 

 to be remembered. The smallness of the bag, however, was 

 amply compensated for l)y the wonderful views and the still 

 more wonderful atmospheric effects. 



