A FORTNIGHT IN THE HIGHLANDS. 89 



of eggs of the species were hatching on ling just about the same 

 time, so it had probably been on the wing for a considerable 

 period. Larvae and cocoons of Orgyia fascelina were also not 

 uncommon on ling, and a few larvae of Trichiara cratcegi occurred. 

 A fair number of Georuetrae were picked up. Eupithecia satyrata 

 var. callunaria was abundant, and E. nanata and E. pamilata 

 fairly common, many of the latter being very highly coloured. 

 Melanippe tristata was common, but, from its brown colour, not 

 nearly so conspicuous as our blacker Yorkshire form ; M. hastata, 

 Macaria liturata, Fidonia carbonaria worn and apparently nearly 

 over ; Scodiona belgiaria, much paler and quite a different looking 

 species to our Yorkshire moth ; lovely forms of Thcra variata, 

 Emmelesia blandiata, and many others. Larvae in this group 

 included a very curious Crocallis elinguaria, in pattern and 

 colouring a perfect imitation of the lichen-covered rail on which 

 I found it resting, though no doubt it had come from an over- 

 hanging, also lichen-covered, tree ; it produced a very pretty 

 variety of the moth, unlike any other I have seen. Ellopia 

 fasciaria and Thera ftrmata were beaten in plenty from pines, 

 Geometra papilionaria on alder, Thera juniper ata on juniper, and 

 many others. We did not work at all for Sesia scoliceformis and 

 Pachnobia alpina, but Mr. Eeid was taking pupae of the former 

 and larvae of the latter in some quantity at the time of our visit. 

 Of Noctuae observed in the daytime, Anarta melanopa occurred 

 in abundance on one of the mountains, but, owing to the nature 

 of the ground and the wild flight of the insect, not many were 

 caught. A few A. cordigera were also about, but the species was 

 evidently getting over ; whilst A. myrtilli occurred sparingly on 

 the moors. Phytometra cenea, fine and very highly coloured, was 

 common ; and from tree-trunks, &c, Aeronycta menyanthidis and 

 A. glauca were occasionally picked. Among the other genera, 

 the pretty Eucliromia mygindana was common among bilberry 

 above the Black Wood ; and Pyrausta purpuralis, Botys fuscalis, 

 Scoparia ambigualis, S. muralis, Sericoris daleana. Cnepliasia 

 musculana, Phoxopteryx biarcaana, P. myrtillana, Pterophorus 

 acanthodactylus, and many others were observed. During our 

 second week Mr. King and I sugared on most evenings, and it 

 was on those occasions that our interest became really centred 

 on Lepidoptera. Noctuae were attracted in fair quantity, and 

 especially interesting to myself, from the circumstance that I 

 had never before seen them alive in a wild state, were Hadena 

 rectilinea and Aeronycta myricce. Both species were in perfect 

 condition, and the former was plentiful ; a beautiful object it 

 was on the sugared trees, though on some of the lichen-covered 

 trunks they were so difficult to see that over and over again they 

 would have been missed had it not been for a common habit they 

 had of dropping to the ground when the light was turned on 

 them. Myricce only occurred during our last few days, and was 



