NOTES ON COLLECTING IN GLEN TILT. Q49 



it. On these stones, too, we take Scoparin muralis and S. 

 atomalis, which latter is, I think, nothing more than an 

 upland (brm of ambigualis. We have now attained a height 

 of 800 or 900 feet above our starting-point, which was 1000 

 feet above sea-level, and have passed the steepest part of the 

 slope. The vegetation here begins to change its character, 

 large beds of Fatc<wr?^;w, of several kinds, replacing the rock- 

 rose and other plants which adorned the lower part of the 

 hill. The slope also is not at so great an angle. We now 

 begin to meet with some of the more alpine insects, though 

 some of those we have already noticed still maintain their 

 ground. Larentia salicata, though not confined to this 

 altitude, is certainly more common, and as the afternoon 

 advances begins to fly freely. We also find that variety of 

 Chelonia plantaginis, which has the usual yellow markings 

 replaced by white, but it too can be found lower down. A 

 curious form of Coremia ferrugaia, which puzzled us for a 

 long time, occurs up here as well as lower down, as does 

 Coremia mnnitata. The latter may, however, be taken 

 more freely flying at dusk. Amongst the bilberry we will 

 find Penlhina Slaintoniana, which requires the sun to 

 be shining to tempt it out. This species was at first 

 supposed to be attached to the bear-berry, Arctostaphylos 

 uva-ursi, with which plant it has no connection. In damp 

 grassy places Scopula nligiiiosalis affords some employment 

 for our nets ; and so we go on, picking up various species, 

 till we reach the ridge of the hill. Here only a very stunted 

 vegetation grows, composed of heather, grass, the mountain 

 azalea, &c., leaving many dry, bare, stony places. Advance 

 cautiously to such a place, holding the net in readiness. See, 

 a black shadow rises from a small stone and flits away. Get 

 the net over it, and behold ! you have taken, one of the most 

 alpine of our native insects, Psodos coracina. There is still 

 another, even more alpine species, and if we are lucky we 

 may meet with it, but we must go higher first. Passing over 

 some peaty ground, we search among the cloudberry, Rubus 

 chanKBtnorus, a very humble relation of the familiar lowland 

 raspberry and blackberry, and catch sight of a little moth 

 somewhat like an Argyresthia. Carefully searching, we fail 

 to net any specimens, and what the beast was remains a 

 mystery to this day. Our private idea is that it is an un- 

 known new British species, and if we are not so fortunate as 

 to solve the enigma, let us hope that some one else will. 

 Apropos of the cloudberry, we have ibund the leaves mined 



