198 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



involuntary stoppage occurred, pending the arrival from Leith of 

 the mail hoat, ' St. Magnus.' 



We left Aberdeen at midnight on the 7th, and on the next day 

 took advantage of the ' St. Magnus' stopping for an hour at Scapa 

 Pier (which is at the back of Kirkwall, on the mainland of the 

 Orkneys) to go on shore. There we found males of Lycczna 

 alexis flying vigorously ; but as our nets were unfortunately 

 packed up, and were only armed with pill-boxes, we reluctantly 

 left them to continue their flight. We also noticed a Pleris, 

 either P. brassiccs or large P. rapes, but apparently the former ; 

 one nearly fell a victim to the seductive finger and thumb, but 

 just escaped. 



The Lyceena alexis recorded in the 'Entomologist,' vol. xv., 

 p. 2, were from the Island of Hoy, which is some distance to the 

 south, and near the coast of Scotland. Our observation, therefore, 

 is the most northerly modern record of the species, although no 

 doubt it is found all through the Orkneys. 



We arrived at Lerwick, on the mainland of Shetland, towards 

 what ought to be nightfall on the 8th; and finding that the local 

 steamer was luckily starting for the North at 4 o'clock next 

 morning we arranged to go by her, which we did, arriving at our 

 destination, Balta Sound, Unst, on the afternoon of the 9th. Here an 

 entomological friend, Mr. Roper- Curzon, had secured us lodgings 

 under Mrs. Hunter's hospitable roof; and lucky it was that he 

 had been able to do so, as there are no other lodgings to be got 

 at Balta Sound ; and one fellow-traveller had to convey his 

 belongings back to the steamer, and return South sorrowing. 

 Nothing daunted by our three days' travelling, the indefatigable 

 Mr. Meek, scarcely allowing us time to swallow a hasty tea, 

 rushed us off, under Mr. Curzon's guidance, in quest of Hepialus 

 humuli var. hethlandica, which we soon got amongst, but found 

 much worn. H. velleda was decidedly rare, but probably had 

 been more common. In the same place Emmelesia albulata in 

 every shade of variety, from the type to var. thules, was to be 

 found, but worn to rags, only a very few being worth boxing. 



Coremia munitata, abandoning the habits of its Scottish 

 brethren, was only to be found in marshes flying gently by 

 night. Melanippe montanata was on the wing in some quantity, 

 but nearly all were males. The females we got were chiefly taken 

 by searching the heather, on the top of which they were to be 



