198 Guide to Belfast. 



students of this order of insects during the first half of the 

 century, for the late Robert Patterson has given an inter- 

 esting account of swarms of small Crane-flies {Erioptera 

 trivialis) and Midges {Chironomus testaceus) that appeared 

 near Belfast in June 1842.^ From 200 to 300 columns, 

 composed of these frail insects, were visible at the same time, 

 each column rising vertically above trees to a height of from 

 30 to 60 feet. 



In view of the interest lately aroused in gnats of the genus 

 Anopheles as carriers of malarial infection, it may be note- 

 worthy that all three of the British species are included in 

 Haliday's list of 1838. 



G. H. C. 



LEPIDOPTERA. 



There are many excellent localities in the district for 

 Butterflies and Moths. The coast sand-hills at Portrush, 

 Portballintrae, Dundrum, etc., are the resort of Argy'ftnis 

 aglaia, Safyrus semele, several species of Agrotis (e.g., A. 

 lucernea), with other Noctuae, Gnophos obscurata, Ct ambus 

 warririgfonellus, etc. In a good season Lepidoptera are 

 plentiful ; and as the ground has not been exhaustively 

 investigated, there is every probability of good things turning 

 up which are not noted here. Ballycastle is noted as the 

 abode of jVvssia zo/iaria, which may be taken there plenti- 

 fully in the early part of April. At Island Magee, and in 

 the neighbourhood of Carrickfergus, we may find Lyaena 

 minima^ l^anessa cardiii, Nemeophila plantaghiis, Eupithecia 

 constrictata, Phycis subornaUlla, Peronea Schalleriana, etc. 

 Colin Glen is a good collecting-ground, with a considerable 

 variety in vegetation and surface. Among those recorded 

 from this locality we may note Macroglossa bombylijormis, 

 Lophopteryx cameli/ia, Thyatira bafis, Diantha'cia nana, 

 Anticlea badiata, Cidaria silaceaia. The hills about Belfast, 

 Divis, the Black Mountain, etc., yield several good species, 

 the most interesting, perhaps, being the rare Plume, Platyplilia 

 isodactyla. Some nice Noctuae occur, e.g., Nodua glareosa, 

 Celcena Haworihii, Agiotis stri^ula, and among the Geom- 



1 R. Patterson. — Note on the Appearance of Clouds of Diptera. 

 Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. x, 1842, p. 6. 



