SCOTCH LEPIDOPTERA IN 1906. 57 



five o'clock in the afternoon, to search for them at rest, they were 

 successful in obtaining rather a long series. Mr. Esson tells me 

 that his experience shows that they do not habitually settle on 

 the ground, as has been stated, but on stones about the size of a 

 man's head ; and the way to secure them is to stalk them with 

 the sun in your face, a swift down stroke with the net being 

 necessary. He further expresses the opinion that cordigera will 

 not pair unless the sun is shining. Fidonia carbonaria was not 

 very plentiful in 1906 ; a month's hard work only resulted in 

 the capture of about a score of specimens. The weather con- 

 tinued to be most disheartening, and at the end of May I with- 

 drew Mr. Esson from Eannoch ; but in a day or two it cleared 

 up and appeared more promising, so we decided to try again. 

 He went back, and on June 9th sent me the first lot of Anarta 

 melanopa, among them being a curious dwarf form. On account 

 of the storms it was very difficult to obtain this insect in good 

 condition, most of those sent to me being more or less " bald- 

 headed." Two specimens of Crymodes exulis, of the assimilis 

 form, were taken at sugar on the north side of the loch. 



We were anxious to obtain pupae of Pachnobia alpina, but, 

 although a careful search was made among the moss in the usual 

 localities, it unfortunately proved futile, though I believe Mr. 

 Salvage met with better success. Sugar during June and July 

 produced a good series of Hadena rectilinea, H. contigua, H. 

 adusta, Noctua brunnea, N. /estiva (rather varied), Xylophasia 

 rurea (some pretty silvery forms), six Aplecta occulta, four A. 

 herbida, and twelve A. tincta. An interesting lot of Cymatophora 

 duplaris were secured, and other things worth mention include 

 Nemeophila var. hospita, Acronycta myricce, A. ligustri, A. meny- 

 anthidis, Stilbia anomala, and Hadena glauca. Two specimens of 

 Plusia bractea were taken on August 1st at honeysuckle-bloom. 

 Among the Geometers, the best things were Larentiajiavicinctata, 

 of which eleven were obtained on Schiehallion on a wet day at 

 the beginning of August. Some interesting forms of Cidaria 

 corylata came from Corrie Wood, where also the Scotch form of 

 Drepanafalcataria, with white ground colour, was found sparingly. 

 Of Emmelesia ericetata and E. blandiata, long but not very variable 

 series were sent, and other Geometers in the collection included 

 E. alchemillata, E. albulata, Melanthia ocellata, Melanippe tris- 

 tata, M. sociata, Coremia mimitata, Cidaria miata, immanata 

 (some striking forms), Larentia ccesiata, Zonosoma pendularia, 

 &c. S copula alpinalis was abundant on the mountains and in 

 fine condition. 



During the greater part of August, Mr. Esson worked in the 

 neighbourhood of Aberdeen, whence he sent me, among other 

 things, Mamestrafurva, Noctua sobrina, Agrotislucernea, Orthosia 

 suspecta, Calocampa solidaginis, and other insects, for which this 

 locality is famous. On the 27th of that month he went to Forres, 



