322 THE entomologist's record. 



more than a very slight degree in any species of versicolor I have been 

 able as yet to examine. Perhaps some reader may be able to throw 

 further light on this point ? 



By much patient watching, a few examples of Ancliomenus ericeti 

 were obtained. This handsome insect seemed specially to delight in 

 the red-green spooge-like Sphaf/num growing on the edges of peat-holes, 

 and the best. way to secure it was found to be by simply selecting a 

 likely spot and squatting down there for a more or less lengthy period 

 of observation — a rather slow process, working out at the ratio of about 

 one beetle to every quarter acre of bog. In a similar habitat, one 

 solitary Elaphrus uliginosus was secured. Donaeia discolor was fairly 

 plentiful on the peat moor, as was also Telephorus paludosus, whilst, on 

 one particularly fine day, when the breath of bog-myrtle was sweetest, 

 and all nature seemed astir, a regular " flight " of Corynibites tesselatus 

 was observed, probably from an adjacent fir-wood. 



In the woods, various good beetles were obtained, amongst which 

 may be mentioned Otiorrhynchns septejitrionalis, Magdalis phlegmatica, 

 Rhinovwcer attelahoides, and Ernohius nigrinus (all beaten out of half- 

 dead fir tops), and one example each of the rare Nudobius lentiis, Gr., 

 and Melanotus castanipes, Pk., from beneath bark, a Rhagium inquisitor 

 being got from the same old log as the "Elater." I have now taken all 

 the three species of Rhagium in that district. " Beetle*- traps " of cod's 

 heads failed to attract anything noteworthy, but a dead rabbit furnished 

 a series of the shoAvy Silplia thoracica. S. rugosa was, of course,^ 

 abundant, and appears to be by far the most common of the genus up 

 north. Beating broom, which was in all its "golden glory," produced 

 Tychius v^w».s^»s, and, from sallows, a single Orchestes salicis was obtained. 

 Two specimens of the long parallel-sided Tachinus elongatus were taken 

 on the roadway, and this, together with the Nudobius lentns already 

 referred to, proved to be the best capture amongst the Staphylinidae. 

 Water-beetles were scarce. In fact, much laborious work with the 

 water-net in loch and peat-hole produced little or no result, except 

 some Rydroporus obscurus, and a solitary Deronectes assimilis, to secure 

 which (under the mistaken notion that it was another species) an 

 amount of energy was expended quite incommensurate with the result. 

 By the broad shingle beds of the river Spey, or on the banks of its 

 tributary Truim, many an hour was spent, and, in one particular part 

 of the latter, not far from its junction with the Spey, a colony of 

 Cryptohypnus piilchellas, L., was discovered, or rather re-discovered, 

 for I had taken two specimens at the same place three years ago. As 

 a full account of this has already appeared under my name in the 

 Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, July, 1906, I need not repeat the 

 particulars here. It was quite an unexpected pleasure to take for the 

 first time Coccinella 5 -punctata, in a habitat of the most unlikely 

 nature, viz., on the shingle beds of the Spey. [Taken by Mr. Kayes 

 on the shingle-beds of the Tavy at Yelverton. — Ed.] There these 

 ladybirds sat. on the stones, but only on one hot, bright, calm day. 

 Moral : — Always take your series when you can get it. We didnt ! 



Another shingle-frequenting beetle was Cryptohypnus niaritimns^ 

 which I took also for the first time. Hunting, or rather stalking, 

 these active creatures is quite in keeping with one's general ideas of 

 " Highland " sport ! The least movement on the would-be collector's 

 part, and down they dropped off their big boulder-perch (for they 

 seemed to like to sun themselves on the larger stones) and began to 



