^^^ [July, 



INSECTS AND ARACHNIDA CAPTURED IN ICELAND IN 1889. 

 BY P. B. MASON, M.R.C.S., F.L.S., &c. 



During a stay iu the south-west of Iceland, from June 19th to 

 July 19th, I took the following species of insects. It is not so 

 extensive as that published by Dr. Staudinger in the IStettiner Ento- 

 mologische Zeitung, in 1857. That list was the result of the captures 

 of three collectors from May 2nd to August 14th, 185G ; they collected 

 both in the north and south of Iceland, while my captures were 

 principally in the neighbourhood of Reykjavik, which Dr. ytaudinger 

 says is the poorest district entomologically. I also made excursions 

 to Thiiigvellir, the Geysirs, Eeykir, and Krisuvik. 



My captures amounted to 100 species of insects, Dr. Staudinger's 

 to 312 



I have to thank Mr. Stainton for examining the Gelecliidce, Mr. 

 McLachlan the Trichoptera, Mr. Bridgman the Ichneumonidce and 

 BraconidcB, Mr. Verrall the Diptera, and the Eev. 0. P. Cambridge the 

 Arachnida. Like Dr. Staudinger, I found no butterfly, and no 

 Orthopte7'a. 



LEPIDOPTERA. 



Crymodes exulis, Lef. — Verj abundant- and variable, flying chiefly in the after- 

 noon, and making short flights. I may remark liere that tliere was no darkness 

 during the time I spent in Iceland. 



TriphcBiia pronuba, L. — One specimen ; Reykjavik. 



Noctua conflua, Tr. — Very abundant and variable ; this was first described as ;i 

 species from Icelandic specimens, and differs from the form usually called N. /estiva. 

 var. conflua, in British collections, by its smaller size ; the only British specimens of 

 this form which I have seen were taken by the late J. Sang at Wolsingham, in 

 Northumberland. 



Plusia gamma, L. — One specimen, at Reykir. 



Larentia ojusiata, Lang. — Abundant, both light and dark forms. 



Eupithecia scoriata, Stdgr. — One rubbed specimen, near Reykjavik. 



Melanippe thulearia, Stdgr. — Five specimens only, at Thingvellir and Reykjavik ; 

 this is doubtless a northern form of M. haslata, with the markings suffused and 

 brownish-black. M. sociata, Bork. — Not very common ; one specimen has the 

 whole of the ground colour brownish, and the band, if anything, rather paler than 

 the ground colour. 



Coremia munitata, Hb. — Everywhere in the bogs in swarms ; this insect varies 

 in every possible way, especially the female, the ground colour being in some speci- 

 mens a creamy-white. C. signata, Hufn. — This was the first insect I captui'ed, and 

 looked very puzzling from the fact that the red colour of the bar is wanting ; all the 

 specimens were alike. 



Crambus pascuellus, L. — Everywhere, in bogs. 



