FOUR WEEKS’ COLLECTING IN SCOTLAND. 283 
Xylophasia monoglypha and Triphaena pronuba, but there was 
considerable variety of species, and we were pleased to take nice series 
of Noctua sobrina, fine varied forms of Triphaena comes, including the 
true var. curtisiit, Newm., and also such deviations therefrom as rufa 
and nigrescens, Tutt, &e. (Hntom., xxii, pl. vi., figs. B—H), 
Dyschorista suspecta in every conceivable variety, and occasional 
specimens of several local species. Not infrequently among the 
crowds, specimens were observed in copuld, and I noticed one 
abnormal pairing, viz., between Nylophasia monoglypha and Noctua 
baia; of course, cases of this kind are of no scientific interest, but as 
curiosities they are worth putting on record. But the thing which 
impressed me most on the Pitfour estate was the marvellous attractive- 
ness of the flowers of the common rush, particularly to Geometers. I 
am not exaggerating when I say that at dusk the air around the 
favoured plants appeared to be filled with a cloud of moths, mainly 
Cidaria immanata, C. populata and Hypsipetes furcata (elutata), and 
I shall never forget the sight that greeted the eye when our lanterns 
were turned on the bloom, after the visitors had had time to settle. 
I suppose the abundance of these species in this particular locality 
must be something exceptional, even for Scotland; for I understand 
that Mr. Horne, with his wide and varied experience of Scotch collect- 
ing, has not found it altogether equalled elsewhere. Of course 
selection of forms was impossible, as the Geometers named sit with the 
wings tightly closed over their backs, but, by boxing large numbers, 
we succeeded in securing magnificent varied series, particularly of 
C. immanata, which was just emerging. Larentia didymata was hardly 
less common, and a sprinkling of L. olivata, L. caesiata, Coremia 
munitata and other species lent further variety to the sport. By day 
there was not very much to be done, chiefly on account of the 
unfavourable weather ; the dearth of butterflies was very marked. We 
did best on the moors, where nice series of L. caesiata, &c., were 
obtained ; also larve of Saturnia pavonia, but very few other larve, 
excepting those of the polyphagous Notolophus antiqua which were in 
countless thousands feeding on the ling. 
On the return of my companions to London, on August 11th, 
I left Stuartfield for pastures new “in the famous neighbourhood of 
Forres.” Having had full instructions from my kind friends, Messrs. 
J. P. Mutch and A. Horne, I had no trouble whatever in finding the 
collecting grounds, and was soon busy amongst Krebia acthiops, 
Melanthia bicolorata ab. pluinbata and other interesting insects. I 
obtained eggs from several forms and grades of the ‘ plunbata”’ type, 
and hope to get some interesting results next year; but unfortunately 
this species seems to lay very sparingly, and most of the batches of 
eges are very small. By the way, what can have induced Guénée to 
make bicolorata a ‘‘ Melanthia’”’? The comparatively unpolished egg 
with granulated surface and flattened end, the slender larva with 
double anal point, the mode of pupation and build of pupa, and even 
the superficial appearance of the imago, all point rather to an affinity 
with “ Cidaria”’ (in Guénée’s sense). Unfortunately I found that 
sugar was not working nearly so well at Forres as in Aberdeenshire, 
and the average number of visitors generally did not exceed one or at 
most two per tree. Under the circumstances, it is perhaps not 
surprising that I did not meet with some species which I was told 
