﻿168 [December, 



NoctucB taken at Forres. — A. psi ; 27th July : at sugar, larvae very common, 



A. leporina ; 25th August: beat larvae from birch. A. ligustri; 24th July; rare, 



at sugar. A. rumicis ; 1st September: swept larvae from heather. A. myricce ? ; 



24th August : my excellent friend, Mr. G. B. Longstaff, beat from heather, two 



hairy tuberculated larva?, which can scarcely be any other than this species. L. 



conigera ; 12th July : exceedingly common at sugar and ragwort, varying a good 



deal in colour. L. lithargyria ; 10th July : very abundant at sugar, varies much 



in colour. L. pollens ; 12th July : swarming at sugar, also on ragwort. H. 



nictitans ; 19th August : not uncommon at sugar. H. micacea ; 12th August : not 



uncommon at sugar, also at rest. X. rwrea ; 31st July : at sugar, surely very late. 



X. polyodon ; 10th July : swarming at sugar, and varying from the ordinary southern 



type to bistre-brown and black. C. graminis ; 5th August : on ragwort by day. 



C. cytherea ; 28th July : two specimens, one at sugar and the other at a " Cossus 



Birch ; " an interesting addition to the Morayshire list. L. iestacea ; swarming at 



rest, at sugar, and with net, varies a good deal. M. aljecta ; 31st July : sugar, 



not found before, I believe, so far north. M. anceps ; 19th July : occasionally at 



sugar. M. brassiccs ; 19th July : commonly at sugar and also at rest. A. gemina; 



12th July : not unfrequent at sugar. A. oculea ; 15th July : abundant at sugar, 



also on ragwort by day; as usual, very variable. M. fascuincula ; 10th July; 



swarming at sugar, also on ragwort by day. M. literosa ; 20th July : at rest, also 



at sugared trees. 0. blanda ; 12th July : rare, at sugar ; an addition to the 



Morayshire list. C. cubicularis ; 19th July : common at rest, also with net. B. 



tenebrosa; 23rd July : common. A. valligera; 28th July : not uncommon at sugar 



and on a " Cossus Birch," on ragwort by day. A. suffusa ,■ 15th August : common 



at sugar up to November. A. saucia ; 29th September : took two at sugar, never 



heard of this insect so far north before. A. segetum ; 20th August : at rest. A. 



lunigera ; 28th July : not uncommon at sugar. A. exclamationis ; 10th July : 



abundant at sugar. A. corticea ; 15th July ; not unfrequent at sugar, also with 



lantern on ragwort. A. cursoria ; 11th August : not unfrequent, by smoking out 



of " Bents," on the Culbin Sands. A. nigricans ; 4th August : common under 



stones in barren fields, also at sugar. A. tritici ; 4th August : swarming at rest, 



at sugar, and under stones with the last ; varies immensely in size, colour, and 



markings, some specimens closely resembling obelisca. A. aquilina ; 14th August ; 



rare, with net. A. agathina ; 14th August : in great profusion flying over heather, 



rarely at sugar. It is very difficult to take this moth in perfection. I know no 



insect that so soon looses its freshness, owing to the looseness of the scales. The 



best plan to capture it is to light the lantern, and watch the places among the 



heather which are partly sheltered with trees. The insect appears to fly for about 



a quarter of an hour briskly over the heather, after which it settles for half-an-hour 



or so, during which time it may be found on the heather bloom ; the slightest 



shake, however, causes it to fall like a stone, when it is usually lost. After this 



half-hours' rest, it flies again, and must be taken with the net and lantern. This 



period yields by far the greatest number of moths. A. porphyrea ; 16th July : 



abundant flying over heather, larvae afterwards in profusion. A. prcecox; 5th 



August : smoked out of " Bents " on the Culbin Sands, also two specimens at rest 



in a greenhouse and one in a spider's web, same place. A. pyrophila ; 29th July : 



smoked out of " Bents " on the Culbin Sands, also two specimens at rest in a house. 



T. subsequa ; 10th September : only one or two specimens at sugar, very late, and 



