1893-94.] 121 



Glyphipteryx equitella and Fischeriella, tiny black and silver 

 species, are to be found on grass, flying about 4 p.m. in the 

 sunshine ; several species of Argyresthesia and Elachista are 

 also to be found. In all probability much the same species 

 occur at many similar spots along the Antrim coast, and a 

 number of species are recorded from Glenarm, but these places 

 are beyond a single day's excursion. At Glenariffe I have taken 

 Larentia o/ivata, which is rare in Ireland, and no doubt the 

 locality would repay investigation, though it is not well suited 

 for night work. 



On the north coast of Antrim, the sandhills of Ballycastle 

 and Portrush are splendid collecting grounds for those species 

 that frequent such places. At Ballycastle the very local Nyssia 

 zonaria is plentiful at the beginning of April. So far this species 

 is only recorded, in Ireland, from Ballycastle and Achill Island. 

 It occurs also in the Isle of Man and on the coasts of Cheshire 

 and North Wales. 



I now come to the districts in County Down, and shall confine 

 my remarks to the Mourne Mountains, and more particularly 

 to the immediate neighbourhood of Newcastle, which is the 

 best centre for collecting. 



To the west of Newcastle there is a fine stretch of sandhills 

 stretching to Dundrum Bay ; at the back of the village are the 

 woods of Donard demesne, perhaps the best woods in our 

 district, and beyond the woods are the mountains. Each of 

 these produces its special insects, which, for the most part, are 

 not to be found in the others. The best part of the sandhills 

 begins about two miles from Newcastle and extends to Dundrum 

 Bay ; they are continued on the opposite side of the bay, but 

 this part is too distant for convenient working. 



Two butterflies are abundant all over the sandhills, Lyccena 

 icarus and Satyrus semele (Grayling). The western Irish forms 

 of both differ considerably from the English and European 

 types, being in both cases larger and more brightly coloured. 

 In the south of England the male icarus is small and of a rather 

 dull lilac-blue, and the female is brown, slightly tinged with 



