7056 Insects. 



with the bag net, we succeeded in taking a number of Donacia 

 cincta. 



Time, however, did not permit of a lengthened stay ; we had much 

 before us ; moreover, the uncertainties of the future began to cast their 

 shadows on us, for as to our resting-place for the night all was obscure, 

 save that our dormitory was to be somewhere on 



" Mull's mountain shores." 



On our way to the small stone pier we picked up on the shore 

 several snow-white Pecten niveus. This bivalve may be had, although 

 somewhat sparingly, in the neighbourhood of Oban, at low tide. Its 

 range does not appear to extend much further south than Oban ; we 

 have never observed it in the Firth of Clyde, although the coasts of 

 that beautiful estuary have been frequently and carefully searched, and 

 though the dredge has been used in deep water. 



After a few minutes spent in crossing the narrow sound we were on 

 Kerrera. This isle is interesting as the scene of the death of Alex- 

 ander II., King of Scotland, when on an expedition against the Western 

 Isles, then under the dominion of Norway. We took the road which 

 leads to the western shore of the isle. On our way we found Lycaena 

 Alsus in profusion in several spots. This species seems to be some- 

 what local in the west of Scotland, but is not rare in the localities 

 where it occurs. Here also appeared again our old friend Macroglossa 

 bombyliformis darting along the heathy hillsides, but the specimens 

 were very much worn, and were not to be compared with the hand- 

 some and freshly-emerged ones which we had taken behind Oban. 



What a view burst on us as we reached the highest part of the road ! 

 On the east the two-peaked " Cruachan Ben," whose lofty summits we 

 had so lately scaled, rose majestically, while "Jura's rugged coast," 

 "Mull's dark headlands" and " Morven's shore" lay to the west. North- 

 ward the green isle of Lismore, with its picturesque lighthouse, filled 

 the eye. We were soon on the beach, where the ferry boat for Mull 

 awaited us. The day was splendid, and the air so still that our two 

 pilots waved the use of the sail and rowed us across the channel — six 

 miles in an open boat. We had Her Majesty's mail bag for our fellow 

 passenger. The sea was covered with guillemots, puffins and sea-fowl 

 of every tribe, which, as we approached them, rose in flocks and sped 

 along in single file at no paltry rate, in some cases not six inches from 

 the surface of the water. 



On landing we took the road south and came to a large peat moss. 

 Here we found Campylus linearis sparingly, Melanippe hastaria in 



