FAUNA OF GALASHIELS AND DISTRICT 193 



General Remarks. By Mr William Shaw, Galashiels. 



If we compare the Butterflies found in this neighbourhood 

 with those of the County of Berwick, we find some occurring 

 that are not found in Berwickshire, as for example the 

 Scotch Argus (E. Blandina) ; but while here there is 

 only one species of Fritillary, in Berwickshire there are five 

 species. The absence of the Wood Argus (S. Egeria) is 

 a curious thing, and we can only think it must have been 

 overlooked by collectors. And while there were taken in 

 Berwickshire one season eight Camberwell Beauties and 

 another season fifty of the Clouded Yellow (C. Edasa), 

 there is no record of either of these Butteiflies having been 

 noticed here. Not so, however, with the Moths, for in the 

 "Humming-Bird Hawk-Moth" year, the insect was nowhere 

 more common than at Galashiels. There are, however, a 

 considerable number of insects in Berwickshire — "coast 

 insects" — that we could not expect here. A good example 

 of these will be found in the Ayrotis genus of which fifteen 

 species are found in Berwickshire, and only six species 

 here. There does not seem to have been taken any of 

 the doubtful species that have been caught in Berwick- 

 shire, such as C. Celerio, C mipfa, C. Fraxini, and the 

 Scarce Bordered Straw (H. armiger) : but there are many 

 good and rare insects, as xV. Carmelifa, C. Propxignata , 

 X. Citrago, and S. Dxibitata, besides others, the mos^t 

 interesting feature being the tendency to melanism. Of 

 such darker forms there are mf;ny fine examples in the 

 district, the variety of the Small Quaker (1\ Cruda) being 

 a most interesting one. A Member of the Club remarked 

 that "It was the sooty food (bitter pills) the caterpillars 

 were forced to eat, that made the insect so black." 



