Highland Insects. 135 



sculptured anal plates lias resulted already in the addition of 

 two species from Scotland new to us. It is in the Braclielytra 

 that the most numerous novelties have been, and will for some 

 time continue to be, found. But a few words must be given 

 to the beetles found upon the absolute mountain-tops and sides, 

 which are of different habits and forms to those on the lower 

 levels. On the topmost peaks, among the mist, the rare Mis- 

 codera arctica, a huge Dyschirius in show, occurs under stones ; 

 where, also, Otiorhynchus maurus (oftener dead and frag- 

 mentary than alive) may be seen ; and the Alpine Nebria Gyl- 

 lenhali (not seldom with lurid red elytra) replaces the closely 

 allied N. brevicollis of the lowlands; the common Patrobus 

 ■rufipes being in like manner superseded by P. septentrionis 

 and P. clavvpes. Here in moss, and under mica slabs, occur 

 Calathus nubigena (apparently a mountain form of the common 

 0. melanocephalus) , Anthophagus alpinus (the males with 

 strong'ly-cornuted heads, and long apical joint to the antennae), 

 Arpedium, Oeodromicus, and hosts of other Staphylinidce. 

 This pure mountain work has great charms, apart from the 

 adjuncts of scenery and the bracing results of the toil ; for the 

 species found are of strange aspect, the chances numerous of 

 obtaining novelties or observing unrecorded facts, and the 

 problems of arrested development (exemplified by apterous 

 conditions, short elytra, etc.) and mutation of species appear 

 to be undergoing solution under one's eyes. 



In a paper of this limited length it is, of course, impossible 

 to note more than the general features and most salient forms 

 of so extensive a subject as the entomological productions of a 

 rich district ; indeed, a mere enumeration of all the new and 

 rare species that have been found at or near Rannoch alone 

 would occupy too much space — in spite of the fact that only 

 two orders, the Lepidoptera and Goleoptera, have been as yet 

 worked with any energy. Enough has been done to show that 

 for many years the English naturalist need not travel out of 

 his own country to find novelties. 



