Insects. 1861 



Anecdote of a Pheasant. — " The cock pheasant sometimes exhibits marks of great 

 daring and fierceness, even attacking man. I was once staying with a friend, who had 

 a bird of this character in the plantations near his house, which was accustomed to 

 make frequent sallies upon persons passing near the place of its resort. I saw it my- 

 self fly boldly at the proprietor of the grounds, who purposely approached the spot, in 

 order that I might witness the extent of its courage and ferocity ; — it commenced peck- 

 ing his legs, and striking with its wings, pursuing him for a considerable distance 

 down one of the walks. He said that he generally carried a stick to beat it off, when- 

 ever he went that way. Some wood-cutters, who were at work close by, were in the 

 habit of protecting their legs with strong leather gaiters from the attacks of this bird, 

 which was constantly interrupting and annoying them in this manner." — p. 172. 



Notes on the Diurnal Lepidoptera of East Lothian. — I procured a specimen of 

 Melitaea Selene in July, 1845, by the banks of Neinraw burn, in this parish ; Kilmun, 

 in Argyleshire, is the only other Scotch locality yet known. 



In the cold and cheerless month of October, 1838, I first obtained a specimen of 

 Vanessa Atalanta, but I did not observe another until last September, when this fine 

 insect appeared in great numbers in many neighbouring localities. 



Through the great kindness of my friends, Mr. R. Greville, and especially of Mr. 

 R. F. Logan, of Duddingstone, I have been enabled to arrange my collection of these 

 insects, and the system of numbering each specimen when captured, has enabled me 

 to draw up the following notes, which, I trust, may prove useful in extending the 

 knowledge of the distribution of these insects in Scotland, where the cultivation of 

 entomology is certainly at a very low ebb, and this neglect arises partly from the lack 

 of illustrated works in our public libraries, and partly from the lamentable deficiency 

 of our museums. It was only very lately that I became acquainted with students of 

 this order, and under these circumstances, there was no other interest attachable to 

 each specimen apart from the note of its capture and the fact of its being an addition 

 to the fauna of our district, and there was no inducement to collect with assiduity ; 

 hence my supply of duplicates is very poor. 



As Mr. Logan has kindly revised the accompanying list, there will be fewer errors 

 to correct, and the interest of the same will be greatly enhanced : — 



Euclidia mi. Pretty common every year in the glen of the Whittinghain 

 water, near the Cairnhill : a notable day-flier, pretty common ; Pressmenan Copse, 

 June, 1847. 



Euclidia ghjphica. Pretty common every season in June near the Cairnhill : an 

 active day-flier ; new to Scotland. 



Xylophasia combusta. Not uncommon : Pressmenan Copse, July, 1843 ; new to 

 Scotland. 



Eupithecia subfuscata. Rare : garden and neighbouring hedgerows ; August, 

 1842. 



Xanthosetia ferrugana. Abundant: Pressmenan Copse, July, 1843; new to 

 Scotland. 



Xanthosetia hamana. One specimen : near Whittingham Castle, June, 1846. 



Celcena Haworthii. Very rare: about thistles ; Traprain Law, August, 1842. 

 V 2 Q 



