4076 Insects. 



of Crambus lapponicellus ; * I also beat Tinea praelatella from birch. I was surprised 

 at the scarcity of Micro-Lepidoptera, but contented myself by atributing it to the very 

 wet weather, as it was no uncommon thing for me to be wet through two and three 

 times in a day. Lithocolletis Caledoniella was the only other thing of note which I 

 took amongst these little gems : here I found it among birch ; at Kenfrew I take it 

 in company with Dunningiella and Emberizsepennella, amongst oak and honeysuckle. 

 With sugar I did nothing by night, it being both too wet and too windy ; T generally 

 however examined the trees in the mornings, but my only visitors were Carabus gla- 

 bratus and Rhagium inquisitor. I had hoped to capture thus Cetonia aurata and C. 

 senea, as well as Trichius fasciatus, but, I suppose, the absence of the warm sunshine 

 kept them away. Carabus glabratus was by no means uncommon, either beneath 

 stones, or running across the paths. Fairly embedded, "like a red-hipped humble- 

 bee, on the top of a thistle," lay Trichius fasciatus, eagerly driving its long trunk with 

 wonderful quickness to the bottoms of the flowers, in search of the sweets deposited 

 there, too busy to offer any resistance to its capture : on being laid hold of, it emits a 

 strong perfume not unlike that of otto of roses. Pissodes Pini was in great numbers 

 under the felled timber. An occasional Acanthocinus iEdilis might be observed pass- 

 ing through the air, with its long antennae gracefully thrown back : they are very destruc- 

 tive to each other, and when they meet, mutilation generally takes place. I was most 

 desirous to obtain the larva of this insect, in order to throw some light on its transfor- 

 mations, but was unsuccessful. The felled timber had an occasional Rhagium Indagator 

 resting upon it. I also took Lamia textor, and the specimens are certainly the largest 

 I have seen. This insect I obtained on the road-side, near to where some old birch- 

 roots had been grubbed up, and from this I concluded that it had been bred in them. 

 In moving, their joints gave out a creaking sort of noise, as if the sinovia had dried 

 up. Asemum striatum was very common ; I did not care to take it, as at Renfrew, 

 before starting, I had captured a great number, and again, this season, have taken no 

 fewer than seventy-five specimens. Leiodes humeralis, Thanasimus formicarius, Hy- 

 lesinus crenatus, and one or two Curculios were plentiful. And now, in conclusion, I 

 would fain recommend to all who can spare a few days in summer, especially to our 

 northern collectors, a visit to this place. All classes of naturalists may be edified and 

 enriched, since the locality abounds with scarce specimens not only in our branch, but 

 in almost all branches of Natural History. It is, in many respects, a tempting spot. 

 The hum of the city is all unheard ; and the stillness which for ever dwells here, only 

 broken in upon at intervals by the cry of the golden plover or the curlew, which the 

 traveller may chance to start from their resting-place, and which are his only com- 

 panions, cannot fail to arrest attention. And it is glorious and heart-inspiring to roam 

 about, freed from the cares of business and the yellow-eyed fever of money-getting, 

 which for days and months previously have been weighing us down, with the broad 

 face of Nature smiling upon us, and inviting us by her thousand charms to live with 

 her, and forgetting for a time what we were, to 



" Find tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 

 Sermons in stones, and good in everything." 

 — John Scott ; London Works, Renfrew, August 31, 1853. 



* The insect described by Mr. I. Gray in the ' Naturalist' as Crambus radiellus 

 (lapponicellus, Gum. in litt), is not that insect, but merely C. margaritellus, and 

 pretty abundant on the heaths of Renfrewshire. C. lapponicellus is mountainous. 



