PHYSICAL FEATURES. 



83 



specimens belonging to the late Dr. John Malcolmson ; also many 

 unique ones from the collection made in the Sewalik Hills by the 

 late Dr. Hugh Falconer, the founder of the Museum. 



* To the entomologist, the very mention alone of some species 

 of Lepidoptera which occur here in profusion will at once 

 show that the country is a veritable land of promise. The writer 

 may here remark that he has only had one or two years' collecting, 

 consequently many species may have escaped his notice. More- 

 over, he has only paid attention to the Noctuidte, of which alone 

 he has taken, ** at sugar," considerably more than the species men- 

 tioned in the foot-note.' ^ 



So much, then, for the climatic conditions of the neighbourhood 

 of Forres, and, with slight variations, the above account by Mr. 

 Norman may hold good for the whole Laigh of Moray, and extend 

 westward through Nairn to near Culloden, and eastward to the 

 Spey — Elgin, however, being rather less invigorating in compari- 

 son. But when one crosses the Spey, and goes over the watershed 

 of Spey and Deveron, a great atmospheric change, especially in 

 spring, is at once apparent, and greater cold and less salubrity of 



* ^Agrotis curaoria, aquilina, x/racox, &nd pyrophila, T rij/hcenajanthinay fimhria^ 

 Curtuii, and suhaequa — the last by no means rare here, but in most parta of Britain 

 very much so ; Noctua Dahlii in swarms, and hdla^ umbrosa, and ntfjlecta. T rachea 

 piniperda frequent at sallows and in the pupa state under moss and pine needles. 

 The sallow blooms in the early spring swarm with Teniocamjxf, including 

 the rare gothicina. Euperio fu/mgo (not imcommon) ; Hadena glauca, Pisi^ 

 rectiiineay adiista, thcda^ina^ and coiUigua. Folia chi very abundant ; Epunda 

 nigra ^even more so), and E. hitulenta, ApUcfa occulta, and nehxUosa ; Calocampa 

 vttuxta and exoleta (literally swarming); Xylina rhizolitha ; Anarta, JUyrti/fi ; 

 Hdiothis margina/a ; Miselia Ozyacantfuf, Agriopia aprilina, P. meticulosa, while 

 Br ephos part henias and notha are of frequent occurrence in the early spring, flying 

 near birch and sallows in the Altyre woods ; Pltvsia V.-aureum abundant, Ft ttuof, 

 itUerrogationia, and hrartea occasionally ; Stilfna anomaJa frequent ; Xi/fophn«ia 

 jx)lyo<lon (dark Scotch form frequent) ; Omajtttra libcUrix, and many others. 



*In addition to the Noctutr, Sphinx Convolvuli^ Acherontia Atropos^ and 

 M. stt/latarum are common in some seasons. Cos^us lignijtti-da is abundant in 

 the larva state, doing vast injury to the oaks and birch-trees in the Daruaway 

 and Altyre woods. E. Bfaruiina (one of our commonest butterflies), JI. Senule, 

 C. iJainui, V. Cardui, V. Atalanta, A. Selene, Evphro^yne, Aglaia, ami T. Puhi, all 

 more or less common. Endromia vtrsicolora is very common in spring in the 

 Altyre wooils, the males flying like mad, and very dithcult to capture ; the 

 females sitting quietly on the sprigs of birch-trees.' 



