1369.) 



221 



Macro-Lepidoptera at Rannoch. — At the somewhat gloomy oloso of a fine day 

 early in July, we left the road which borders Loch Rannoch, and crossed the rough 

 fields which lead to Camachgonran. We had reached the end of a somewhat 

 harrassing journey, and it was vrith feelings of intense satisfaction that we saw 

 the collecting-cases and portmanteaux, containing all necessaries for a Scotch 

 campaign, laid on the stone floor of our little abode. Our kind hostesses very soon 

 put before us a meal, such as all who have visited Camachgonran will vividly re- 

 member J and the sight of the newest of milk and the freshest of eggs* urged us 

 to recruit before we turned out, as we had resolved to do, for a few hours' collecting 

 on our first night. 



To one of us the scenery, and, better still, the insects, of the district were 

 quite new ; and, as we passed down the long barley-field beyond which lies the 

 great sugaring-ground of Rannoch, the other set himself to combat the slightly 

 gloomy impression conveyed to the mind by the grand mountain solitudes and 

 sloping moors veiled partially, as we saw them now, by uncomfortable looking masses 

 of cloud. Turning to the left, we reached two very different tracts of land separated 

 by the high road : that next the loch being grass-grown, and covered with fine 

 birch trees, while the other produces a mingled mass of heather, reeds, and fern, 

 amongst which grow, singly or in clumps, birch, fir, and alder trees. Here, at 

 nine o'clock, sunlight had scarce faded from the sky : dark banks of cloud were 

 still shot with vivid lines of light ; the air was soft and warm, and the loch lay 

 motionless, almost at our feet. Some eighty trees, near the loch's edge, received 

 an application of the sugar, and we retired among the heather and woods in the 

 background to " moth " until the charm should have exerted its sway. Here a fine 

 0. papilionaria crossed our path and was safely boxed, and somewhat peculiar 

 forms of B. repandata occurred commonly. 



Darkness had come on about a quarter to eleven sufficiently to warrant a first 

 visit to the sugar ; anxiously, and with darkened lamps we drew near to the first 

 tree. Former experience told us that sugaring at Rannoch was not quite profitless. 

 One held the net below the sweet tract of bark, the other flashed a sti'eam of light 

 upon it : both peered with eyes as greedy as the most ravenous polyodon. A 

 Carahus drew back, and politely stopped eating ; two *' daddies " buzzed off, and 

 banged against the lamp ; and a great snail seemed to be regarding contemplatively 

 the shmy traces of his own ascent ; but there were no moths. 



Tree No. 2 surprised us with a goodly sight. The brothers Uncta and occuUa 

 absorbed sugar side by side, both in the loveliest of condition ; N. confiua^ C. cuhi- 

 cularis, and X. rurea having dropped in to complete the party. At the next 

 " spread" we found tincta and nelulosaj a lovely H. contigua, B. tenehrosa, and T. 

 pronuha. This first night was, indeed, undeniably good. Tincta was common ; 

 occulta, of the deepest shade of blackness, and without a rub, not by any means 

 rare ; and a fair sprinkling of duplaris, contigua, tenehrosa, festiva, conflwi, cuhi- 

 cularis, rurea (and var. combusta), polyodon, adusta, and augur. 



It was not long before we made an expedition to *' Grayvel," the " lion " of 

 the mountains in that district. On the lofty summit, a few P. trepidaHa resulted 



* Milch-cows and productive hens appear to have been imported since our experience In 1865. — 

 R. McL. ; E. C. R. 



