2S2 



[April, 



About half of the Scottish Oeometrce are represented. Both of the 2 Scottish 

 DrepanulcE. One-third of the British Pseudo-Bomhyces. Half of the Scottish 

 species of Noctuce, and but a small portion of the remaining groups. It must be 

 remembered, however, that I was but a short time in the district, and that the 

 country worked was all of one character. The numbers of species in the difierent 

 groups are : — 



Diumi, 13. DrepanulcB, 2. Deltoides, 1. Cramhites, 7. 



Nocturn% 19. Pseudo-Bomhyces, 9. Pyralides, fi. Tortrices, 39. 



QeometrcB, 72. Noctuce, 81. 

 Pieris hrassicce. P. rapo}. P. napi. 



Argynms EitpJirosyne, June 5th j A. Selene, both common ; Euphrosyne is by 

 no means a common species in Scotland, whilst Selene is perhaps one of the com. 

 monest of those " not common everywhere." Vanessa urticce, 2nd brood July 9th. 

 Pyrameis Atalanta, not very common. Pyrameis cardui, June 22nd ; hybernated 

 larvae, in July. Satyrus Semele, one worn specimen, August 17th. 8. Janira, 

 June 23rd, very abundant. Chortohius Davus, June 20th (the northern form, C. 

 Typhon), C. Pamphilus June 3rd. Lycccna ^Zeicis, June 16th. Thanaos Tages, June 5th, 

 not common, a rare butterfly in Scotland. Smerinthus populi, June 9th ; larvse in 

 August, on aspen. Sphinx convoVvuli, a dead specimen brought to me in Sep- 

 tember J the ova — it was a female — were well developed. Macroglossa stellatarum, 

 larvae on Galium vervm. Cossus Ugniperda, larvae in birch trees. The sap exuding 

 from the burrows, as usual, was a great source of enjoyment to many insects, 

 five or six species of Lepidoptera being among the number. The toads (whose names 

 were legion) seemed to be aware of the insect-alluring powers of the infested trees, 

 and held nocturnal revels among them. One tree, which I passed almost every 

 night in returning from sugaring, had seldom fewer than four of these bright- 

 eyed monsters in attendance. Hepialus hectus, June 30th ; scarce. H. sylvinus, 

 June 19th ; H. velleda, June 19th (H. humuU, which I especially wished to find, 

 thinking there might be some tendency to variation, did not turn up). 



Litlwsia mesomella, June 22nd, not common. The half-grown larvae in October. 



The food of the caterpillar seems not to be entirely confined to cryptogamic 

 plants, as I found one on the common heather (Calluna), the leaves of which it 

 devoured with a good appetite, not only while in my possession, but when in the 

 hands of Mr. Buckler, to whose tender care it was consigned. Euthemonia russula, 

 June 4th j larva in October. Chelonia plantaginis, June 20th ; 0. caja, June 28th. 

 On July 26th saw some larvae of C. caja about the third of an inch long, feeding on 

 black currant leaves — rather a strange selection of the mother moth ! Arctia 

 fuliginosa, June 19th, common. Larvae common in September. A. menthastri, 

 June 8th (at Perth, May 2nd) ; larvae full-fed August 16th. Orgyia fascelina, larvae 

 not common June and October. 0. antique,, August loth, very common. From 

 the number of batches of infertile eggs to be seen on the birch trees, many females 

 seem to die unimpregnated ; yet their power of attracting the opposite sex is 

 great. On various occasions I placed a female on a plant just outside of the 

 window, and in less than half-an-hour one or more males would appear and hunt 

 about till the object of attraction was discovered. At other times not a male 

 would be seen near the house— probably not nearer than about 200 yards off. One 



