Mr Wilson on the Distribution of' Insects. 297 



district of Cape Wrath. C. glabratus, so noted as almost ex- 

 clusively a mountain species, and so well known in Sweden and 

 Russia, was, as might have been expected, extremely common 

 on all the hills in Sutherland, especially in the neighbourhood 

 of moist pasture, — the rough or rocky moorland being appa- 

 rently less favourable to its increase. But one of the most in- 

 teresting features of the county in relation to this genus was 

 the comparative frequency of C. clathratus, an insect hitherto 

 regarded as extremely rare in Britain, and scarcely known as 

 an English species. I think that nearly fifty specimens were 

 taken in the course of a few weeks"* perambulation, during 

 which, for days at a time, our attention was almost entirely de- 

 voted to other objects, and during none of which was entomo- 

 logy an exclusive or engrossing occupation. It may be men- 

 tioned, that this fine insect is well known in Sweden, Hungary, 

 and Siberia, and also (a circumstance which renders its rarity 

 in England the more remarkable) that it extends on the conti- 

 nent southwards from France into Italy, where I know it oc- 

 curs at least as far southwards as the plains of Pisa. Comte 

 Dejean mentions, that such as occur in the more southern parts 

 of Europe are larger, and furnished with membranous wings be- 

 neath their elytra ; while the northern individuals are of smaller 

 size, and apterous. The specimens collected in Sutherland 

 belong to the latter variety. This range of character in rela- 

 tion to such important parts as the organs of flight, is itself a 

 remarkable circumstance ; nor am I aware that any other true 

 Carabus exhibits a variety with membranous wings, the insects 

 of that genus being all described as apterous, that is, possessed 

 of wing-cases alone. 



Helobia Gyllenhali^ an insect well known in Lapland and 

 Siberia, is frequent on many of the Scottish mountains, and has 

 been taken on the summit of Benlawers, at an elevation of up- 

 wards of 4000 feet. Mr Stephens supposes it to be synonymous 

 with Helobia nivalis of Paykul, a name probably bestowed by 

 the Swedish naturalist, in consequence of the snowy heights at 

 which it not unfrequently occurs. It was by no means uncom- 

 mon in Sutherland. 



Leistus rnfescens was found to occur in the corners of in- 

 closed pastures, usually beneath collected heaps of stones. In 



