298 Mr Wilson on the Distribution of Insects. 



other parts of Scotland it is more frequent under damp moss, on 

 the decayed stumps of trees. 



Lamprias chlorocephalns, a very beautiful small insect, not 

 frequent in any part of Scotland, occurred sparingly along the 

 southern borders of Sutherland ; but, so far as we could ob- 

 serve, disappeared in the central and northern districts. 



Of Tarus basalis, a species which, in Sweden, occurs on plains 

 and throughout the central and southern portions of Europe on 

 high mountains, only a single specimen was taken in Sutherland, 

 in a valley of considerable elevation. 



Abaoc striola, rather a rare insect, as far as hitherto observed, 

 in other parts of Scotland, was not unfrequent. Blemus palu- 

 dosus was rare in the north, although the species is known to 

 extend to Shetland. Blethisa multipunctata, sl very scarce in- 

 sect in Scotland, occurred to our observation only on one occa- 

 sion, in a marsh in Cromarty, near the southern border of 

 Sutherland. Two or three were taken together, running rapidly 

 over the moist mud, in company with Elaphrus cupreus. A 

 fine variety of this insect (B. multipunctata), was lately found 

 by Mr Eschseholtz, in Kamtschatka. On the European conti- 

 nent it extends as far north as Lapland. 



We looked anxiously, but in vain, for Elaphrus splendidus, 

 an insect lately taken, for the first time in Britain, by Mr Lyell, 

 younger of Kinordy, on Cat-Law, Forfarshire. As it is com- 

 mon in Lapland, we deemed its occurrence in Sutherland pro- 

 bable, more especially after its frequent capture in a more 

 southern county. 



Among the. aquatic beetles, I regret to say we did very little, 

 our time, when tempted by the presence of the " pure element 

 of waters,' 1 being almost exclusively occupied in angling, — an 

 amusement extremely agreeable in the morning, and (when 

 successfully followed) remarkably useful in the afternoon. 



Silpha obscura appears in Sutherland under an unusual aspect, 

 being frequently of a reddish-brown colour, instead of dull 

 black. I at first thought that this peculiarity of hue might be 

 the result of immaturity, as many coleopterous insects are pale 

 of colour, on their first assumption of the perfect state; but its 

 general prevalence and continuance afterwards induced me rather 



