66 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[April 



The village of Luss stands on a headland that projects into the 

 lake, it is well situated and romantically beautiful, and many exquisite 

 views of the loch and its numerous islands can be obtained in the 

 vicinity. When my brother and I arrived there, on the nth of 

 September, the weather seemed settled and promising well, but two 

 or three days later it unfortunately altered, and remained in a showery 

 and changeable condition during our stay of a fortnight's duration. 



The butterflies on the wmg were few in number. A solitary 

 specimen of Pieris rapce was one day observed meandering across a 

 field. Several Vanessa iirticcB were also noticed, and a single type of 

 Polyommatiis phlaas was captured in a corn field. Ovgyia antiqua was 

 sometimes seen when the sun mysteriously condescended to appear. 

 Nonagria fttlva was very common in two or three places. Plusia 

 gamma could be taken during the day, and again in the evening as it 

 hovered over the flowers in the gardens. Orthosia macilenta was 

 perhaps the most abundant, though if we had not accidentally 

 alighted on it very few would have been taken. We discovered it on 

 the day of our arrival sitting on the grass at the foot of a wall, where 

 it was very difficult to distinguish it from the numerous yellow and 

 brown leaves which had fallen from the trees ; this is certainly one of 

 the clearest, yet most cunningly disguised examples of natural 

 selection which has come under my observation. A few Anchocelis 

 ntfina and A. pistacina were also procured in the same manner. 

 Single specimens of Hadena pvotea and Agviopis nprilina were taken 

 from the tree trunks. Polia chi occurred on the stone walls and a 

 single Celcdiia hawortliii was taken while resting on a flower. The 

 Noctuae in the evening, though few in number, were fairly 

 representative in species ; several NocUia glareosa, Hydrcecia nictitans, 

 H. micacea, Tviphcena orbona, T. pronnba, Xanthia cerngo, X. silago, and 

 Miselia oxyacanthce were caught. Of the Geometrse, Cidaria immanata, 

 C. russata, C. testata, Ypsipetes elutata, Them vaviata, Melanippe fiiictuata, 

 and Larentia didymala were common, and a single Chesias spartiata 

 was captured. 



The Micros were well represented ; Teras caudana, T. contaminana, 

 Pcedisea solandrinana, P. sovdidana, Grapholitha nigvomaculana^ Tovtrix 

 xylosteana, Peronen tristana, and P. sponsana were common. Depressavia 

 arenella, and D. applana were taken at the ragwort, and single 

 specimens of Harpiptevyx xylostella, Gracilaria elongella and Amhlyptilia 

 acanthodactyliis were captured. 



The Saturday preparatory to my coming home was very stormy, 

 in fact, the wind had almost risen to a gale, but we soon found out 

 that such a day has some advantages to the Entomologist, and which 

 I think is worthy of being mentioned. When walking up the glen 

 on Sunday forenoon we discovered that a great number of larva had 



