THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



163 



beginning to show in fair numbers. "Prom the middle to the end of May 

 hardly an insect was to be seen. Two Saturdays in succession I visited one 

 of our most productive localities, and I had only the satisfaction of seeing 

 one male F, atomaria, a solitary garden butterfly, and a few Gelechia erice- 

 tella flitting abroad on the heather. 



On the 6th June things began to look a little brighter. At Cadder Wilder- 

 ness G. alcliimiella could be taken pretty freely by beating the oak, and on 

 the heather patches G. ericetetta was very plentiful. A few Nemophora 

 Swammerdamietta were also taken about the birches. The following Saturday 

 produced a few more species. E. indigata made its appearance among the 

 pines near the heather, along with E. bimaculana and other micros. A. mou- 

 tanata was represented by one specimen, while another of the same family, 

 M. sociata, had begun to occupy its favourite position on the pine trees. 

 Some old trees yielded a few of a rather good tinae, Anesychia funerella ; 

 while on the way home an odd specimen of S. hyhridalis was netted, the first 

 of this insect I have ever known being taken in this neighbourhood. 



On the 15th June, a few E. alchemillata were flying about the hedges at 

 its usual locality, and a dark variety of M. fluctuata. The 17th added 

 Hepialus vetteda to the list, but it will not appear in any number for about a 

 week or more yet. Bouchardana has also appeared near Paisley ; and D. 

 sulpkurella in its usual numbers at Ronghill. 



These are all the species which I have taken up to this date. The season 

 is decidedly much behind in this district, the flourish having but lately 

 appeared on the hawthorn ; the hedges are now decked white with it. I am 

 afraid we will be prevented from visiting some our most productive localities 

 this season. The woods being more strictly preserved than before, and the 

 keepers ever on the alert for tresspassers. It is difficult to get permission 

 from some of the proprietors, and others will not on any account allow you 

 into their woods. I have been stopped on two estates near here by the 

 keepers, while on former seasons I had visited the localities almost daily 

 without having once met them. As I had permission to both estates, of 

 course, they had little to say. I was also met by a keeper in one of our best 

 localities, and had to accompany him to the proprietor's house, where I was 

 interviewed, and because of my respectability, was informed, as a great favour, 

 that I would get off this time. This would have amused me had I not been 

 caught picking the catkins off the willows (which contained larvae of XantMa 

 cerago and silago), and the keeper knew enough of the law to know that this 

 offence could have been magnified into wilful damage to property. It is 

 amusing to relate that, after giving himself all this bother, an understanding 

 was arrived at through the aid of a " tip." I am afraid this keeper will have 



