THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



221 



until we reached the 2,000 feet elevation, i.e. the level of the frowning cliffs 

 of the Clogwyn dur Arddn, which faces one all along the path until the half- 

 way house is reached, when the steepest part of the ascent commences, the 

 track eventually rising above the precipice. On this occasion, as on my for- 

 mer visit, the top of the precipice was hung over, and in parts shut out from 

 view by a dense mist through which we followed the path, collecting as we 

 went, reaching the summit about 2 p.m., where, thanks to the fact of our 

 being " travellers/' we were able to obtain some well earned as also much 

 desired refreshment. Nothing whatever was to be seen from the summit, 

 and we were glad to get down again into regions that repaid our trouble 

 better, for above the 2,500 feet level everything, notwithstanding the mist, 

 seemed so dry, even the moss which coats the rocks by the path, that scarcely 

 a trace of beetle life was to be found. On our way back we searched every 

 nook for Chrysomela cerealis — had almost made up our minds to descend 

 into Cwm Glas, where relics of an Alpine flora (and therefore fauna thought 

 we) are said to exist, but as day was fast departing we gave up the idea until 

 another time. (Let me here advise the visitor to Snowdon to scramble away 

 from the beaten path, provided the weather be not unpropitious, to have a 

 look into this splendid Cwm, bounded on the far or southerly side by the 

 singularly jagged Crib-y-ddysgyl and the sharp peak of Crib-goch.) At last 

 a — shall I say it ? — a shout of exultation from Mr. Wilding announced the 

 capture our desideratum ; there it was sure enough, and in another moment 

 another one, within a few inches of each other. 1 shall never forget the 

 pleasure with which we gazed on these beautiful insects — most beautiful of 

 a beautiful family. But we must set to work now in earnest and get more. 

 Of no avail, however, was our toil until it was nearly dark, we made up our 

 minds that they were the only two specimens on the mountain. We came 

 to the conclusion that the beetle could not be very common here, although 

 we were somewhat late for it, for while in the webs of the fat spiders, so 

 abundant under stones, we found remains of many species of beetle, not a 

 single elytron or leg did we observe — and we looked purposely — which 

 might have belonged to Chrysomela cerealis. Let me here say that Mr. 

 Wilding has most generously given me one of the only two specimens we 

 found during our excursion. While looking for cerealis we came upon many 

 beetles : Pterostichus at/dops, about a dozen in all ; P. vilreus, one; Patro- 

 bus assimilis, not common ; Carabus arvensis, one, of the ordinary form ; 

 C. catenulatus, about half-a-dozen ; a Bradycellus, which I hope will prove 

 collaris ; Notiopliilus aquaticus and biguttatus, both dull black, and the latter 

 with a very distinct pale lunate patch behind; Olist/iopus rotimdatus ; O. 

 melanocephalus ; Lesteva punctata; Bemlidium tibiale, at the waterfall; 



