The YOUKC HATUBAMST: 



A Monthly Magazine of Natural History. 



Part 81. SEPTEMBER, 1886. Yol. 7. 



RECORD OF A WEEK'S COLLECTING IN 

 NORTH KNAPDALE, ARGYLLSHIRE, 

 IN JULY, 1886. 



By JOHN MACKAY. 



I CANNOT conceive anything more calculated to make the entomologist 

 truly miserable than to experience a period of bad weather when 

 away on his holidays. In this remote little village (Tayvallicb, Argyllshire), 

 and seated at the window, I look out and watch the rain drifting in dense 

 sheets towards the lock far below. The hills all around are shrouded 

 in a canopy of mist and rain. The herbage is dripping wet, and not a 

 a person is to be seen as far as the eye can see along the village 

 road. The rain patters, patters, unceasingly on the window, quite decided 

 that it will continue doing so for some hours to come. The evening is 

 fast advancing, and the shadows are deepening, and with a conviction, 

 not unmingled with despair, we have finally given up all hopes of doing 

 any collecting to-night. In a room downstairs, my friends, Mr. James 

 McGrouther, and Mr. A. M. Stewart, of Paisley, are enjoying the bliss derived 

 from the balmy weed, and, no doubt, to forget the disappointment experienced 

 to-day, are discussing the probability of our having a bright and sunny day 

 to-morrow. Blessed hope, not likely to be realised ! Not being a smoker 

 myself I have come upstairs, and not forgetful of a promise made recently to 

 our worthy friend Mr. Robson, I now purpose sending for the benefit of my 

 entomologist friends in the Sunny South, a short account of our collecting 

 experiences during the last few days in this quiet and secluded corner of the 

 Land of the Mountain and the Flood. It is pleasant, now that the weather 

 is so unfavourable, to think that we did not forget to take every advantage 

 of the few days of good weather we have already had. It is, therefore 3 re- 

 garding our work on those days that I intend making some remarks. 



