158 



THE YOUNG 



NATUEALIST. 



occurred now. Among the common Aphodii 

 (ater, fimitarius, and pmwtosulcatus) were 

 a few Onthophagi of the species ccenobita, 

 nuchicornis, and ovatus. It is surprising 

 what a large number of coprophagous bee- 

 tles can stow themselves away in a small 

 pellet of sheep dung, and of all species per- 

 haps none has the habit of congregating so 

 closely as Apliodius ater. 



Scrambling up the slope of Moel-y-Game- 

 lin rewarded us with many nice beetles, such 

 as Byrrhus fasciatus, which was most abun- 

 dant near the summit, where often three 

 could be found beneath a small stone of two 

 or three inches square. Corymbites holoser- 

 iceus also turned up, but not near so abun- 

 dantly as two years ago ; while C. ceneus 

 which was very rare then, was very common 

 on this occasion. And a most beautiful 

 insect it appears when the sun shines upon 

 it with its coppery, bronze, or green elytra 

 (I have one specimen entirely deep violet- 

 blue). Notwithstanding our captures, this 

 scrambling was hard work, not unaccom- 

 panied by many tumbles and plenty of 

 " back-slidings." Specimens of Notiophilus 

 palustris, aquaticus, and biguttatus were 

 plentiful among the dry, crisp grass and 

 moss, and several specimens of aquaticus 

 and one or two of biguttatus occurred which 

 were quite black. It is no uncommon occur- 

 rence for bronze insects to become black on 

 heathy or boggy ground, and I have several 

 times — Llangollen and elsewhere— met with 

 black N. aquaticus, but I never before saw 

 black biguttatus, in which the yellow patches 

 at the apex of the elytra show very con- 

 spicuously. 



Arrived at the summit, we enjoyed the 

 splendid cool breeze felt now for the first 

 time, and we discussed a plentiful supply of 

 refreshment. The exertion of mountain 

 climbing is such that, unless plenty of 

 material variously known as "prog," "grub," 

 &c, be provided, fatigue is soon experienced. 

 After resting on the top, we turned over the 



stones which had formed part of a cairn, 

 and I was fortunate in hauling out of a 

 crevice a specimen which I soon distin- 

 guished from the distinct depressions on 

 the elytra to be Pterostichus vitreus, and I 

 therefore announced his name in stentorian 

 tones to my friends who were scattered 

 about, and the announcement led to renewed 

 exertions. Very soon Mr. Smedley returned 

 the shout ; then another individual of the 

 same species was turned up by myself. In a 

 few minutes Smedley bawled out " micropte- 

 rus." We were evidently among the things. 

 So we thought; but, alas for our hopes ! this 

 was the only specimen to be found, although I 

 verily believe we turned over every stone on 

 the summit in our eager search for sets of 

 our own capturing. I have now hunted 

 these mountains four times, and, with the 

 exception of one Carabus arvensis two years 

 ago, and the two P. vitreus taken on this 

 occasion, the only mountain species which 

 has turned up has been Patrobus excavatus, 

 which, however, is not confined to mountain 

 districts. Where are to be found the swarms 

 of Nebria GyllenhaUi, Calathus microjpterus, 

 and Pterostichus cethiojjs, recorded on the 

 " high moors near Llangollen," by Dawson ? 

 I have tried most of these summits — search- 

 ing carefully among the heather and sphag- 

 num where these things are said to occur ; 

 I have found plenty of Nebria brevicollis and 

 Pterostichus madidus, but could never make 

 any of these into cethiops or GyllenhaUi, 

 Next time I pay a visit to Llangollen I 

 intend trying for these things on quite a 

 different geological formation, viz. the lime- 

 stone Eglwyseg rocks, the localities prev- 

 iously worked having been slate. 



Time would not allow of any further as- 

 cents, but we crossed over to the enormous 

 slate quarries — a splendid sight to the 

 visitor for the first time into these districts, 

 though I suppose nothing comparable with 

 the Penrhyn quarries in Carnarvonshire, 

 which I have not had an opportunity of 



