30 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



considered one of the most interesting genera amongst the geometrae, besides 

 being the most numerous in species. The genus is one of the best denned, 

 even the comparative beginner seldom having any difficulty in recognising a 

 pug when he sees it, although the species may be new to him. They are 

 insects of small size compared with most of the geometry and characterized 

 rather by neat markings than brilliant colouring. They are fond of resting 

 on palings and trunks of trees, invariably resting with the wings spread out, 

 They appear rather early in the season/ the bulk of the species from May to 

 July in this district, though I have observed a considerable discrepancy be- 

 tween the time given for appearance in England, and the actual occurrance 

 in the North here ; several species being at least a month later in this 

 district. 



The total number of species in the genus according to the latest List of 

 British Lepidoptera, is 50. They do not appear to be specially well 

 represented in this district, the species given in the West of Scotland 

 Fauna, numbering 18, and of these, one is at least doubtful as a district 

 species, but as that publication was drawn up some ten years ago, we could 

 show a better muster now. I think I can myself answer for nineteen 

 or twenty species from one or two localities in the district, of which I find 

 that seven do not appear in the " Fauna." Several of the heath-feeding 

 species are very abundant in their particular localities, and present consider- 

 able variation in intensity of colour and markings. 



I shall now briefly notice the species that have come under my observation 

 in the district. 



E. pulc/iellata. I only once took a single specimen of this pretty species 

 at the beginning of my collecting, but it appears to be not uncommon at our 

 coasting places, and should of course be looked for near its food-plant, the 

 fox-glove. 



E. centaureata appears to be getting gradually more plentiful in our neigh- 

 bourhood. I have come across it at Hillhead, Kelvinside, and Garelochhead. 

 Its light colour makes it a very conspicuous object at rest on the dark trunk 

 of a tree. 



E> mhfulvata. One specimen at Garelochhead two or three years ago. 

 This species is easily identified by the large reddish blotch in the middle of 

 the fore-wings. 



E. subumlrata. A single specimen at Garelochhead in 1883. 



E. plumbeolata. I came across this species a few years ago in a small 

 wood or copse at Garelochhead, to which it appears to be strictly confined in 

 that locality, its food-plant (Melampyrum pratense) being very plentiful in 



