NATURALIST. 



199 



the beds of these brooks we commenced 

 work in earnest ; taking Bembidium tibiale 

 and B.brunnipes under stones near the water; 

 Anacana limbata on the under surface of wet 

 stones; and the beautiful but very local 

 Dianous carulescens along with its ally, which 

 almost always accompanies it, Stains guyne- 

 meri, both under stones, where they were 

 completely immersed. 



Leaving these rills we commenced the 

 ascent of Moel-y-Gamelin by climbing (and 

 stumbling often) among the old stems of 

 bracken, having to be very careful how we 

 assisted ourselves by grasping the said stems; 

 indeed, my professional services were called 

 into requisition to extract a " splinter " of 

 bracken nearly an inch long from my friend's 

 hand before we were half way up. After a 

 good deal of muscular exertion we reached 

 the top, where under loose stones we took 

 Byrrhus jasciatus, B. dorsalis, Corymbites quercus 

 and holosericeous, Pterostichus madidiis, and 

 Calathus melanocephalus . The two latter were, 

 of course, not desiderata, except that they 

 were all carefully examined, and a few 

 doubtful specimens bottled, in order that no 

 examples of P. athiops should be passed over 

 with the former, or of the var. mibigena or 

 C. microptdrus with the latter. I had the 

 good fortune to capture a single specimen of 

 Carabus arvensis, but careful working failed 

 to rewaid us with more. I can recommend 

 these hills to any student of the Forviicida, 

 for there was hardly a stone but what had 

 a colony of black, yellow, or red ants of 

 \arious species (I am not versed in tiie 

 nus) under it. Our attention was called 

 these ant-nests — or, rather, galleries — 

 through a wish of finding some of the para- 

 tic brachelytra among them, but in this we 

 re unsuccessful. 



Leaving Mocl-y-Gamelin we crossed a 

 I ep escarpment of rock, where it required 

 1 our attention to prevent rolling down 

 nio the valley beneath, which might have 

 rushed some of our pill boxes at least (and 



I was particularly careful of the one con- 

 taining C. arvensis. 



Ascending Moel-y-faen we found quite a 

 different vegetation, the lower slopes being 

 heather-clad, while the upper portion, near 

 the summit, was covered with Sphagnum, 

 and here and there a patch of Vaccinium. 

 Under stones on these slopes we found 

 Cytiliis {Byrrhus) V'j,rh(S, Curyvibites ccnetis, 

 Olisthopus rotundattis, PhUonthus politus and 

 scittatns, Ocyjnis aqrreits, Strophosomvs faber, 

 and several species of Qucdivs and Lathru- 

 biuni. Tiotiopliilus aquaticus was also abun- 

 dant : we took several perfectly black vari- 

 eties. But we quite failed to find any trace 

 of our chief desiderate, Miscodera arctica, 

 Calathus microptemis and Pterostichus cetJii- 

 ops, all of which are found on these moun- 

 tains according to Dawson, although we 

 pulled down a good portion of a cairn of 

 stones (which we replaced) in the hope of 

 finding them. After enjoying the splendid 

 view from the summit of Moel-y-faen we 

 commenced our descent by following the 

 rills downwards, finding some small speci- 

 mens of I- tei'ostichus nigrita, which we 

 hoped would turn out something better, and 

 P. cnq?reiis, of which I afterwards took 

 another specimen on the Ruthin road. After 

 reaching Llangollen we enjoyed a good tea 

 at Mrs. Davies' Temperance Hotel, fitting 

 in the time between tea and our return by a 

 stroll back to near Valle Crucis Abbey for 

 primrose roots. We left Llangollen about 

 8 p.m., thoroughly tired, and thankful for 

 having gone in old boots and clothes. Let 

 me here recommed any entomologist who 

 intends visiting this district to follow our 

 plan in this respect, to lay aside his care 

 for " appearances," and to go to work in his 

 oldest suit and strongest boots, and he will 

 then feel comfortable. After several delays 

 we reached Liverpool about 10.30, having 

 spent one of tlie most enjoyable days I ever 

 remember. — 101, Everton Road, Liverpool, 

 April 10th, liSbi. 



