December 1889.] 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



245 



On Monday evening I went up to Tamuich Burn, better known 

 as the Barons Burn; at the head of the meadow. Hebialus hectus 

 was hovering over the brackens in the wood; Melanippe subtristata and 

 Camptogramma bilineata were very common, and a few worn types of 

 Cabera pusaria and C. exanthemaria were still on the wing ; two nice 

 specimens of Acidalia bisetata were captured; also some pretty 

 varieties of Larentia pectinitaria, Ysipetes elutata, and Cidaria russata. 

 My brother (who was also furnished with a net) collected principally 

 in the vicinity of the garden. This evening he boxed a fine Plusia 

 iota, and one Abrostola urticce. 



Tuesday evening we collected at the foot of the garden. Plusia 

 iota was again caught ; also a couple of P. chrysitis in fine condition ; 

 and many other common Noctuae, such as Xylopliasia rurea, X. 

 polyodon, Apamea oculea, Caradrina cubicularis, and Noctua plecta. 



On Wednesday forenooon I followed up the course of a little stream, 

 beating the heather and bushes by the way. Cidaria popidata was 

 fairly common, and an occasional specimen of Coremia propugnata 

 could be dislodged ; a few Melanippe montanata also rose, this very 

 common geomoter is by no means plentiful in this locality. I found a 

 Rock Wren's (Troglodytes parvulus) nest, with five eggs, built on a 

 bank. 



Thursday was very wet, so nothing was done in the collecting line. 

 About six o'clock my cousins arrived from Glasgow to spend their 

 holidays, one of whom is a brother of the net and pin. 



On Friday evening — in company with my cousins — we went to 

 explore the meadow, near the top of which we discovered Phibalap- 

 teryx lignata in fair condition flying about a marshy piece of ground. 

 After boxing a good series we entered a wood ; Metrocampa margari- 

 tata was very common, as was also Hepialus hectus, and many other 

 common geometers. It was now getting dark, so we took to the out- 

 skirts of the wood where we caught a few Melanthia rubiginata, 

 M .ocellata, Cidaria corylata, C . immanata, and C. russata; single 

 specimens of Noctua augur and N. umbrosa were boxed ; but the most 

 important capture of the evening was a fair type of Plusia bractea, 

 which I netted as it hovered over the flowers of a bramble. 



Saturday being Glasgow Fair holiday, a few friends had come down 

 on Friday night to wait over till Monday. It was therefore arranged 



