[September, 
102 
Notes on Northern British Lepidoptera.-The following acoonnt of an entomo- 
logical expedition may be interesting, as it relates to a district of Great Bntam 
farther north than the usual range of Lepidopterists, and records the capture of 
various insects in a higher latitude than they have yet been stated to occur, so far 
aa I know, as well as of some that deserve notice on account of their rarity. 
The campaign commenced in the Shetland Islands, on 30th May. a time at 
which the night, so-called, is not dark enough there to tempt nocturnal msecta 
abroad. „ 
In the hotel where I stayed I remarked the upstart CEcophora pseudo-spretella 
with its ubiquitous companion End. fenestrelU, and those were the only Lep^doptera 
I met with on the mainland. On the Wart of Bressay, a fine bold hill on the island 
from which it takes its name, I was more successful, as Anarta melanopa occurred 
not uncommonly; doubtless this species is abundant there, for during my visit it 
could only be obtained by being beaten fi'om the heather,-the weather bemg 
eminently unfavourable for day-flying insects. A^np^isa Gerningiana frequents 
the same locality, accompanied by Anchyl. unguicana. 
Bidding farewell to these barren and treeless islands, I landed at Aberdeen 
early in June, and proceeded into Koss-shire, where I found the aspect of the 
country much more promising for entomological results. The south-eastern part 
of the county is very mountainous, and richly wooded with pine, birch, and oak. 
The fertile spots are, however, oases (large ones certainly) in the midst of as bleak 
a district as I have ever seen, and the mountains differ from the prolific summits 
of Perthshire by being extremely dry,-resembling in this respect almost all the 
northern Scotch mountains. The climate is, I am informed, remarkably equable 
and mild, and this may account for the occurrence of some of the insects presently 
to be named. I was fortunate enough to have the companionsliip of Dr. White oi 
Perth, well-known for his researches in Scotch Entomology and Botany, with whom 
I spent some of the pleasantest days I can remember. 
Of the butterflies, few occurred deserving of notice. Argynnis Euphrosyni 
and Selene were both common, and Cynthia cardui and Thanaos Tages wer« 
occasionally met with, besides others well known in northern localities. 
The long-protracted twilight rendered " sugaring" a laborious process, but we 
persevered on twenty evenings during little more than three weeks, the mothi 
generally beginning to fly about 11 p.m., so that the time of reaching hom( 
again was about 1.30 a.m. Usually about eighty trees presented the sweei 
allurement, and the general character of the weather was favourable,— cloud] 
and warm with westerly winds, though they were often stronger than I quit( 
like them to be. The result I consider satisfactory, as the average number o 
guests at the feast cannot have been less than a hundred and fifty. Cymatophon 
duplaris was not uncommon, and C. or put in an occasional appearance. Of th( 
genns Acronycta there were the following -.—leporina, megacephala (which has beei 
stated not to occur in Scotland), ligustri (in large numbers), and menyanthidii 
Mcmiestra anceps, the only representative of its genus, visited the sugar freely. 
the Noctuidce many species occurred,— the best being Busina tenehrosa (in immenS' 
numbers), Agrotis porphyrea, Noctua augur (nearly black), triangulicm (a scarce 
species in Scotland), hnmmea (very common), and lella. The Hadenidm proved th 
most numerous family, the following being taken -.—Ewplexia Ucipara (extremal; 
