I «93-94.] 
117 
the water, as the case may be, for the grasses actually growing 
in the old water-course are by far the most attractive. The 
collector must be prepared to get his feet wet, or lose most of his 
moths. The only scarce Geometer that occurs in the marshes is 
Phibalapteryx vittata. The larva of this moth feeds on Galium 
palustre , and the moth is extremely abundant in June, both in 
these marshes and in the Bog Meadows. It is usually a scarce 
species in Ireland, so that it may fairly be claimed as a local 
speciality. 
Along the rough hedge at the top of the hill we may capture 
a number of species, mostly common, but Emmelesia decolorata 
is a good thing, which is abundant here. Only the commonest 
butterflies can be expected in such a locality, and it is hardly 
worth visiting in the day-time, except for Micro-lepidoptera, of 
which a number of common species occur. On the banks of 
the river I have found the curious larva of the Choerocampa 
elpenor (Elephant Hawk) feeding on Epilobium hirsutum , and 
the larva of Smerinthus populi is common on the willows. 
Epione apiciaria also feeds on the willows along the river, and 
the moth, which is scarce in Ireland, may be netted while flying 
at dusk in August. Cataclysta lemnata feeds on Lemna in the 
pond and ditches, and Hydrocampa stagnata on Potamogeton 
m the pond. Several species of the genus Scopula are common, 
and a number of Tortrices and Tinece , but nothing rare has 
turned up here. Altogether, I have taken 103 species of butter- 
flies and the large moths in this one field, besides Micro- 
lepidoptera. 
Collin Glen is one of the best collecting grounds in the 
immediate neighbourhood of Belfast. It is at its best in May 
and June. Later in the year the vegetation gets so rank that 
it is difficult to collect in the upper glen, which is the best part. 
The fauna of the upper and lower glens differs considerably, as 
might be expected from the different character of the ground. 
In the lower glen the trees are larger and the ground more 
open, but on the whole the results of collecting, either by day 
or night, are disappointing. I have tried here the well-known 
