*-& ■> I ft ■^w- T I?*** iSr** W* » <#. Vfc* ■fr n^ •*$.x >*H»i ^< *v 1 j> # *<* ..>-» (^ 1 THE Scottish Naturalist: A MAGAZINE OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY. EDITED BY FRANCIS BUCHANAN WHITE WHITE, M.D. ; L.R.C.P.E. ; L.R.C.S.E. ; F.L.S. ; MEMBER OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND OF FRANCE; FELLOW AND LOCAL SECRETARY OF THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH ; EDITOR AND LATE PRESIDENT OF THE PERTH- SHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE; HONORARY MEM- BER OF THE ROSS -SHIRE NATURALISTS' CLUB ; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ABERDEEN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, OF THE NEW ORLEANS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, ETC. , ETC. , ETC. VOLUME II. " Haec studja adolescentiam alunt, senectutem oblectant; secundas res ornant, adversis perfugium ac solatium praebent ; delectant domi, non impe- diunt foris, pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur. " — Cicero. PERTH: Perthshire Society of Natural Science. Edinburgh : MacLachlan and Stewart, South Bridge. Aberdeen : J. Wilson, Castle Street. London : E. W. Janson, 28 Museum Street, W.C. 1873-1874. Perth : Printed by Samuel Cowan & Company. ^v # #« h w: uj LIBRARY 1 PREFACE. X* - -v In returning thanks to all our kind friends for the support that The Scottish Naturalist has received during the third and fourth years of its existence, there is one subject that the Editor must reluctantly allude to. In the preface to the first volume, more frequent illustrations, and even perhaps an increase of size in the Magazine, without a corresponding increase of price, were promised — if the sub- scribers would help by paying their subscriptions when due, i.e., in advance. The annual subscription is small, and consequently the pay- ment thereof easily — as we know from experience in other matters — forgotten. The expenses of the Magazine are so calculated, however, that a neglect on the part of our friends to pay in advance, is the cause, to us who manage the Magazine on their behalf, of considerable increase in the expense and labour. If the subscribers, therefore, will only kindly consider this, we hope yet to be able to carry out the promises made two years ago. There is another matter that we may be pardoned for men- tioning. If contributors who desire copies of their papers will communicate with the printer, they can obtain separate copies (of their papers) at a cheap rate, and by doing so will much oblige us, as by purchasing single numbers of the Magazine they break up the sets, and consequently increase the price of the volume when completed. December, 1874. INDEX. Pag« Preface - . General Index v. Insecta Scotica X. Special Index — ix. New Species X. Vertebrates ix. New British Species xi. Insects ix. List of Contributors xi. Molluscs X. Illustrations - xii. Plants - X. i Errata xii GENERAL INDEX. A British Naturalist's Agency ... - 109 Acclimatization of Exotic Trees in Scotland - - 33 Additions to the Aberdeenshire Fauna - - 20 Alloa Society of Natural Science and Archaeology, New Museum of 1 76 Altitudes, Note on - - - - 33 A new British Dipteron - - 120 Annual Report of the Glasgow Society of Field Naturalists, Notice of 176 Aquaria, Concerning ----- 349 Bass Rock, Notes on the Birds of the - - 54 Birds in the Carse of Gowrie, Occurrence of - - 360 Birds of Balquhidder ----- 8 Birds of Shetland, Notice of a .work on the : by the late Dr. Saxby 176 Blackbirds, White - - - - - 155 Blackcock and a Capercailzie, Hybrid between a - 57 Bonito at St. Andrews, On the occurrence of the - 193 Botanical Congress • * - 222 Botanical Notes - - - - - 175 Botany of the North East of Scotland, Guide to the - - 222 Botany, Pleasures and Advantages of the Study of ^ - 27 Breeding of the Hedgehog in Scotland, Late 8 Bryological Notes ..... 279 Bryology, Manual of - - - - - 1 76 Capture of Hypermecia augustana ... 263 ,, Leioptolus brachydactylus ... 203 ,, Lyda erythrocephala at Rannoch - - 62 ,, Spiders in Scotland - - - - 23 Carex punctata in Scotland 80 Carse of Gowrie, Flowering Plants of the - - - 354 ,, Occurrence of Rare Birds in the - - 360 ^ O vi. Index. Centaurea Scabiosa in Sutherland - - - iyr Clavarias of New Pitsligo - - - . jja Coleoptera in Orkney ----- 204 of Scotland, The - 45, 89, 137, 185, 233, 285, 329, 377 Concerning Aquaria ----- 349 Contributions to a Flora of Ross-shire 74 Dee District, Syrphidas of - - - 203 Description of a new Fungus - - - - 218 Diptera in Braemar, &e. , including 6 new British species - 199 ,, in the North of Scotland ... 274 ,, Memoirs on Scottish - - - - 21, 63 Dipteron, A new British - - - - 120 Distribution of Genera and its cause, Polarity in the Geological 68, 97, 149 Dundee Naturalists' Society, Formation of a - - 277 Eagle Owl in Perthshire ... 58 Earn Valley, The - 264, 314 Echinorhynchus spinosus on the Aberdeenshire coast - 155 Entomology of Shetland, Notes on the - - - 346 Examination of a Male Kelt - - - - 156 Five toes on each leg of a Black-headed Gull - - 11 Flora of Ross-shire, Contributions to a - - - 74 Flowering Plants of the Carse of Gowrie - - - 254 Food and Use of our Rapacious Birds, The - - 289 Fresh-water Mollusca, List of Scottish Land and - - 163, 205 Fungi, New British - - - 362 ,, of Morayshire, The - - - 210, 243 Fungus. Description of a new - 218 ,, New British - - - I73» 28o > 3°5> 3 6 3 ,, Show in Scotland, Proposition for a - - 241 ,, Show, The ----- 313, 361 Gall of Nematus gallicola, Parasites and Inquilines in the - 116 Galls, New British - - - - - 128 ,, Scottish - - - 30, 78, 126, 170, 251, 301 Geographical Distribution of Plants and Animals - - 277 Geological Distribution of Genera and its cause, Polarity in the 68, 97, 149 Glenelg Valley, Inverness-shire, Tenthredinidae in the - 62 Hadena assimilis in Perthshire - - - - 162 ,, Inverness-shire ... 162 Hallesus auricollis and other Neuroptera - 203 Helix ericetorum in Sutherland - 163 Hemiptera in Harris ----- 63 ,, Two new British 63 Hopkirk's " Synopsis of the British Mosses" (Review) - 121 How to find Acentropus niveus - - - - 119 Hybrid between a Blackcock and a Capercailzie - - 57 Insecta Scotica - - 34» 8i f 129, 177, 225, 281, 321, 369 Kelt, Examination of a Male - 156 Index. vii. Kelso, Notes from - - - - - 155 King Ducks in St. Andrews Bay, On - - 49 Landrail in January - - - - - 277 Larvae and Ichneumons, Saw-fly - - - 160 Larva of Synergus, Note on - - - 62, 161 Lepidoptera at Ardrishaig .... 203 ,, in Kirkcudbrightshire, Notes on - 359 ,, in 1873, Notes on ... 120 ,, of Scotland, The 34, 81, 129, 177, 225, 276, 281, 321, 369 ,, of Sutherland .... 163 List of Scottish Land and Fresh- water Mollusca - - 163, 205 Local Scottish Lepidoptera, New Localities for - - 300 Magazines, The ..... 223 Memoirs on Scottish Diptera - - - - 21, 63 Memoirs on Scottish Tenthredinidae - 11, 113, 158, 196, 296 Mollusca, List of Scottish Land and Fresh-water - - 163, 205 Montrose Natural History and Antiquarian Society - - 277 Monstrous form of Teucrium Scorodonia 33 Morayshire, The Fungi of - - - 210, 243, 305, 363 Mosses - - - - - 80 Mosses, Review of Hobkirk's Synopsis of the British - 121 Moss, New British - - - - - 173 Naturalists' Agency, A British - - - - 109 Nematus Wttewaalli Voll., a Saw-fly new to Britain - 202 Nesting of the Hedge accentor in the Outer Hebrides - 57 Neuroptera, Hallesus auricollis and other - - - 203 New British Dipteron, A - - - -'120 ,, ,, Fungi ----- 362 ,, ,, Fungus - - - - 173, 280 ,, ,, Galls - - - 128 ,, ,, Hemiptera, Two .... 63 ,, ,, Moss ----- I7 3 ,, ,, Saw-flies, Occurrence of three 15 ,, ,, Saw-fly ----- 274 ,, ,, Species, Diptera in Braemar, &c, including six - 199 New Fungus, Description of- -, - - 218 Nomenclature, Scientific - 104 North of Scotland, Diptera in the - - - 274 Note on Altitudes 33 ,, Bibio clavipes and B. lepidus 23 ,, Discelium nudum - 362 ,, the Larva of Synergus - 62, 16 1 Notes on Lepidoptera in Kirkcudbrightshire - m - 359 ,, on Lepidoptera in 1873 ~ - - - 120 ,, on the Entomology of Shetland . - - 346 ,, on Tineina - 276 ,, Bryological - - - - - 279 ,, from Kelso - ,, on the Birds of the Bass Rock ... 155 54 Various - - - - 176, 222, 277, 313 viii. Inaex. Occurrence of Rare Birds in the Carse of Gowrie - - 360 On a Porpoise with intermediate teeth-like bodies - - 144 On certain probable Scottish Tortrices 58 On King Ducks in St. Andrews Bay 49 Onobrychis sativa as a Forfarshire plant - - - 218 On the occurrence of the Bonito at St. Andrews - - 193 „ ,, Golden Oriole - - - "10 ,, ,, Hooded Seal at St. Andrews - I „ ,, three new British Saw-flies, &c, in Scotland 15 On the Salmonidre of the Eden, Fife ... 337 Parasites and Inquilines in the Gall of Nematus gallicola - 116 Pleasures and Advantages of the Study of Botany - 27 Poa sudetica in Scotland ... 32, 128, 217 Poisonous Pasture, Supposed - 263 Polarity in the Geological Distribution of Genera and its cause 68, 97, 149 Porpoise with intermediate teeth-like bodies, On a - - 144 Proposition for a Fungus Show in Scotland - - 241 Proposition for a Publication Society. - - - 270 Rapacious birds, The food and use of our - - - , 289 Reviews and Notices of Books, &c : — "Annual Report of the Glasgow Society of Field Naturalists" 176, 313 "Monograph of the British Annelids," Dr. W. C. M'lntosh 278 " Monograph of the Collembola and Thysanura," Sir J. Lubbock 222 " Synopsis of the British Mosses," Hobkirk - - 121 " Synopsis of the Irish Mosses," Dr. Moore - - 223 " The Object and Method of Zoological Nomenclature," Dr. Sharp ----- 278 Rocks, Trap - - - - 219 Rook, Variety of the - 304 Ross-shire, Contributions to a Flora of - - 74 ,, Field Naturalists' Club, Institution of a - - 313 Salmonidae of the Eden, Fife - - - - 327 Saw-fly Larvae and Ichneumons - 160 Scientific Nomenclature .... 104 Scottish Galls - - 30, 78, 126, 170, 251, 301 Shetland, Notes on the Entomology of - - 346 Squirrel insectivorous, The - - - - 155 Spiders in Scotland, Captures of 23 Sutherland, Centaurea Scabiosa in - - - 175 ,, Lepidoptera of - - - 163 Syrphidse of the Dee District .... 203 Tenthredinidce in Rannoch .... 358 ,, in the Glenelg Valley, Inverness-shire - 62 ,, Memoirs on Scottish - II, 113, 158, 196, 296 Tineina, Notes on - - - - 276 Tortrices, On certain probable Scottish - - - 58 Trap Rocks - - - - - 219 Trees in Scotland, Acclimatisation of Exotic - - 33 Index. IX. Use of our Rapacious Birds, Food and Variety of the Hedge-sparro\y „ Rook - Various Notes What is Trichiurus lepturus Hoy ? 289 205 204 176, 222, 277, 311 156 SPECIES SPECIALLY NOTICED. See also Index to Nraj British Species, p. xi. PJLOE VERTEBRATES. Accentor modularis - 57 ,, (variety) 205 Anser Egyptiacus - 300 Ardea purpurea - - 10 Blackbirds (White) • 155 Bubo maximus - - 58 Columba Turtur - io, 299 Corvus frugilegus (variety) 204 Cystophora cristata - 1 Echinorhynchus spinosus . 155 Erinaceus europaeus - 8 Landrail - 277 Larus ridibundus (monstrosity) 11 Long- eared Owl - 155 Oriolus galbula - - 10 Otis tetrax - 204 Pandion haliaetus - 205 Pernis apivorus - « 277 Phocsena communis - 146 Salmo estuarius - - 340 Salmo salar - 156 Scolopax major - - 360 Somateria spectabilis - 49 Squirrel - - 155= 209 Strix Tengmalmi - 57 Sula alba - 54 Tetrao hybridus - - 57 Thynnus pelamys - 195 Totanus glareola - 10 Trichiurus lepturus - 156 INSECTS. Coleoptera. Balaninus brassiere - 117 Chrysomela fastuosa (on a new food plant) - 204 Corticaria cylindrica - 20 Melolontha vulgaris 204 Nebria borealis - 204 Omalium rugulipenne 20 Diptera. Anthomyia mitis ? 63 Bibio clavipes 23 ,, lepidus 23 Laphria flava 120 Sericomyia superbiens 63 Trypeta alternata 21 Hemiptera Corixa Scotti 63 Gerris Costae 63 Phytocoris pini - 63 Salda marginella H. S. (vide "errata") - 63 Hymenoptera. Athalia rosaa 197 Biorhiza renum - 63 Blennocampa aterrima - 274 Croesus varus 274 Hemichroa luridiventris 158. 299 Lyda erythrocephala 62 Nematus Degeeri "3 ,, gallicola - II, 116 , , virescens 196 ,, Vollenhoveni - 296 ,, Wttwaalii 202 Nomada xanthosticta 62 Trigonaspis megaptera - 15 Lepidoptera. Acentropus niveus 119 Bombyx callunae 81 ,, quercus 81 , , roboris 82 Dicrorampha herbosana 63 X. lnaex. Gonepteryx rhamni - 20 Hadena assimilis (Crymodes exulis) - - 162 Hypermecia augustana - 203 Leioptolus brachydactylus 203 Pachnobia alpina - 162 Trichiura crataegi - 162 Vanessa antiopa - 16, 20, 163 A T etiroptera. Hallesus auricollis p - Limnophilus borealis Megalomus hirtus MOLLUSCS. Bythinia tentaculata var. de- collata - - 276 203 203 203 Helix ericetorum PLANTS. Agaricus erinaceus , , virgatus Anacalypta latifolia Centaurea scabiosa Cortinarius traganus Discelium nudum Hyphelia rosea - Leotia circinans - Onobrychis sativa Poa sudetica - 32, Sphagnum Austini Teucrium scorodonia Vibrissea Margarita 163 280 362 173 '175 173 362 280 362 21S 128. 217 173 33 218 Acronyctidae Arctiidse - Apamiidae Bombycidae Bryophilidae Caradrinidae Cossidae - INSECTA SCOTICA. FAMILIES INCLUDED IN THIS VOLUME. Cymatophoridae - Drepanulidae Endromididae Hadenidae Leucaniidae Liparididae Lithosiidae Noctuidae Notodontidae Nycteolidae Orthosiidae Psychidae Saturniidae Sesiidae - Sphingidae Stilbiidaj ZygaenidoB Coleopterc 1. Carabidas (continued) - 44 Dytiscidae • 89 Gyrinidae • 137 Hydrophilidae - 138 Staphylinidae 144, 185, 233. 285 329, 377 Lepidoptera. 136, 177 129 325. 3^9 42 136 321 34 135 83 42 376 323 87 132 226, 281, 321 84 134 - 179. 225 34 41 36 38 321 35 NEW SPECIES AND VARIETIES described in this volume. Nematus Vollenhoveni Cam- eron INSECTA. Acronycta rumicis L. ab. le- pida B.W. - - 178 Crymodes exulis Lef. var. - PLANT. Doubledayi B.W. - 375 Vibrissea Margarita B. W. 296 210 Index. XI. NEW BRITISH SPECIES brought forward in this volume. INSECTA. Diptera. Asphondylia ulicis Traill 1 72 Bibio clavipes Mg. - 23 Empis bilineata Lw. - 200 Hilara nitidula Zett. - 201 Laphria flava L. -• 120 Nemotelus notatus Zett. 202 Phyllodromia vocatoria - 201 Sympycnus nigritibialis Zett. 199 Spilomyia fallax L. - 200 JJemiptera. Phytocoris pini Krschb. - 63 Salda opacula Zett. (errone- ously recorded as S. marginella H. S. ) - 63 Hytnenoptera. Andricus amenti Gir. - 128 Andricus quadrilineatus Hartig 128 Blennocampa aterrima Klug. 274 Lophyrus pallipes Fall. - 15 ,, virens Klug. - 15 Nematus Vollenhoveni Cam- eron - - 296 „ Wttewaalli Voll. 202 Spathegaster vesicatrix Schl. 171 Strongylogaster eborinus Klug. 15 (Correction ; previously recorded) - - 61 PLANTS. Agaricus virgatus Fr. - 362 Cortinarius traganus 1 74. 243 Flammula astragalinus Fr. 215 Hyphelia rosea - - 280 Leotia circinans P. - 362 Mycena metatus Fr. - 213 Poa sudetica Sphagnum Austini Sull. 173 LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS. Allan, J. S. - - 27 Allin, J. - - 162 Anderson, J. - - 276 Barret, C. G. - 58 Blackburn, Rev. T., B.A. 346 Boswell-Syme, J., LL. D., F.L.S. - - 20, 204 Brotherston, A. 10, 32, 57, 128, 155 205, 217, 299, 300 Brown, J. A. Harvie - 109, 270 Buckler, W. - - 276 Cameron, P., jr. 1 1, 15, 62, 63, 113, 116, 158, 160, 161, 196, 262, 274, 296 Cameron, W. - 8 Cooke, N. - - 162 Corbin, G. B. - 119 Davidson, A. - 74 Doubleday. H. - - 276 Drummond-Hay, Col. H. M., C.M.Z.S. - - 254, 360 Dunsmore, J. - 63 Fergusson, Rev. J., M.A. 121, 173 174, 279 Forbes, H. O. - - 10, 57 Guthrie, W. Grant - 276 Hardy, J. - - 21, 63 Tenner Fust, H., jr., M.A. 57, 63 203 Jordan, R. C. R., M.D. O3 Keith, Rev. J., M.A. 210, 243, 305 362, 363 Lilley, C. E. - - 346 Lumsden, J., jr. 8, 10, 54, 204 M'Intosh, C. - 155 M'Intosh, W. C, M.D., F.R.S.E., F.L.S. - 155, 156 Macgregor, J. - - 203 Moncreiffe, Sir T. , of Moncreiffe, Bart. - 120, 203, 280 Robinson- Douglas, W. D., B.A. 300 359 Xll. Index. Roy, J. - Sharp, D., M.B. 45, 89, 185, 233, 285, 329, Sim, G. - - 204, Smith, F. (erroneously F. Smith) - 219, Stevenson, Rev. J. Stratton, C. Tait, W. Traill, J. W. H., M.A. 1 30, 78, 126, 128, 163, 170, 175, 251, 218 Verrall, G. H. - - 199 137, 156 Vice, W. A. - 120, 203, 274 377 Walker, R., F.G. S.E. 1, 49, 144 277, 289 193, 337 R. Wardrop, Rev. J. 68, 97, 149 264, 3i4 White, F. Buchanan, M.D., 277 F.L.S. 10, 23, 33, 34, 63-, 81 155 129, 162, 163, 175, 177, 162 203, 205, 218, 224, 281, 1, 20 . 23 321, 362, 369 155, White, Peter, L.R.C.S.E. 349 300 Wood, Rev. R. - - 276 ILLUSTRATIONS. Plate I. — Nematus gallicola .... Fig. 1. The perfect insect (magnified). Fig. 2. Galls on Salix fragilis. Fig. 3. Galls on Salix alba. Fig. 4. Larva (magnified). Fig. 5. Cocoon. Fig. 6. Saw (magnified). Fig. 7. Fore- wing (magnified). Plate II. — Jaw of Porpoise with intermediate teeth-like bodies Plate III. —Map of part of the Earn Valley Plate IV. — Transverse section, &c, of the Earn Valley, Woodcut - Fig. 1. Bombyx quercus. Fig. 2. Bombyx roboris. II 146 264 264 82 Page 63, line 13, for- Page 214, line 8, ,, Page 218, line 15, ,, Page 299, bottom line, ,, 70, E R R A TA. -marginella H.S., read — opacula Zett. Volaria, ,, Volvaria. obicular, ,, orbicular. >> 10. ^VN^VV" ; THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST. Ut VOLUME THE SECOND. * -*••-»- ^Y£, **o/< •. * Y ZOOLOGY. .-V .. ^-~ ./ r> V ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE HOODED SEAL ( CYSTO- PHORA CRISTA TA) AT ST. ANDREWS. By ROBERT WALKER, F.G.S.E. 'T^HIS species of seal is rarely met with in the British or Irish seas; and althougrrone that is not difficult to identify when found, still from the few opportunities that present themselves to competent persons of examining living or recently killed speci- mens, it is apparently by no means so well known as it deserves to be. Besides, from the general resemblance in shape and exter- nal aspect that all seals bear to each other, it could, in its immature state, be readily enough passed over as the young of the Common, or more especially the Grey Seal, as it not un- likely has been, and even by those, perhaps, who consider themselves not unfamiliar with the general appearance of these animals. I therefore propose to describe this individual at greater length than would have been at all necessary in the case of an animal of more frequent occurrence. This seal was found opposite St. Andrews, on the 2 2d July, 1872. When discovered, it was reposing, near low-water mark, on the top of one of the ledges of rock that stretch out 2 The Scottish Naturalist. into the sea. It presented a somewhat fierce and threat- ening-looking demeanour to the man who first saw it, suffi- ciently warning him that an attempt on his part to approach near too rashly would not be quietly tolerated, and might, if persisted in, be attended with rather unpleasant consequences to himself. It seems to have made no effort to escape, and was ultimately struck repeatedly on the head with stones until dead. It is said to have exhibited great tenacity of life. On dissection it proved to be a young male, very fat; the stomach was about half full of what appeared to be estuary sand and mud, with a few small entozoa here and there through it It measured forty-seven inches in length. The body stout, roundish, and gradually diminishing from a little behind the shoulders to the tail. The head short, round, and broad over the muzzle. The septum between the nostrils hairy. The upper part of the head, the back and half-way down the sides, of a bluish black colour when wet ; of a dark grey when dry ; the lower parts and halfway up the sides, of a yellowish white; on the sides of the neck this colour extends up to within about an inch of the eyes, and thence along the upper lip under the nostrils. The anteiior limbs are the same colour on the upper sides as the back, the lower whitish with a streak of grey ex- tending obliquely across them. The upper surfaces of the posterior limbs and the tail are of a darker colour than the back, their lower sides whitish grey. The webs between the toes hairy. The hair is longish on the back, and somewhat erect ; there is a finer and darker fur next the skin. The whiskers are longish, and directed downwards ; the hairs are waved and gra- dually taper to fine points, the upper ones dark grey, the lower yellowish white. Eyes, three and one-fourth inches behind the extremity of the nose, black, iris dark brown ; they are large, round, two inches in diameter, when removed from the sockets. The orifices of the ears — there are no external auricles — are small and situated about one and three-fourths of an inch behind and below the eyes. The fore limbs are short, with five fingers each, the outside one longest, the others gradually becoming shorter, but so regularly graduated, that the points of the claws are in a straight line or thereby with each other. The hind limbs have five toes each, the inner one longest, the outer one about half-an-inch shorter, the second and fourth about the The Scottish Naturalist. 3 same length, and an inch shorter than the first, the third about half-an-inch shorter than the second and fourth — the mem- brane in all projecting beyond the claws. All the latter are pretty long and strong, dark coloured at the bases, and light coloured towards the points. The skull is short and broad, rounded at the sides, and flattened above, more especially over the frontal bones, and interorbital space. Its greatest breadth is over the zygoma, at the articulations of the malars and zygomatic processes. There is no sagittal nor occipital crest. The interorbital space is broad and flat for a seal. The ascending process of the superior maxilla form on each side a narrow mar- gin of bone not exceeding one-fourth of an inch in breadth, between the anterior edge of the orbital cavities and the nasal apertures. The premaxillae are small, narrow in front, and do not reach within about three-fourths of an inch of the nasals ; the latter are rather short bones, and project in front consider- ably beyond their junction with the maxillae, they have no external process, the internal is small but distinct. The olfac- tory chambers are somewhat large, arched out at the sides, and filled with very complex maxilloturbinals. The malars are long thin bones, bent outward and downward, bifurcated at the posterior extremity, and joined to the maxillae by long sutures. The united breadth of the palatal portion of the palatine bones is about equal to their length ; the posterior outer edge of each is angled inward and forward about half its breadth, they then jointly form a nearly straight transverse margin at the middle of the posterior edge of the palate. The foramen mag- num is larger and wider transversely ; and the occipital con- dyles seem to me to approach nearer each other on the basi- occipital than is the case in the Common, the Floerat, or Grey Seals. The anterior palatine foramina are also much smaller than in either of these animals. The posterior palatine fora- mina are rather behind the palato-maxillary suture, and there is an oval aperture in the basioccipital in advance of the foramen magnum. The dental formula is — incisors, \\\ ; canines, \:{ ; molars, f:f, = 30. Of these, the first four molars on each side are generally reckoned premolars. The incisors of the lower jaw, and the two middle of the upper, are small, compressed, 4 The Scottish Naturalist. and somewhat incurved. The two upper external incisor teeth are nearly half as large as the canines, which they closely re- semble in shape ; the latter are pretty large, not much com- pressed, and curved inward. The molars are close together, small, compressed, the crowns short, trenchant, and somewhat elliptical ; the enamel distinctly wrinkled or plicated vertically. The last of the upper, and the two last of the lower series, are slightly tubercular at the edges; the first and last above are the smallest. All the molars have short roots implanted into shallow sockets on the alveolar margin of the jaws ; the fourth and fifth of the upper side, and the fifth of the lower, have each two short, roundish, diverging fangs or roots ; the third and fourth below, and the third above, have a slight groove down the middle on the outside. Of the seven skulls of this species of seal from Greenland, described by Dr. Gray,* it would appear, on the whole, that our specimen comes nearest — so far as the roots of the molar teeth are concerned, to those of the skull No. 4 of his last. As observed by him, however, the root of the grinders is very liable to variation in this genus. He also states that he has not observed any similar variation in the teeth of any other seal, and still believes that the form of the roots affords a good char- acter in most of the genera. The mandible is narrow at the symphysis, from which each ramus diverges, when looked at from below, in a nearly straight line to the condyle. The horizontal rami have fairly developed thickish round lower edges, not thin and inflected. There is, strictly speaking, no notch at the posterior margin, the lower edge of the bone at this point is slightly protuberant, and bent inward into a not very prominent lobe, situated considerably in advance of the condyle. The hinder ramus ascends to an oblique angle. The coronoid is a slender, narrow process, its front edge follows that of the ramus, it is not recurved at the extremity, and approaches closely to the condyle. The other bones of the skeleton do not appear to differ so materially in form from those of the other seals likely to be met with on our coasts as to call for any special remarks, at least on the present occasion. It may, how- * Proceedings, Zool. Soc., 1849 ; and Cat. Seals and Whales, 1866. The Scottish Naturalist. 5 ever, be observed that the scapula is less concave on the posterior border, and the anterior is rather more convex than is the case in the same bone of a half-grown common seal ; the coracoid is much smaller than in that animal, while the suprascapular epiphysis seemed to be broader cartilaginous plates. Both the prescapular and postscapular fossa are mode- rately developed. The os innominatum differs from that of the half-grown common seal in being much shorter, its posterior margin more circular, the pubic spine broader, and the thyroid foramen wider in proportion to its length. The femur is also shorter and slenderer than the corresponding bone of that individual. The pelvic bones are more throughly ankylosed than these bones are in the specimen above referred to. On the other hand the supracondyloid foramen of the left humerus is not quite perfect, while it is completely ossified on both arm bones of that seal. It would seem, however, that in some seals this canal is either never entirely closed by bone, or its walls are afterwards absorbed during life — at any rate in oldish animals it becomes much elongated. In two humeri of the Grey Seal ( Halichcerus grypus) in my possession, and per- taining to different animals, this structure is represented by two spiculated fragments of bone, having their points directed towards each other, but without nearly meeting together. The imperfect condition of this foramen on the bones of these seals seems to me to be pretty near the state in which it is generally met with on the humeri of man. Those acquainted with the literature of the Descent * and Antiquity of Man question t will be aware of the interest and importance which have some- what recently been attached to the occasional survival to our own day in the human race, of the rudiment of a structure which finds its normal development in the bones of the carnivora. It has been estimated that it occurs in a more or less perfect condition, in about one per cent, of recent European human skeletons. In ancient skeletons it is more frequently met with. " Dupont t found thirty per cent, of perforated bones in the caves of the Valley of the Lesse, belonging to the reindeer period, and Le- quay,:j: in a dolmen, at Argenteuil, observed twenty-five per *Darwin, Descent of Man, vol. I. tLyell, Principles of Geology, vol. II. 1872. % Busk, International Congress of Prehist. Archaeology, 1868. 6 The Scottish Naturalist. cent, perforated." From these and other instances that could be mentioned, it seems pretty evident that it will be ultimately- found that Palaeolithic man, as well as the seals and others, had each alike a canal through which the great nerve, and some- times the great artery, of the fore-limb passed. The above is the first record, so far as I can learn, of the occurrence of C. cristata anywhere on the coasts or seas around Scotland, and I can find no notice of its appearance in Ireland. It has been obtained, apparently, once only, on the coast of England, a specimen having been captured in Orwell River, on the 29th June, 1847.* This was a young animal, and measured fifty-two inches in length; it was described and figured by Mr. W. B. Clark, and presented to the Museum of Ipswich. There was another example of this Seal taken at lTle d'Ole'ron in 1843, and both the animal and skull were figured and described by Professor Gervais,t who states that it was the only one obtained on their coast; it was also a young individual, about forty inches long, and was placed in the Museum in Paris. Gervais' description and figures, more especially of the skull, agree closely in the main with the seal and skull above described, with the exception of the neck, which appears to be represented much shorter in his specimen than this part was in mine. Dr. De Kay % gives a good description of an individual of this species that was killed in 1824 about fifteen miles from New York. He states that this was the first time so far as he knew that this seal had been met with within the limits of the United States. It was ninety and one-half inches long, and apparently an oldish animal, marked on the back with irregular patches of grey and dark brown, and had the hood on the front of the head prominently displayed. This appendage, whatever may be its real use in the ceconomy of the animal, as to which there has been various theories, is not developed until it arrives towards maturity. There was no indication of it on the heads of the young seals above noticed. Drs. Ludlow and King give some interesting anatomical details of the New York specimen in the same volume. De Kay§ described the same individual * Zoologist, 1847. + Zoologie et Paldontologie Francaises. % Annals, Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York, Vol. i, 1824. § Nat. Hist, of New York, Vol. 1, 1842. The Scottish Naturalist. 7 eighteen years afterwards, and again states that it was the only- one that had been found within their territorial limits. It would thus appear that this species is rarely met with within the temperate regions of both sides of the Atlantic. Nilsson includes it in his Scandinavian fauna, where, from its habitat, it is probably not uncommon on the more frigid parts of that coast. Lammont,|| however, does not seem to have recognized it during his expedition to the Spitzbergen seas. According to Lloyd * "this seal is an occasional visitor to the more northern of the Scandinavian coasts, and that on the coast of Norway its singular look has given rise, amongst the fishermen and others, to many superstitious and fabulous stories. Klakkekallan, the name by which he is there known, appears, according to these men, in the form of a large and hairy black man, with fingers so grown together as to resemble fins, and having a cap on his head. He is rarely seen, they say, but affirm that dur- ing tempests he is sometimes driven on the rocks and perishes." This has apparently somewhat of the old mermaid super- stition still hanging about it ; and the following animal, the account of which is given by Lloyd, from Holberg's History of Denmark, was considered at the time of its capture — although he does not say so — to be a genuine specimen of that fabulous creature, which had so long haunted the fears and imaginations of the ancients. "In December, 1549, there was captured in the sound, near the town of Malmo, a fish of unheard-of size and most remarkable shape. It had a head like unto that of a man, and on the top of it a crown resembling a monk's cowl. The King, Christian III, caused this fish to be preserved; and sent a drawing of it to the Emperor Charles in Spain." It would appear that this was the same animal as that noticed by Hvitfeld.t He says it was caught in Oresund, and brought to Copenhagen, and there buried by his majesty's order, because the head resembled that of a human creature, with cropped hair, and covered with a monk's hood. Ronde- letus % describes and figures this animal as a veritable specimen of a merman. The figure was given to him by Margaret, Queen of Navarre, and certainly had the animal been anything like the II Seasons with the Sea Horses. * Game Birds, &c., Sweden and Norway. + Pontoppidan, Nat. Hist., Norway, 1755. % Gesnerus, Hist. Anim., 1604. 8 The Scottish Naturalist. figure, it would have been a most wonderful object, very unlike a hooded seal, however, or any other denizen of land and water. What most concerns us here is, that from the preceding it may be inferred that the Hooded Seal was then, as now, rarely met with on the coasts of temperate Europe ; otherwise the ap- pearance of the animal would have been better known, and there would have been less room for so many fictitious repre- sentations. Brown* describes the Hooded Seal from observa- tions made by himself while in Greenland, where, amongst other names, it is called the Bladder-nose by the sealers. According to him, it is one of the largest and fiercest of the northern seals, and that although it is found all over the Green- land Seas, from Iceland to Greenland and Spitsbergen, it is not a common animal anywhere. He seems to question the truth of the statement made by Fabriciusf — it is the Phoca leonina of this author — that during the second year the Hooded Seals are snow-white, with a straight line of brown on their backs, as neither he nor any other seal-hunter with whom he had con- versed ever saw such a seal in the Greenland Sea. St. Andrews, Nov., 1872. Late breeding of the Hedgehog in Scotland.— Both Bell and Macgilli- vray, in their articles on the common hedgehog ( Erhiaceus curopczusj, state that the young are produced early in summer. This does not, however, seem always to be the case, as several instances have of late come under my notice of their breeding in autumn. The two following occurred this year : — At Girvan, in Ayrshire, a gentleman found a brood of young ones in his garden in the end of August, and on the 28th September I found a young one which could not have been more than a day or two old, as its eyes were not open, and the spines were very soft. Can it be that the breeding season is later in the north than in England ? If this is the case the fact has not hitherto been noticed. — Jas. Lumsden, jun=, Arden House, Alexandria, 6th November, 1872. Birds of Balctuhidder— Lists of birds have been printed in the " Scottish Naturalist, " one for a north, and another for a soiuh lowland district. The following list is for a south highland district, being the birds of Balquhidder, Perthshire, all of which named are known to breed there, with the exception of those marked with an asterisk : — Golden Eagle* ( Aquilla chrysdctosj, seen rarely of recent years ; Peregrine Falcon ( Falco percgrinus), breeds at the head of the valley, and is scarce ; Merlin^, ccsalon), nearly, if not quite, exterminated; Kestral^. tinnunculus), •Proc, Zool. Soc., 1868. f Fauna Groenlandica. The Scottish Naturalist. 9 the commonest of the Falconidre in the parish ; Sparrow-hawk ( Accipitur nisus), sadly persecuted, and almost extinct ; Kite or Gled ( 'Milvus vulgaris) , very scarce, being ruthlessly destroyed by the gamekeepers whenever met with ; Barn Owl ( Strix Jlam?nea), and Tawny Owl ( Syrnium stridula), both not unfrequent. Before the present Lagopomania set in several others of this tribe, including the Swallow-tailed Kite, were denizens of the parish. Great Grey Shrike* (Lanivs excubitorj, a rare visitor ; Spotted Fly-catcher ( ' Muscicapa grisola), a regular summer resident; Water Ouzel ( Cinclus aquaticus), pretty common; Missel Thrush (Tardus viscivorus), not uncommon ; Fieldfare* ( T. pilaris), a winter visitant; Mavis ( T. muscicus), common ; Redwing*/'/', iliacus), a winter visitor; Blackbird (T. merula), not very common ; Ring-ouzel (T. torquatus), frequent on the hillsides during summer, nesting high up ; Hedge-sparrow {Accen- tor modularis), common ; Redbreast {Erythaca rubecula), common ; Redstart (Phcrn icura ruticilla), a regular summer visitant ; Whinchat [Saxicola rubetra), not uncommon during summer ; Wheatear {S. fusca Hw. (1810). Scarce. Nem- oral. [Ascends to upwards of 1000 feet] Distribution — East. o o Tay [Dee] §000 West, o o § § o Lat. 56°3o"-[57°" Range in Europe. Germany, Belgium, &c. Type. Central. Type in Britain. British. Tim* of Appearand ;;— Imago. July. Larva. August-June. Food- plant. Sallow, &c. The Scottish Naturalist. 35 EPICHNOPTERYX Hub. ROBORICOLELLA Br. ; ?iitidella St. Very local. Nemoral. Distribution — East. § g Tay 00000 West. Solway §000 Lat. 54°5o // -56°4o // . Range in Europe. Throughout (ex- cept extreme north and south). Type. European. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. June. Larva. July-June. Food- plant. Various trees. ZYG^ENID^I Boisd. INO Leach. STATICES L. Local. Pascual. Distribution — East. Tweed 000 Moray 000 West. Solway § Argyle o o Lat. 55"-57°3o". Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentrional and -meridional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance —Imago. June, July. Larva. August-June Food-plant. Sorrel. ZYGkEJNA Fab. PILOSELL^E Esp. (1781); minos Fuessl. (1782). Var. nubigefia Ld. Local. Pascual. Maritime. Distribution — East. o o Tay §0000 West, o § Argyle § o Lat. 56°20 // -56°3o // . Range in Europe. High Alps, Scot- land, Ireland. Type. Occidento-central. Type in Bri- tain. Scoto-Hibernian. Time of Appearance- Imago. June, July. Larva. August -May. Food-plant. Legumhwsce. On the coasts of Forfarshire (A. Guthrie), and Argyleshire. The typical pilosellz differs from the var. nubigena by its less diaphanous wings, less hairy and more metallic-shining hind-body, and by the red costal streak not meeting or overlapping the discal streak. Pilosellce is widely dis- tributed in Europe, and should occur in Scotland. Z. scabioscs Scheven, should be looked for in July. 36 - The Scottish Naturalist. EXTJLANS Hchwh. Var. subochracea B.W. Local. Pascual. Alpine. From 2400-2800 feet. Distribution — East, o o § Dee o o 00 West, o o § 00 Lat. 57°-57°io // . Range in Europe. Scotland. Type. Scottish. Type in Britain. Scottish. Time of Appearance — Imago. July. Larva. August-June. Food- plant. Erica, Vaccinium, and other low plants. The typical exulans is tinged and marked with ochreous in both sexes, and inhabits the Alps and Pyrenees. The var. subochracea has the female only marked with ochreous ; the var. Vanadis has no ochreous markings, and occurs in the north of Europe. tbifolii Esp. Local. Pascual. Maritime. Distribution — East, g § Tay Dee Moray 000 West, g g g o o Lat. 56°4o' / -58°. Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. June, July. Larva. August -May. Food-plant. Bird's-foot Trefoil, and other Leguminosce. From the specimens I have seen (from Forfarshire and Ross-shire), I should refer this to the Z. trifolii (the "early trifolii ") of Mr. T. H. Briggs' paper in Trans. Ent. Soc, iv., 1871. The Forfarshire examples were taken on the coast near Arbroath, in company with filipendu Ice and nubigena, at various dates (the captor, Mr. A. Guthrie, informs me), from the last week of June to August 26th, at which date they were much worn. The date of appearand of Mr. Briggs' "early trifolii' 1 '' is from the second week in May to the second week in June. The other localities where trifolii has occurred in Scotland are the coasts of Kincardineshire (J. W. H. Traill) and Ross-shire (A. Davidson). Z. lonicerce. should occur. FiLiPENDUL^i L. Local. Pascual. Maritime. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 54°io"-57°4o". Range in Europe. Nearly through- out. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June, July. Larva. August -June. Food-plant. Leguminosce. S E S 1 1 D M H.S. SESIA Fab. MUSCJEPORMIS View. ; philanthiformis Lasp. Local. Mari- time. The Scottish Naturalist. 37 Distribution — East. 000 Dee 0000 West. Solway 0000 Lat. 54°5o // -57°io" Range in Europe. Britain, Germany (noithern and central), and ? Type. Occidento- central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. July. Larva. Feeds for two years ? Food-plant. Thrift (Statice armtria). This species does not, as might have been expected, appear to be co-extensive in its range with its food-plant. OULICIFORMIS L. Scarce. Nemoral. Ascends to 1200 feet. Distribution — East. o o Tay Dee §000 West. o Clyde § 8 ° Lat. 55°5o // -57°io // Range in Europe. Northern and central. Type. Septentriono-central and -oriental. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance. — Imago. June. Larva. July-April. P'ood- plant. Birch (and alder). TTPULiFORMis CI. Local. Hortensal. Distribution — East. o o Tay 00000 West. ' Solway o 000 Lat. 55°-56°3o" Range in Europe. Northern and central. Type. Centro-septentrional and -oriental. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. June. Larva. July-April. Food-plant. Currant. scoLLffiFORMiS Bkh. Rare. Nemoral. Distribution — East. o o Tay § §000 West, o o Argyle § o Lat. 56°3o"-56°5o // . Range in Europe. Central and northern (except the boreal regions). Type. Centro- septentrional. Type in Britain. Scottish. Time of Appearance— Imago. June, July. Larva. August- April. Food- plant. Birch. TROCHILIUM Scop. CEABEONIFORME Lewin. (1797) ; bembeciforme H. (1803.) Not uncommon. Nemoral. Distribution—East. § Forth Tay 00000 West. Solway Clyde 000 Lat. 54°4o // -56°4o // . Range in Europe. Britain, Batavia, Germany. Type. Occidental. Type in Britain. British. 38 The Scottish Naturalist Time of Appearance — Imago. July. Larva. August-May. Food- plant. Sallow (Salix caprea &c). APIFORME CI. Not common. Nemoral. Distribution -East. 00000000 West. Solway Clyde 000 Lat. 54°4o ir -55 4o // . Range in Europe. Nearly through- out. Type. European. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. June, July. Larva. August-April. Food-plant. Poplar. SPHINGID^E Boisd. MACRO GLOSS A Ochsr. FUCIPOBMIS L. ; bombyliformis Esp. (et auct. Anglorum). Not common. Nemoral and ericetal. Ascends to up- wards of 1000 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray [Suther- land] o o West. Solway Clyde Argyle g o Lat. 54°4o' / -58° Range in Europe. Nearly throughout (except the polar regions and the extreme south). Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. May-July. Larva. July, August. Food- plant. Scabious CScaHosa succisaj. This species is usually called in Britain bombyliformis— the ' ' narrow bordered bee hawk-moth." Bombyliformis O. is the following species, — the "broad bor- dered bee hawk-moth.'' [BOMBYLIFORMIS O. ; fuciformis Esp. (et auct. Anglorum). Not common. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed 0000000 West. Solway Clyde 000 Lat. 54°4o // -55°5o // . Range in Europe. Nearly through- out (except the boreal regions and ? the extreme south). Type. European. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. May. Lakva. June-August. Food- plant. Honeysuckle, Bedstraw, Lychnis, and other low plants. stellatarum L. Not uncommon. Agrestal and pascual. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray § Orkney o West. Solway Clyde g West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o / '-59°io". Range in Europe. Nearly throughout The Scottish Naturalist. 39 (except the boreal regions). Type. Territorial. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. April-October (sometimes all the year). Larva. July-September. Food-plant. Bed-straw (Galium verumj. CHCEROCAMPA Dup. POKCELLUS L. Not uncommon. Pascual. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee §000 West. Solway Clyde §00 Lat. 54°4o // -57°io". Range in Europe. Nearly through- out (except the polar regions and extreme south). Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. May-July. Larva. July-September. Food -plant. Bedstraw (Galium verum). ELPENOB. L. Not common. Pascual. Distritution — East. Tweed Forth'Tay Dee 0000 West. Solway Clyde 000 Lat. 54°4o // -57°io // . Range in Europe. Nearly throughout (except the polar regions and extreme south). Type. European. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. June. Larva. July-September. Food- plant. Bedstraw, Hairy Willow-herb ( Epilobium hirsutum) and Fuschia. CELEKIO L. Very rare. Distribution — East, Tweed Forth Tay Dee 0000 West. § Clyde 000 Lat. 55°20 // -57°4o ,/ . Range in Europe. South-western and south-central. Type. Meridiono-occidental. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. July-October. Larva. September (June?). Food-plant. Vine (and bedstraw?). DEILEPHILA Ochsr. LIVORTTICA Esp. Very rare. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth 000000 - West, o Clyde 000 Lat. 55°2o"-56°io". Range in Europe. Southern. Type. Meridional. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. August, September. Larva. June, July. Food-plant. Bedstraw and vine. 40 The Scottish Naturalist. GALLll Rott. (correctly £b///). Not common. Pascual. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee o o o o West. Sol way Clyde "o o o Lat. 54°5o"-57°io". Range in Europe. Central, northern (except the polar regions), and south-eastern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. Britisn. Time of Appearance— Imago. July, August. Larva. August, Sep- tember. Food-plant. Bedstraw (and fuschia). SPHINX Ochsr. ligtjstki L. Rare. Distribution — East. Tweed o o o o o o o West. o [Clyde] o o o Lat. 54°4o // -55°3o". Range in Europe. Central (to South Sweden and Finland), and south-eastern. Type. Cen- tro-oriental. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. June, July. Larva. August, Septem- ber. Food -plant. Ash, privet, and lilac. CONVOLVULI L. Occasional. Hortensal. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray § Orkney o West. Solway Clyde 8 o ° Lat. 54°4o"-59°io". Range in Europe. Nearly through- out. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. August, September. Larva. July Food-plant. Convolvulus, &c. S. finastri L. (which is said to have occurred near Edinburgh), ought to occur as it is a species of northern Europe. The imago flies in June and July, and the larva feeds on various kinds of fir trees in August and September. The perfect insect is said to frequent the flowers of the honeysuckle. ACHERONTIA. Ochsr. ATROPOS L. Occasional. Agrestal. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray Suther- land Orkney Zetland. West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross § Lat. 54°4o" 6o°4o". Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British, The Scottish Naturalist. 41 Time of Appearance— Imago. June, July; August-October. Larva. July-October. Food-plant. Potato, &c. This species affords a good instance of the effect that cultivation has in alter- ing the fauna of a country. The native food-plants (unless perchance the insect had once some other and now forsaken food-plant), arc so few, and so comparatively rare, that it is probably entirely owing to the introduction and cultiration of the potato that Acherontia atropos now inhabits Scotland and some other countries. SMERINTHUS Ochsr. POPULi L. Common. Nemoral. Ascends to 1200 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth TayDee Moray g o o West. Solway Clyde § West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o // -57°4o // . Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. May-July. Larva. July-September. Food-plant. Sallow, poplar, aspen (and birch). OCELLATA L. Rare. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed o o [Dee] 0000 West. Solway g o o o Lat. tt°-\si°™"^\ Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. May-July. -Larva. July-September. Food-plant. - Sallow, poplar, apple, &c. TIXL^J L. Very rare. Nemoral. Distribution — East. 00000000 West, o Clyde 000 Lat. 55°5o // -56°. Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. May, June. Larva. July- September. Food-plant. Elm and lime. SATURNIIDiE. (Saturnidce Boisd.) SATURNIA Schrk. pavonia L. Common. Ericetal. Ascends to 2000 feet. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray g Orkney o West. Solway Clyde Argyle 3 § 42 The Scottish Naturalist. Lat. 54°4o"-59°io". Range in Europe. Throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. May, June. Larve. July, September. Food-plant. Heather, blaeberry, and (more rarely) sallow, alder, &c. ENDROMIDIDJE. {Endromidce Boisd.) ENDROMIS Ochsr. VERSICOLOKA L. Local. Nemoral. Ascends to nearly iooo ft. Distribution — East. o o Tay Dee Moray o o o West. [Solway] o Argyle § o Lat. s6°3o // -58°. Range in Europe. Northern and central. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. April. Larva. July, August. Food- plant. Birch and alder. , B0MBYCIDJE Boisd. LASCIOCAMPA Latr. POTATORIA L. Not common. Pascual and ericetal. Ascends to upwards of iooo feet. Distribution — East. Tweed § Tay Dee Moray goo West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-58°. Range in Europe. . Central ; South Sweden, &c. Type. Central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. May, July, August. Larva. Sep- tember-May. Food-plant. Grasses. Dr. Boswell Syme calls attention {Sc. Nat i. 176) to the fact that in Mull and Bute, the larva hibernates full fed, and the moth appears two months earlier than it does in the south of England. BOMBYX Boisd. crat^igi L. Not common. Ericetal and nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed o Tay g g o o o West, o Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 55°-57°5o // . Range in Europe. Northern (except the polar regions) and central. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. September. Larva. May, June. Food- plant. Sallow, hawthorn, sloe, &c. POPULI L. Not uncommon. Nemoral. Distribution — East. g Forth Tay Dee Moray §00 West. Solway Clyde Argyle g o The Scottish Naturalist. 43 Lat. 54°4o // -57°4o // . Range in Europe. Northern (except the boreal regions) and central. Type. Septentriono- central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. October- December. Larva. June, July. Food-plant. Alder, birch, oak, &c. B. neustria L. has occurred once at Aberdeen ; but, though it is a species that should occur, we can scarcely yet include it in the Scottish list. RTJBI L. Common. Ericetal (and maritime-pascual). Ascends (larvae) to 2200 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray §00 West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross 3 Lat. 54°4o"-58°. Range in Europe. Throughout, except extreme north and south. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. May, June. Larva. July-April. Food-plant. Heather and other low plants. qxjerctjs L. Common. Ericetal. Ascends to 1400 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray g Orkney § West. Solway Clyde Argyle West -Ross Hebrides. Lat. 54°4o"-59°io". Range in Europe. Throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. June. Larva. July-September of the following year. Food-plant. Heather, &c. All the Scottish specimens, I imagine, belong to the variety calluncs Palmer ( = quercus L., Fauna suecica), which differs only from the typical querais by its darker colour (especially in the female), and by its different time of appearance. Quercus, as distinguished from calluna y appears in Mr. A. Davidson's Ross- shire list, but I have not seen specimens. LANESTBIS L. Not common. Distribution — East. o o 000000 West. Solway [Clyde] [Argyle] o o Lat. 55 . Range in Europe. Northern and central. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. February. Larva. May, June. Food- plant. Hawthorn, sloe, &c. Weaver records, in the " Zoologist," the capture of this species [larva?] on Ben Nevis ; I do not think the evidence is sufficient. ( To be continued,) 44 The Scottish Naturalist. THE COLEOPTERA OF SCOTLAND. ( Continued from vol. i, p. 2S0.J Edited by D. SHARP, M. B. TRECHUS Schaum. MICEOS Herbst. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o o o o o West. Solway Clyde Argyle o o I1ONGICORNIS Sturm. Very rare. Riparial. Distribution — East. Tweed o o o o o o o West. Solway o o o o Near Kelso.— R. Hislop. On the banks of the Nith, at Thornhill and Dum- fries.— D.S. lapidosus Daws. Very local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed o o o o o o o West, o Clyde o o o * RUBENS Fab. Not common. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g g o o Zetland. West. Solway Clyde o o o mintjtus Fab. Abundant. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray goo West. Solway Clyde o o o OBTUSUS Er. Common. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East, g g Tay Dee Moray o o o g g o o o West. ° ° SECALIS Payk. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed o o o West, o o o o. o ABPUS Curtis. MARINUS Strom. Local. Marine. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth - o o West, o Clyde o o o The Scottish Naturalist. 45 ROBINI Lab. Local. Marine. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth 000000 West. 00000 PERILEPTUS Schaum. AREOLARS Creutz. Very local. Riparial. Distribution — East. 00000000 West. Solway 0000 CILLENUS Schaum. LATERALIS Sam. Local. Maritime. Distribution — East. g Forth 000000 West. Solway Clyde 000 BEMBIDIUM Schaum. rufescens Guer. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. o Forth 000000 West. Solway Clyde 000 QTJTNQXJE striatum Gyll. Local. Lowland. Distribution— East. o Forth 000000 West. o Clyde 000 OBTUfeUM Sturm. Not uncommon. Lowland. Distribution — East. g Forth Tay 00000 West. Solway g o o o biguttatum Fab. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth 000000 West, g Clyde 000 -ffiNEUM Germ. Local. Riparial, maritime. Distribution — East. g Forth 000000 West. Solway Clyde o o' o GUTTULA Fab. Abundant. Lowland. Distribution —East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 46 The Scottish Naturalist. MANNEKHEIMI Sahl. Common. Lowland. • Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay o o o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o CLABKI Daws. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed o o o o o o o West, o o o o o quadriguttatum Fab. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o o o o o West, o o o o o [articulatum Panz. " Ben Lomond, Dr. Leach," Steph. Illust. I am not aware of any other record of this pretty species for Scotland, and think the above probably erroneous. DORIS Panz. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay o Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o MINIMUM Fab. Local. Maritime. Distribution — East. g Forth o o o o o o West. Solway o o o o schtjppeli Dej. Local. Riparial. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o o o o o West. Solway o o o o [qilvipes Dej. " Raehills, Rev. W. Little," Murray. lampros Herbst. Abandant. Lowland. Distribution — East. -Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray § § § West. Solway Clyde 8 8 8 Var. Velox Er. Common. bipunctatum L. Common. Riparial. Distribution — East. § Forth Tay Dee Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o DECORUM Panz. Abundant. Riparial. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee g g o o West. Solway Clyde o o o The Scottish Naturalist. 47 monticola Sturm. Common. Riparial. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay 00000 West. Solway §000 BRUNNIPES Sturm. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth 000000 West. g Clyde 000 TIBIALE Duft. Abundant. Riparial. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray 800 West. Solway Clyde g g - g ATROCCERUTiEUM Steph. Common. Riparial. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray 000 West. Solway g o o o TESTACEUM Duft. Very local. Riparial. Distribution — East. 00000000 West. Solway 0000 Common in one or two places on the banks of the Nith. — D.S. SAXATILE Gyll. Very local. Riparial, maritime. Distribution — East. Tweed g Tay 00000 West. Solway goo FEMORATTJM Sturm. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. g g Tay g Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 anglicanum Sharp. Local. Riparial. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g g Moray 000 West. Solway g o o o BRTJXELLENSE Wesm. Common. Lowland. Distribution — East. g g 8 ^ ee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 CONCINNUM Steph. Local. Maritime. Distribution — East. g g Tay g Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 LITTOHALE 01. Abundant. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray g g g West. Solway Clyde g 8 8 48 The Scottish Naturalist. LUNATUM Duft. Rare. Riparial. Distribution — East. Tweed o o o o o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o - stomoides Dej. Very rare. Riparial. Distribution — East. oooooooo West. Solway o o o o This species occurs' very rarely, on the banks of the Nith, at Thornhill and Dumfries. — D. S. PALLIDIPENNE 111. Local. Maritime, riparial. Distribution — East. g Forth g g Moray o o o West, g Clyde Argyle o o FLAMMTJIjATUM Clair. Very rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o o o o o West. Solway o o o o PKASINUM Duft. Local. Riparial. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray o o o West. Solway g o o o FUXCTULATTTM Drap. Common. Riparial. Distribution — East. g Forth Tay g Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o PALUDOSUM Panz. Very local. Riparial. Distribution — East. o o Tay o Moray o o o West, g Clyde o o o TACHYPUS Schaum. PALLIPES Duft. Rare. Riparial. Distribution — East. o o o o Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o FLAVIPES L. Not common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay o o o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o (To be continued.) ZOOLOGY. ON KING DUCKS ( SOMATERIA SPECTABILIS) IN ST. ANDREWS BAY, &c. By ROBERT WALKER. 'T^HE King Duck has occupied a place in all the lists of A British Birds published since the days of Pennent and Bullock. The latter stated to Colonel Montague that he found the bird breeding in Papa Westra, one of the Orkney Islands. Since his time, it has not been known to nest there, and the records of its occurrence in that quarter, or at any other part of the British coast, are far from numerous, and it is to be feared that some of them may not be perhaps altogether reliable. However, this may be, I am not aware that any specimens of this duck have been obtained anywhere around the mainland of Scotland. The following note, therefore, on a small flock of King Ducks, in St. Andrews Bay and the mouth of the Tay, last spring, may be of some interest to zoologists. On the morning of the sixth of March 1872, I saw a number of ducks swimming about, opposite the old castle of St. And- rews. At first I took them for Eiders, as this is a rather favourite place for that bird, and although somewhat surprised at their early appearance, I was inclined to ascribe this to the mildness of the past winter. They were a considerable way out at sea, and seemed to me to consist of five females and two males. After watching closely for some time, it struck me forcibly that there was something or other in their appearance and attitudes that I could not quite reconcile with my previous acquaintance with the manner of the Eider. Still, at the time, and even yet, I could not define precisely what the difference really was; fur- ther, and this is to some extent supplemented from what I after- 50 The Scottish Naturalist. wards saw of them, they seemed to be quicker in their move- ments, and exhibited a more restless unstable-like behaviour than is the custom of the "Dunter." I could not be positively cer- tain of seeing these ducks again for some days. One morning, however, about a week afterwards, I had a good sight of them, as they were apparently busy feeding on the young mussels that occur in some abundance outside the rocks on the north of St. Andrews. I could only count six birds at this time, but as they were diving and remaining a considerable time under the water, there may have been more of them. From their general appearance, and the view I then had of the dark colour of the backs of the males, I felt absolutely certain that they were King Ducks. Although I continued to see these ducks occasionally — or, at any rate, what, from the distance, I took for them — until the end of the first week of April, they were, with one exception, always so far out at sea that it was impossible to make any thing of them. This was at the mouth of the Eden, where I came upon them, somewhat unexpectedly, as they were quietly swimming about amongst a number of Eiders, with which they were evidently associating in the most friendly manner. I could only, of course, be sure of the identity of the males. The females of the Eider and King Duck seem to me to resemble each other so closely, that I should say it would be next to impossible to distinguish the one from the other when seen at a distance. About the middle of April I heard that one or two King Ducks had been shot in the Tay, but beyond that I could neither see nor learn anything of these birds or their where- abouts, and ultimately concluded that they had gone oft". In this, however, I was mistaken, for on the 29th of April a fine male, in splendid adult plumage, w r as killed in the estuary of the Tay. The bird is in my possession, and was examined by me while in the flesh. Mr. Patrick Henderson, Dundee, who also saw these ducks in the Tay last spring, has kindly informed me that other three specimens were killed in the estuary of that river in March last. All these birds were seen and examined by himself. He states that they were all females, but that he was once within thirty yards of a fine male, but could not pro- cure it. One of the above mentioned ducks was shot by Mr. The Scottish Naturalist. 5 1 Ross ; another by Captain Campbell ; and the third by Mr John Nelson, Dundee, to whose kindness I am indebted, not only for sending the particulars of the case, but, for forwarding the bird itself for my inspection. He says that, on the 16th of March last, he was in a boat on the river, about three miles below Tayport, and shot it while it was flying past him, at a distance of about seventy yards, going up the water. It is a fine female, in capital plumage, and although exceedingly like the female of the Eider, it maybe known from that species by its somewhat smaller size ; the head and neck are of a lighter brown shade, the bill is shorter, and its base rises higher be- hind the nostril. In my specimen of the male, all the variety and shades of colour in the plumage with which this beautiful species is decorated, and the whole general appearance of the bird, agree closely in the main with Mr. Gould's* splendid figure of a male of the King Duck, which, he says, was made for him by the celebrated Dr. Rae, while travelling in the Arctic regions in search of Sir J. Franklin. The chief difference observable between the two, when compared together, is, that in the figure, both the bill and the sides of the vertical protuberance on the upper part of its base are represented the same in colour, a darkish red. In my specimen the bill is of a deep red, and the sides of the basal protuberance are of a darkish orange yellow. In this it seems to accord with the example described by Dr. De Kay.t He states that the bill is reddish ; the ascending por- tion verging to orange. The colour of these parts may be ul- timately found to vary according to the season of the year in which the bird is obtained, and, not unlikely, the uniformity in colour represented in Mr Gould's figure may be an ornamental feature assumed during the breeding season. The stomach of my specimen was empty, with the exception of small angular fragments of pebble. The intestine was five feet eleven inches in length. I could only see one caecum, situated about two feet from the posterior extremity. The trachea, was in shape as represented in Sabine's figure in the Linnean Transactions. J The above is the second record, so far as I know, of an adult male of this species having been obtained in Britain * Birds of Great Britain. + Zoology of N. York, Birds. % Vol. 12. 52 The Scottish Naturalist. or Ireland. Specimens of the bird have been got two or three times in England, but it would appear that they were chiefly females. One was shot at Breydon, Norfolk, July, i8i3;§ another at Aldboroueh, Suffolk, 1827 ;|| and a third is recorded at Bedlington, Northumberland, 1846.* According to Mr. Gould,f it is reported to have occurred twice at Lowes- toft, somewhat recently. Mr. Stevenson, an excellent authority, is not disposed to consider these cases trustworthy. A female was procured in Leadenhall market, Nov., 1870. Mr. Thomson % records four examples of the King Duck shot in Ireland from 1837 to 1850. They seem to have been all either females or immature males. In Orkney, it would appear that this bird has been taken twice only. A specimen killed there was exhibited by Mr. Gould in Nov,. 1832, at a meeting of the Zoological Society of London ;§ and Mr. Gray|| stated that a female was shot amongst these islands, May, 1868, by Mr. Hargitt, London. Mr. Dunn* says he shot a King Drake out of a pair at Wens- dale Vol, Shetland, 20th April, 1846. Besides the above sum- mary of examples obtained, there are several records stating that the King Duck had been seen on our coasts. The King Duck apparently congregates in considerable num- bers in some parts of Greenland, and other places in the Arctic regions during the breeding seasonf; and when we bear in mind Holbcell's statement that it can dive to the depth of two hundred yards, using its wings for that purpose, and thus having facilities of procuring food at depths beyond the reach of most species, it might have been expected to frequent Iceland, and some other of the more northern parts, at least, of Europe for breeding pur- poses. Although it is stated by some authors that this duck nests in the above-mentioned places, recent researches, how- ever, throughout a considerable extent of these countries, have not as yet shown this to be the case. On the contrary, they have made it pretty evident that the bird is rather rarely met with anywhere in northern Europe. Mr. Wheelwright, % who spent ten years in Sweden, says he never heard of the King Duck visiting the coast of that country, except in an accidental §Yarrell, Brit. Birds. ||Mag. Nat. Hist., Vol. 4, 1831. *Zoologist, 1851. + Birds of G. Britain. + Nat. Hist. Ireland, Birds. § P. Z. S., 1832. || Birds of West of Scotland. * Zoologist, 1848. t Sir James C. Ross, Ap- pendix, 4c. % Ten years in Sweden. The Scottish Naturalist. 53 manner, nor did lie believe that it nested on any Scandi- navian coast. It is not included in his own list of the birds he observed in Lapland, § and in the list given by him of the ornithology around Vardol in East Finland, by the Rev. C. Sommerfeldt, it is said to be only occasionally seen in autumn. Mr. Dresser, || who also translates Sommerfeldt's list, gives simi- lar testimony in his notes, relative to the scarcity of the bird in that district. In the Fseroe Islands this duck has been procured several times ; but, according to Capt. H. W. Fieldin, there is no in- stance known of its having been found breeding there. % In Mr. Newton's * notes on the Ornithology of Iceland, he says the King Duck is rarely met with in that island, and can only be regarded as a straggler from Greenland or elsewhere. From Mr. Newton's t notes on the birds of Spitzbergen, which he visited in 1864, this duck would seem to be equally rare in that quarter, and although the species has been several times got, it is certainly not of common occurrence, neither does it appear to breed thereabout. He mentions two or three examples of the bird that were shot in the island, a number of years before his arrival, and Dr. Malmagren showed him a specimen that he had succeeded in shooting some little time before, in Safe Havera. The latter naturalist went to Spitzbergen, with the Swedish expedition, in 1862. He states that a considerable portion of the island was explored by the expedition, and not a King Duck seen, and he fancies it is rare everywhere in the country. Von Baer % includes this duck in his article on the birds of Nova Zembla, published in 1838. Mr. G. Gillett has given a more recent account of the birds of that quarter in the Ibis, 1870, but, as I have not been able to see this paper, I do not know whether or not it contains the bird in question. The King Duck is included in Reinhardt's list of the birds of Greenland, as well as in most of the prior works on the natural history of the arctic regions, where the species has no doubt its metropolis, and from whence the ' examples that occasionally visit the coasts of Europe and America evidently proceed. In North America, amongst other § Spring and Summer in Lapland. || Zoologist, 1867. % Zoologist, 1872. * Baring-Gould, Iceland, and Zoologist. + Ibis. % Bulletin l'Acad., St. Petersbourgh, III. 1838. 54 The Scottish Naturalist. places, it is stated to be not uncommon about Hudson's Bay and Labrador. According to Mr. Reeks, § it is tolerably common in Newfoundland during its migtations, and has been* frequently shot in company with the Eider. After this brief sketch of the geographical distribution of the King Duck, other questions of some interest are apt to suggest themselves, in connection with the irregular migrations of these, as well as of other birds, fishes, &c, hundreds of miles away from their recognised head-quarters, to places where some of them are not known to have occurred before, whilst others have only been observed occasionally at lbng intervals. Although these wanderings are performed by different classes of animals, it would appear to be mainly those who inhabit the same regions, who take to moving off at or about the same time. Do these migrations take place in obedience to an unknown — or in its operations, unrecognized — force- or law acting on the animals themselves ? If so, is it dynamical, mechanical, psychical in its nature, or what ? And if related to one or either, does it act at regular or irregular periods ? Observations from different parts of the world may by and bye — after we have got over the " straggler " theory — throw considerable light on the latter question. The former, however, may long remain somewhat inscrutable. St. Andrews, February, 1873. NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF THE BASS ROCK. By JAMES LUMSDEN, Jr. A VISIT to the Bass Rock, at any season, well repays the **■*■ the tourist. Its many associations give it a varied in- terest. There the antiquary, as well as the student of geology and ornithology, may find abundance to speculate on and in- terest them. But, however much the antiquary may be charmed with the remains of bye-gone days, or the geologist find subject for speculation in the formation of the rock, to the ornithologist it is of the greatest interest, as one of the chief breeding stations of the sea birds of our coast. § Zoologist, 1869. The Scottish Naturalist. 55 The bird best known in connection with the Bass is the Gannet or Solan Goose (Sula alba). The number of these birds which yearly frequent the rock has been estimated at 20,000. They remain only during the breeding season, and leave as soon as the young ones are able to fly, which is not till the end of September or October, — often, however, return- ing to inspect their home during winter. The young of the Gannet, when first hatched, are quite black and are more like frogs than birds. In the course of a week, however; they are covered with a thick white down. When they get their feathers they again change their colour, and for the first year are of a dark grey, with light spots. The second year the grey is mixed with white, which increases yearly until they reach their mature plumage, at the fourth year. The nests, which are built on ledges on the steepest sides of the rock, are formed of seaweed and grass, and so thickly are they placed, that, when the birds are sitting, the rock at a little distance looks quite white. The Herring Gull (Lams argejitatus) breeds in limited numbers on the Bass. When visiting the rock in August last (r-872 ■, we observed 8 or 10 old birds seated on a point of rock above the landing place. By that time the young had all left, and the return of those we saw was looked upon with satisfaction by the boatmen who accompanied us, as a sign that herring were plentiful in the Firth. The Kittiewake (Larus Iridactylus ) is very common ; its peculiar cry mingling not unpleasantly with the deeper note of the Gannets as they fly overhead, when frightened from their nests at the approach of an intruder. The Common Gull (Larus canus). Common, not only on the Bass, but on the east coast in general this bird is found in much greater numbers than on the west. # The Great Bla.ck- Backed Gull (Larus marinus) fre- quents the rock in limited numbers, but its smaller connection, The Lesser Black-Backed Gull (Larus fuscus) is far from uncommon, attracted no doubt by the numbers of Razor- bill and Gulliemot eggs, for which it has a' decided liking. The Common Gulliemot ( Uria troile) is very abundant and equals, if not excels, the numbers even of the Solan Geese. 5 6 The Scottish Naturalist. They breed along the foot of the rock, but leave in July, as soon as the young are able to go with them. The Ringed Gulliemot ( Uria lachrymam) has been ob- served on the rock, but is rather a scarce species. The Black Gulliemot ( Uria grylle) has been obtained on several occasions in the neighbourhood, but we have no authority for stating that it breeds on the Bass. - The Razor-bill (Alca tor da) is very common, arriving and departing along with the Gulliemots. The Little Auk (Mergulus melanaleucos) has been several times observed, at various seasons of the year, and we have seen specimens taken on the coast in the neighbourhood of the Bass after severe storms. The Puffin (Fratercula arctica) is common, breeding in holes in the rock. They swim about in small flocks, but are easily frightened by the approach of a boat. The Common Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax carbo) and the Shag (Phalacrocorax graculus) are found roosting on the rock in large numbers in the autumn evenings, coming, no doubt, from considerable distances to the shelter of the cave. The Peregrine Falcon ( Falco peregri?ius •). The Bass has for many years been frequented by Peregrines, which find suitable nesting places on the steep ledges of the rock, and abundance of prey in the Gulliemots and other sea birds. In the breeding season of 1872, we observed a male Falcon seated on a sharp point of rock, unconcerned, and undisturbed, amid the din of thousands of Gannets and Gulls flying around him. The above is by no means a complete catalogue of the birds of the Bass, but only notes of those observed or heard of from authentic sources, while visiting this interesting spot. On the top, the Blackbird and Wheatear are often to be met with, while the cave or tunnel which runs through the rock is the retreat of Rock Doves. Those ornithologists who have not yet been on the Bass, have for themselves a pleasure in store, and we know of no way of spending a holiday better than in visiting the rock during the breeding season. Arden House, Alexandria, December, 1872. The Scottish Naturalist. 57 Tengmalm's Owl ( Strix Tei/gmalmi). — There was a specimen of this rare British bird, caught by a fisherman, on the sea coast, at Greenses Harbour, Berwick, on the 4th February, 1873 ; it was kept alive till the 8th, when it died. Naturalists differ as to which is the longest feather in the wing of this species ; the following are the relative lengths of the primaries in this specimen, which is a young female. — the third is the longest, the fourth one-tenth of an inch shorter, the second one-fourth, the fifth three-eighths, the sixth three-fourths, the first and the eighth are equal, being one inch and three-eighths shorter than the third. Length from head to tail, ten inches; expanse of wings one foot nine and a-half inches. This is the third rare bird got in the vicinity of Berwick, in little over three months, viz., a Turtle Dove, (see ''Scottish Naturalist," page 10); a young Night Heron, on 5th December, 1872, which cannot be claimed as a Scottish specimen, as it was shot south of- the Tweed ;" and the present instance. All three are preserved for the Natural History Collection of the Berwick Museum. Hobby ( ' Fako subbuteoj. — There was an adult male found dead (it had been shot), in Bowmont Forest, on the 4th of June, 1870. By being found there at that date, may they not have been breeding there? Morris says, " It does not appear to be known in Scotland." Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorusj. — The under-keeper at Newtondon shot a very fine specimen there, on the 22d of May, 1865. — Id. Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus). — There was a fine female of this, now very rare, British bird, shot by Mr. Henderson, East Gordon, at Rumbleton Law, 25th December, 1871. Great Spotted Woodpecker ( ' Picus major). — Several specimens of this bird w r ere shot in this district during the autumn and winter of 1868, and spring of 1869. Spotted Crake (Crex porzana). — One shot at Graden Moss, 19th October, 1868. Canada Goose ( Anser Canadensis). — There was a large flock of these birds in this district, during the winter and spring of 1866-7, hut the only speci- mens I am aware of having been obtained, were shot by Mr. Cowe of Dowlaw, who shot five of them on the 14th May, 1867. Smew ( ' Mergus albellus). — A pair of these birds, of which the male only was shot, were observed on a pond near Kelso, 26th January, 1869. It was an adult in fine plumage.— Andrew Brotherston, Kelso. Hybrid between a Black-cock and a Capercailzie.— A specimen of this rare hybrid having been sent to Mr. Robb, stuffer to the Museum of the University, here, I had the pleasure of examining it. It was shot by the game- keeper to Mr. Duff, M.P., Fetteresso, on his property on the 26th October last. These birds are very rare in this country, although they seem to be rather common in Sweden ; according to Yarrell, they were common at one time in Scotland, along with the cock of the woods. This hybrid receives various names, Tetrao medius, Tetrao hybridus, Urogallus hybridus, and in Sweden it is known as Rackbhauen. — H. O. Forbes, Aberdeen, November, 1872. Nesting of the Hedge Accentor (Accentor modularis) in the Outer Hebrides. — This species has not hitherto, I believe, been recorded as nesting in the Outer Hebrides. At all events Mr. A. G. More, in his paper on the Distri- 58 The Scottish Naturalist. bution of Birds in Britain during the nesting-season, does not include it among those breeding in sub-province 36 ; I was therefore much pleased at finding a nest near Loch Maddy in North Uist. on May 14, 1872, The old birds were hoppiug about close by and repeatedly carried food to the nest, which was placed about 3 feet from the gr und, in a wall built of turfs, and contained three young ones I watched the parent birds for some time, and on several oc- casions, through a powerful glass, so as to make quite sure of the species. This was the only nest found, but several birds were seen singly and in pairs, both at Loch Maddy and at Tarbert in Harris.— H. Jenner Fust, Jun., Hill Court, Falfield. Eagle Owl in Perthshire.— At a recent meeting of the Glasgow Natural History Society, Mr. Robert Gray communicated a note from Mr. M'Leay, Inverness, regarding the occurrence of an Eagle Owl (Bubo maximusj in Perthshire. It was shot near Pitlochry last January. ON CERTAIN PROBABLE SCOTTISH TORTRICES. By CHARLES G. BARRETT. A SUGGESTION has been made to me that a notice of **■ some of the species of Tortrices which might reasonably be expected to occur in Scotland, but which have not yet been found in the British Islands, may be useful as a hint to Scottish entomologists what to look for. A few remarks upon the rarer northern species which have already been discovered, may also be acceptable. Halonota sublimana H.S. A pretty species, but suffi- ciently near to H. cirsiana and trigemi?iana to be readily over- looked. Taken on the Continent on high mountains among juniper, in July. , Sericoris turfosana H.S. About the size of lacunana, but with narrower wings ; "silvery grey with dark fasciae. Found on peat swamps, among young firs. Stigmonota scopariana H.S. A pretty, dark species, with bright silvery streaks beyond the middle of the fore-wings, about the size of Stig. internana. Found among Spartium (broom), in April and May, the larva feeding in the seeds. Stigmonota duim.icwa X t A handsome species allied to coniferana, but much irger. '• Taken in June and July, especially in mountainous districts ; the larva from autumn to May, in the bark of spruce fir." — Heinemann. The Scottish Naturalist. 59 Retinia posticana Zett. Found in Northern Europe, in June and July ; probably a fir-feeding species, Steganoptycha ericetana H.S. (Not Orthotcenia ericetana West.) Also found generally in Northern Europe. " End of May, and in June, among birches." — Heinemann. Of species already recorded as British the following are well worthy of special attention : — Hypermecia augustana Hub. Very few specimens have yet been taken here, and these all in the north. It seems to occur among sallow, like its congener cruciana, and it is desir- able that both species should, if possible, be collected freely in Scotland, in order to settle the still existing doubt whether they are, or are not, distinct. Penthina Grevillana Curt. This species is apparently excessively rare. Dr. Buchanan White has taken one or two specimens on the mountains, and Curtis's came from Suther- land shire. Its long fore-wings black for three-fourths of their length, and with pointed apex, make it a striking and notice- able species. Penthina Staintoniana mihi. Also a rare species, occurring among Arctostaphylos uva-ursi on the mountains. Allied to sauciana and Grtvillatia. The apical pale portion of the fore-wings is suffused with creamy or pink, and the apex truncate. Dicrorampha herbosana mihi. I think this will prove to be common in the north, and to have been generally mistaken for phi7nbaga?ia. It flies among grass and low plants. Leptogramma Scotana Gn. ( Treveriana W.V.J A fine and handsome species, formerly taken in September and October in Perthshire, when it was beaten out of birch. Probably its habit is to sit on the trunk or branches.* Peronea lipsiana. Schiff. Among Vaccinium myrtillus and Vitis-idcea, probably best collected in the larva state. Mixodia Bouchardana Dbld. Among fir, apparently rare, and the larva unknown. Stigmonota cosmophorana Treit. Among young firs ; a small species, easily overlooked. *-I have taken a few specimens in Perthshire and Ross-shire, and suspect that it may be attached to aspen. — Editor. 60 The Scottish Naturalist. Stigmonota pygm/Eana Hub. There are only two speci- mens of this species recorded as British, and without locality. As it is a fir-feeding species, they may have been'obtained from Scotland. It flies in April among spruce fir. Retinia retinella. ) These two species seem confined to „ duplana. J the north, the latter being as yet very rare, but most probably the larvae or pupae of both might be found more commonly in the shoots of young fir trees in the spring. When the young shoots are growing, those which are stunted or distorted should be examined. Duplana, however, flies in April and May, so that its larva must feed up early like that of Turionafia. Sericoris Daleana. I Further information respecting these „ irriguana. J two species, and long series of both, are most desirable, since they belong to a most difficult group of closely allied species, and are not yet satisfactorily determined. The latter species seems to frequent high moun- tain districts. It may be well to say a word respecting the best method of collecting Tortrices, so that time may not be wasted in finding out their habits. Many species fly irt the bright sunshine, and for these a sheltered spot and the bright sun is all that is wanted, but the great majority love to fly in the latter part of the afternoon, and are very partial to warm still weather. It can hardly have escaped notice that, after a steady breeze, or even a strong wind, all day, it is not uncommon for the wind to fall towards 5 or 6 o'clock in the afternoon, till there is an almost total calm. This is the time to collect Tortrices. It is the very opportunity for which they have been waiting, and they seize it to fly abroad ; and, as different groups of species choose different hours of flight, there is in such an evening plenty of employment until dusk. In the case of fir-feeders, however, this weather is rather tantalizing, as it induces them to fly high. They should be beaten out of the sheltered side of the trees, or collected when flying low, in warm windy weather. As there are so many hard working and energetic entomolo- gists in Scotland, I sincerely hope that they may be induced to turn a little more attention to the Tortrices, and that they may The Scottish Naturalist. 61 be rewarded by making the acquaintance of many of the inter- esting species which I have enumerated. Any information respecting their habits, larvae, or food-plants, will be most ac- ceptable to me. 5J3eigham Road, Norwich. Tenthredinidae in the Glenelg Valley, Inverness-shire.— In June, 1872, I spent twelve days # in the little village of Glenelg, which is situated at the mouth of the beautiful valley of that name, and directly opposite the Island of Skye. My principal object was the investigation of its Hymenopterous Fauna, but the extraordinarily wet weather that prevailed during my stay rendered my efforts almost fruitless in this respect. I had only one entire dry day, and on the other days the rain poured down in torrents, making collecting nearly impossible. This will account for the following meagre list of species, most of which were cap- tured by beating the bushes under the rain. The district seems to all appearance to be an excellent one, and well worthy of being visited by an entomologist. The neighbourhood of Loch Hourn would probably be the most productive hunting-ground, as the vegetation is of a more varied nature, besides being much more densely wooded. Unfortunately, w r hen I was there the rain came down with extra violence, and quite prevented me exploring its — at present unknown — Insect Fauna. All the species men- tioned below are commonly distributed, but as nothing has been written upon the Scotch Tejithredinidcc, the list may not be without interest to the few who study that family. Trichiosonia lucorum Lin. — A very small variety was caught ovipositing in a sallow bush, on the hills above Loch Duich, at an elevation of 1,100 feet. Abia nitens Lin. — Common on sallow bushes. Athalia roscz Lin. — Common on the rose. Blcnnocampa fuscipoinis Fallen.— Common. Selan- dria stamincipes Kl. — Got commonly by sweeping herbage. Poecilosoma impressa Kl. — Not common. Strongylogaster eborinus Kl. — Common on sallow bushes. This species was recorded as "new to Britain" in the last number of the "Scottish Naturalist" which is not correct, as it had been previously reported in the British Museum Catalogue. S. cuigulatus Fab. — Taken not rarely by sweeping ferns ; nq males were seen. Pachy- protasis rapa: Lin. — Abundant everywhere. P. antennata Kl. — Common. P. simntans Kl. — Not so common as the last. P. variegata Kl. — A single specimen. Taxonus ? — A small black species, probably .5^. nov.— one specimen. Allantus nothns Kl. — Abundant everywhere. Perineitra (Ten- thredo) brevispina Thorns. — Very common and variable. P. (T.) excisa Thorns. — Rare. P. (T.) nassata Lin., Thorns.— Very rare. These three species are included by Klug and Hartig in their T. histabilis which has been separated as above by the learned Swede. Our species require verification. P. (T.J punctulata Kl. — One example. Tenthredo olivacea Kl. — Abundant. T. scalaris Kl. — Very common, and as usual variable. 6 2 The Scottish Naturalist. According to Thomson this is the true viridis of Linne. T. mesomcla Thorns. — Not common. This is the viridis of authors. T. livida Lin. — Common on the flower of the raspberry. T. vclox Fab. — One specimen. T. balteata Kl.— Common through the valley. T. rufiuentris Fab. — One specimen. Nematus gallicola West. — Common in one locality. -In ad- dition to the above, sundry species were captured belonging to the genera Nematus and Dolerus, which stand over for further examination. Among other Hymenoptera, were, besides some other Bees, two examples of the rare Nomada xauthosticta. The "Currant Galls" of Spathegaster baccarum were extremely abundant on some oaks at Glenshiel, as well as at Loch Hourn, and the insects themselves were equally numerous. The galls of Teras terminalis were likewise observed. Formica ruta inhabited the woods at Loch Hourn, and constructed its nests principally of ferns and heather leaves. The " Burnet" Moth ( ' Ino statices) appeared in hundreds on the only day the sun was visible, and was found throughout all the valley, either flying very slowly, or oftener at rest on shrubs. All the specimens were remarkable for their size, and for the brilliancy of their colours. Two beetles, Dascillus cervinus and Phyllopcrtha hordeola, were so abun- dant as to be a perfect pest. The former insect had, when handled alive, a very bad odour. A short visit to Skye yielded nothing new ; the rain preventing anything being done. The leaf galls of Spath. baccarum were very numerous on some stunted oaks, scarcely two feet high. The only Saw-fly noticed was T. olivaca. And thus ended my far from pleasant holiday.- — P. Cameron Jr., 136 W. Graham Street, Glasgow. Capture of Lyda erythrocephala at Itannoch.— Among some Tenthre- dinidce given me by Mr J. J. King, and taken by him at Rannoch, was a single example of the rare and beautiful Saw-fly, Lyda erythrocephala. — Id. Note on the Larva of Synergus. — I have on various occasions opened the galls of Cynips divisa and found them tenanted not by that fly or its larvae, but by two larvae of a Synergus. The two nearly filled the gall, one being placed at each end, and what was to me rather strange, they were separated from each other by a thin semi-transparent white partition of silk, stretched across it from side to side, and dividing it into two distinct portions. Generally , the silk is stretched exactly across the centre, in other cases it divides it into two unequal parts, one large the other small ; and in one instance I found three larvae in one gall, one of them being at one end, enclosed in a space of its own size ; but as a rule, the creatures have enough room to move about. I have also noticed that the galls inhabited by these larvae have the hole slightly smaller, and its sides inside "not so regular and smooth as those inhabited by the larva of the legitimate owner, which exactly fills it. How the silk partition was constructed, whemer it was spun by one larva, or if it was the joint work of both, I have no evidence, but the subject is certainly worth the attention of the enquiring na- turalist. It is a common occurrence to find one, two, three, or even four para- sites in one of these galls, but, with the exception of the species mentioned above, in all the cases observed by me they lay in a heap together without any separation. The Synergus is supposed to feed, not on the constructor of the The Scottish Naturalist. 63 gall, but on the gall itself, but the two never, so far as 1 am aware, come to ma- turity together. From observations I have made during the past season I have no doubt whatever but that the Cynips is destroyed either.in the e^g or as a very- young larva, and that the " guest ' gall fly lives on ihe juices of the gall, but in what manner the host is killed I could not discover. May it not be destroyed by the female Synergus when she is depositing her eggs in the gall.- Id. Biorhiza renum H., near Glasgow —The galls of Biorkiza re/fum, H. are abundant in the woods near Glasgow. Cynips radicis, Fab. also occurs. — Id. Two New British. Hemiptera.— [ captured in Braemar, in 1871, two bugs which I suspected were additions to the British list, as they did not agree with the descriptions of any recorded British species. I have lately taken Mr. J. W. Couglas s four great British authority on these insects) opinion, and he informs me that they may probably be referred to Salda viargi/ie/la H.S. and Phytocoris pini Kirschb. — F. Buchanan White. Hemiptera in Harris. — During a visit to Tarbert in Harris, in the spring of 1872, I took on 25th April, Corixa Scotti (abundantly), Gerris costce, and Velia currens. — H. Tenner Fust, Junr., Hill Court Gloucestershire. Dicrorampha herbosana Barrett, an additio to the Scotti hList. - I captured this insect in considerable numbers during the month of Julv, 1872, on the Gienniffer Braes near Paisley. It has also been taken on the hills above Port Glasgow by Mr Peebles, and in the neighbourhood of Glasgow by Mr. King. I might also mention that I have taken a second specimen of Mixodia Bouchardana in a pine wood near Paisley- John Dunsmore, Castlehead, Paisley. Sericomyia superbiens Miller —This insect is not indicated as occurring in Scotland by Mr Walker in his work on British Diptera. I captured one in the month of August seven or eight years ago, at Woodhouselea in the Pent- lands. The only other place I have caught it was in the English Lake district. — R. C. R. Jordan, Edgbaston, Birmingham, 26th Feb. MEMOIRS ON SCOTTISH DIPTERA. By JAMES HARDY. No. VI.-ANTHOMYIA MITIS Meigen ? (The Dock-leaf Miner.) "TOURING the summer, large blanched or withered spaces ^■^ are conspicuous everywhere on the upper surface of the leaves of the common dock (Rumex obtusijolius J, which when closely inspected are perceived to arise from the detachment of the cuticle, and the destruction of the subjacent layer of green matter ; while the inferior portion of the leaf remains unaltered. In these blotches the loose skin is slightly puffed up by the 64 The Scottish Naturalist. air that has obtained admittance within, into irregular eleva- tions ; which, taken along with their seared tint and irregular outline, might induce one unaware of the mode in which they were produced, to infer that the leaves had been injured by the application of some hot or acrid substance. But this is not the origin of these striking appearances ; for it is, in reality, owing to the operations of a company of maggots of a Dipterous fly, about the size of the smallest of the common house flies, and not very unlike to it in general aspect. The parent fly deposits her ova at short distances from each other on the upper sur- face of the leaves ; and the maggots, when hatched, immediately proceed to scoop out and devour the green substance amidst which they find themselves placed ; where, working forwards in drifts, that gradually enlarge with their growth and capabilities of eating, these at length become connected in one wide area, round whose borders the busy occupants continue to ply their vocation, apparently unaware of each other's proximity, and acting without concert in the common field whose limits are only determined by the outline of the foliage. These excavated spaces vary in dimensions. The indwellers sometimes after raising a small blister desert it for another habitation ; or, after entirely consuming the contents of the upper surface of one leaf, proceed, to attack in a similar manner another conve- niently accessible. Where the attacks have been only partial, but frequently repeated, the leaves are much disfigured, and the blotches appear like foul eruptions breaking forth from every part. In some instances we meet with only a solitary occupant, and this is generally the case with the sorrel (Rumex acctosa J, which is mined by the same sort of maggot. In the long leaf of the curled dock ( Ramex crispus), the central portion is the most liable to be eaten out. When this happens, the thin filmy skin is left nearly unbroken, stretchecT between the oblique sides of the leaf, and looks like a large scald, extending from the base to the tip. When fresh, the detached cuticle is white, particularly in the sorrel, variously defiled with green stains, and the ejecta of the miner, but at length it becomes of a pale brown. Its thinness sometimes enables one to trace the outline of the inmates beneath ; in other instances we can only detect their situation, by passing the finger over the surface. The Scottish Naturalist. 65 The anterior end of the miner is tapered to a fine point, like that of the maggot of the flesh-fly, and is provided with two hard black hooks, bent downwards, which supply the weapon by which it separates the cuticle, and triturates the parenchyma into a pulp suitable for deglutition. These appear to be put into exercise by the repeated movements to and fro of the head; and the leaf by their means is literally flayed, in the same manner as the hide of an animal is detached by the knife of the butcher. If the body is watched while the maggot is at work, there is observable a continued equal moving backwards and forwards, like a reiterated pulsation, which may facilitate the transmission of the food through the simple alimentary passages. One, taken out of its chamber, felt little difficulty in selecting a new residence, and soon again put itself under cover. With little restraint upon their voracity, from the ample scope afforded, these maggots when in large assemblages of from eight to a dozen (from four to six is a common number) will consume the substance of about one fourth of the upper layer of a leaf during a day ; and although I have not attended to their proceedings from the commencement, they unquestion- ably, from their almost unintermitted exertions, attain a rapid development. In the fields I find the fly about the end of May, and in some seasons I observe that the docks are affected with the young maggots about the 2nd or 3rd of June. Those I had under my observation were obtained on the 6th of July ; and were placed in a tumbler inserted over a flower-pot con- taining soil. Most of them had buried themselves in the earth before the 17th, having been pretty well full-fed previous to my confining them. The first fly appeared on the 6th of August ; two came out on the 7th ; and others in succession. This brood gives rise to a second race of maggots, which continue to feed till winter closes in when they betake themselves to their brumal retreat, are converted into pupae, and eventually in spring, when the season admits, become the progenitors of an issue as numerous as the first. Several of the flies, however, were not so speedy in making their exit, but remained in the pupa state, till the time of their vernal revivescence. This was about the 7th of May in the ensuing season. Those that came forth in August, and in the early part of next season, were chiefly males ; the females were later in arriving at the perfect 66 The Scottish Naturalist. state. It may be easily understood, how, as is generally the case with insects, the male thus anticipate the females ; being of less bulk, they will be more quickly fed, and will on this account precede the other sex in arriving at a state of quiescence, whereas the females, being more robust, will require a longer period for being satiated. The maggot is yellowish-white, sometimes slightly dusky in the middle anteriorly, owing to the food shining through, and occasionally reddish-brown posteriorly; elongate fusiform, rather attenuated towards the fore end; the posterior apical segment less broad than the preceding, truncate ; the segments very distinctly separated, slightly ventricose ; with a longitudi- nal series of shallow depressions along each side ; two fibre- like white tracheae distinctly visible, somewhat converging pos- teriorly, where they terminate in two closely approximated tubercles, each capped by a chestnut plate (stigmata) situated a little below the tumid superior margin of the apical trunca- tion ; widening out anteriorly, and then again drawing near to each other behind the head, and descending to the sides, where their opening is indicated by two ovate chestnut scales, one on each side, near the base of the second segment ; mouth pro- vided with two black corneous hooks, contractile within the next segment ; truncate end descending rather abruptly, tri- angulate-conic, a transverse wrinkle beneath the stigmata, fol- lowed by a ridge, which offers from four to six minute elevations, beneath this it contracts into a double tubercle, the substitute for a proleg, behind which there are two slight tubercula on each side of a slit ; the middle of the ventral rings closely striolate across. Length from 2 to 3 lines. The pupa-case is formed of the indurated skin of the maggot, and may be considered as a self-constructed cast of the body, several of whose distinguishing features it still exhibits. It is of a brown colour, and is oblong oval, the posterior end being rather nar- rowest, crossed with rather close fine ridges, somewhat roughish or granulated on the inferior surface ; a row of slight hollows along the sides, below and above ; the anterior end with a lamella at each angle, with the interval between them rugose ; the first three segments keeled at the sides, with a depression along their superior edges; the posterior apical segment smallest, roundish at the apex and rugose, bearing a pair of sub-conical The Scottish Naturalist. 67 divergent rough processes, each of which is surmounted by a plate which is separated into three divisions ; a depression be- hind these, succeeded by a rugulose ridge, posterior to which there is a longitudinal depression, that intersects four slight elevations, of which the two uppermost are placed apart. Length 2 lines. The fly is the Anthomyia mitis of Meigen, Europ. Zweif. Ins. v. 183, 173. Pegomyia mitis, Macquart, Hist. Ins. Dipt. (Suites a Buffon) ii. 351, 2. The male has the face of a shining silky white, viewed in front, but ferruginous when looked at laterally ; the frontal band ferruginous, two shining white spots above the antennae ; margins of the eyes narrowly silken white, eyelet triangle, black with grey reflections, bearing a few black hairs, as do the sides of the frontal band, the borders of the mouth, and the hinder rim of the head ; eyes nearly meeting above, reddish-brown, or brown, naked ; antennae, with the two basal joints ferruginous, the third oblong, black ; the seta naked, black ; trunk ferruginous, darker along the middle ; palpi nar- row, scarcely spathulate, with the apices black, the remainder ferruginous. Thorax light grey, scarcely bluish grey, with very obsolete longitudinal duskier lines, and several rows of black spots, giving rise to a longish pubescence; scutellum and meta- thorax concolorous, the former with a few long stiff hairs. Ab- domen narrow, cylindric, with the tip blunt and rounded, shining ferruginous, with a white reflection, with scattered black hairs, and others in rows at the tips of the segments ; a very obscure dorsal line ; the upper part of the penultimate segment some- times of greyish black ; apex beneath with pubescent not very prominent appendages ; belly with a few radiating hairs on the centre of each segment. Legs ferruginous with black pubes- cence ; the fore coxae very fine whitish caesious, and the fore femora slaty in front and on the sides ; tarsi black ; claws dirty whitish. Poisers ferruginous at the base, their tips white ; yellow after death j wing-scales small, white ; wings clear, the base of the nervures near it somewhat rusty or yellowish, the costa bristled, without a costal spine ; the small cross nervure slanted ; the second upright, not quite straight. Length 2% lines. In the female the frontal space is wide, the band orange or ferruginous, with a white linear margin next the eyes ; eyelet triangle grey, darker in the centre ; thorax fine caesious grey, without traces 68 The Scottish Naturalist. of lines, prettily marked with rows of hair-bearing points ; ab- domen narrowish ovate, the tip finely tapered, shining tes- taceous, with some duskier tints, and the base sub-cinereous ; legs as in the male ; wings more ample than in the male ; the second cross nervure slighly crooked ; length 2^; expanse of the wings 5^ — 6 lines. A small variety of the male, which came out during the spring, differs in having the antennae and palpi entirely black ; the thorax darker, the abdomen shorter, of a faint testaceous hue and less shining ; the fore thighs dusky, not so bright slaty ; the wings shorter, the second cross nervure straight, and not so far apart from the first ; length 1 % ; expanse of the wings 4 lines. This dwarf condition may have arisen from a de- ficiency of nourishment during the maggot state. •. Meigen ascribes to A. mitis a black frontal band, ferruginous palpi and black antennae ; but out of the large number that I have reared, not one corresponds to this character, excepting the last variety in one particular. An English specimen, how- ever, taken in the open air, agrees with Meigen's characters, the reared specimens appear thus to constitute a distinct variety, which may be named A. mitis, var. rumicis. Mr Walker in his " List of specimens of Dipterous Insects in the British Museum" (1849) p. 922, has doubtingly united A. mitis with A. bicolor, but having reared both species from different plants, and with evident tokens of dissimilarity, I cannot subscribe to his opinion. A. mitis is infested with an Ichneumonideous parasite, while in the pupa state ; and the same species attacks A. bicolor. This species also, at least judging from the maggot and pupa case, occasionally mines in the leaves of the Coltsfoot ( Tussila- go farfard). I have also found the maggot of a Trypeta feeding upon them, but did not succeed in rearing the fly of either. POLARITY IN THE GEOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF GENERA AND ITS CAUSE. By the Rev. J. WAR DROP. A CCORDING to this generalisation, the greatest numbers of organic forms generically different are found at the TJie Scottish Naturalist. 69 two extremes of the geological series. The energy of the genus- producing power, whatever that was, manifested itself, not with an- altogether irregular intensity throughout the geological for- mations, nor with an intensity ever regularly increasing or de- creasing from the beginning onwards, but with such a sort of regulated variation that there is a maximum intensity at the epochs farthest removed from each other, the Silurian and the Tertiary, whilst from these two poles of time it diminishes towards the Permian and Triassic formations in which at last it dwindles to a minimum. Such is the simple sense of the some- what abstruse looking formula, Polarity in the Geological dis- tribution of Genera. That some very observable variation in the numbers of types produced at different times should occur, would be, on Dar- winian principles for instance, not surprising, but rather matter of anticipation. If diversification of structure and of type at all depend on natural causes originating anyhow in the conditions of life, it clearly follows that, unless the conditions of life have throughout the successive ages operated with a rigid uniformity of preponderance, there must have been some amount and order of difference in the comparative numbers of generically different organisms produced in the periods. The facts might furnish an argument in either of two directions. If physical geology should establish that the conditions operating to the transmutation of type had a varying preponderance of influence throughout the different periods, the consequence would be in- ferrible that there would be a corresponding difference in the production of generic forms. Similarly, in the reverse order of inference, if an inequality were observed in the proportionate numbers of genera, such as for instance a maximum production at one time, and a minimum at another, we would be entitled to seek the cause of this in a corresponding variation in the influencing conditions. Now this theory of Polarity, so called, affirms that an augmented production of generically different types has marked the origin and the close of the history of organic life. The questions that arise are of course these two, — First, Is the fact so ? And, second, Can it be accounted for on Darwinian or any other principles ? The designation employed is borrowed from the physical sciences. It is used here in a sense only analogous to that which it bears there. 70 The Scottish Naturalist. There are other manifestations of a polar arrangement of phenomena in organic nature. The force that developes the two organic kingdoms as a whole, operates, after a sort in a polar manner. Thus the vegetable kingdom does not pass over at the point of its highest development into the animal, so as to present continuity of rise from the lowest vegetable to the highest animal. Quite the reverse. Both the vegetable and the animal series setting out from a point at which development is at a minimum, and where the two are all but, or altogether, confounded, graduate therefrom in opposite directions, diverg- ing as they ascend each in the scale of organisation in its own sphere, till they reach their respective goals of perfection at the farthest possible remove from each other. The highest plants, not the lowest, are the farthest separated from the highest animals. The two kingdoms culminate at opposite poles. It was Fries, the Swedish botanist that introduced the idea and the term "polarity" into biological science. And this, I believe, was one of his instances. It was Ed. Forbes who first, and I may say, last, suggested the same relation as a generali- sation of palaeontological facts. Arranging the geological formations into two great groups, the Palaeozoic and the Neo- zoic, he found the following contrast between the two, — "The maximum development of genuine types during the Palaeozoic period was during its earlier epochs ; that during the Neozoic periods, towards its later epochs." Such are his words. If in this he has hit on a true reading of the facts, that supreme two- fold division of the formations, Palaeozoic and Neozoic, would be established on the ground of numerical as well as structural relations between the respective organic types of the two series, that is to say, on variation in the intensity of the -force diversi- fying organic forms, as well as on the variety of its products. Before proceeding to inquire into the truth of such a theory as this, one is almost tempted to put the question, is it pro- posed in sober earnest ? Or, taking it to have been held seriously (and of that there was never a doubt,) is it not, especially when looked at in view of the author's well known scientific proclivities, of a character to suggest that there may be more of theorising enthusiasm to be expected in it, than either of sober investigation or of inductive truth? " Forbes," says his biographer ; " had a love for broad and often poetic generalisa.- The Scottish Naturalist. 71 tions," and of this feature of his scientific character the present 4 theory is instanced as a signal example. Yet Forbes himself says, "in issuing it, I do so keeping in view a vast number of individual facts, and base it on the results of investigations of no small extent." To lay these before the scientific world in detailed or tabulated shape will be the work," he added, "of more leisure than can at present be given to the task." That leisure never came. We may say of him, adopting the language of Geikie in reference to Jukes, who left behind him similarly a newly originated but unproven view of the Devonian rocks, that he was removed from among us before he had time adequately to work out the views which he had sketched. He was a trained and most skilful adept in Palaeontology, and though his suggestion has not been adopted by the general body of geologists, there must still linger in many minds the convic- tion that a view which had recommended itself to so earnest and experienced a palaeontologist is well worthy of serious con- sideration. It is true that Forbes in his theorising soared high ; but, though it may be that he had to struggle with a tendency to indulge "the use," rather than to observe " the limit of the imagination in science," it is also true that he had the keenest sense for facts and unrivalled powers of observation, and that he seldom soared on a foolish or a fruitless flight. It would be strange indeed if this polar arrangement should to his practised eye have seemed a true reading of nature, whilst it had no actual standing in fact at all. At all events, stand or fall it must, according as the facts shall be found to determine. It is the facts on which it pro- fesses to build that can alone be made the means of its removal. It must be accurately apprehended in its own terms in the first place, and then in those terms shown to be an inaccurate inter- pretation of nature. Now the only criticisims, or at least the principal ones that I have seen, those of Pictet and Wallace, both follow close on Forbes's proposal, and the latter, re- peated afresh last year, are certainly chargeable, so far, with an inexact apprehension of the doctrine they deal with ; and curiously, with that kind of misapprehension, against which its author gave a special caution. It is to be observed that the theory makes no affirmation about the amount of life, in indi- viduals or in species, at any epoch on the earth. The number 72 The Scottish Naturalist. of genera, at any time, is no test of the numbers of either specific or individual life at that time extant. And the general- isation is relative solely to generic numbers. " The number of species in a group at any given epoch," says Forbes, " is to be excluded, not being an element in the discussion, though apt to be introduced through mistake of the generalisation attempted to be attained." The criticisms of Pictet and Wallace, for one thing, do not keep generic diversity exclusively in view, and are therefore thus far irrelevant. From the grounds recently proposed and widely accepted as to the origination of the forms of living beings, it might be thought that this theory would have very unsafe footing, or in- deed be an impossible one, inasmuch as its author held to the independent creation and permanent distinction of species. Doubtless such was his view. A species was to him a group of individual beings not only morphologically identical, but connected genealogically, being of one blood, and that blood such as had never run, and never should run, in the veins of another species. A genus correspondingly was a group of species allied by certain structural affinities. It was an idea which the Creator realised or expressed and embodied variously in the various species which are classed under it. Whether those views would have held their ground with Forbes in the revolutionary times to which a longer life would have intro- duced him is hard to say. But polarity does not stand or fall with them. They are not essential to it, though they formed with it part of the scientific furniture of the same mind, and were therefore readily wrought up with it, whether necessary or not. It can be expressed equally well in terms of the Darwinian hypothesis, — in which hypothesis moreover we shall bye-and-bye try to find its physical explanation. Either Forbes or Darwin could use the following language, and it describes the law of polarity perfectly, the force that operates to the production of organic types differing to the degree of generic distinctness (be that force natural selection with the the one theorist, or the Creator's immediate power with the other) manifested itself in maximum energy in the earliest and latest ages of geological time. What may be the genus-pro- ducing power is plainly indifferent to this generalisation, which deals solely with the results of its work. And this leads to The Scottish Naturalist. 73 another remark in caveat of mistaken criticism. Polarity- broaches no physical theory. It is simply an empirical law, or law of observation, declaring that the facts are so-and-so, but saying nothing as to why they are. Therefore, when Mr. Wallace speaks of it as " a hypothesis put forward to account for the abundance of generic forms at an early period and at present," and as " a cause so obscure and hypothetical," and so on, he is in a second point wide of the mark. Polarity is no " occult cause " suggested for any phenomena. It is no cause at all. It only affirms a certain arrangement of the phenomena concerned. It is the mode of the operation of some cause. It is an effect needing itself by some cause to be accounted for. Nay, as we shall bye-and-bye find, we may turn on Mr. Wallace and ask, Is not the vera causa, called Natural Selec- tion, of which part paternity is due to you, the very cause that will account for it? But before bringing polarity and natural selection further into line with each other, there is another objection alleged by Mr. Wallace, that would effectually save any trouble about a physical cause of the arrangement which Forbes thought he had observed. " I would, also," says Mr. Wallace, " suggest some reasons against the very nature of the theory of Professor Forbes." These reasons are tantamount to the well-known objection often drawn against other positions, from the incompleteness of the palseontological record. Polarity, he says, assumes the com- pleteness of our knowledge of the life that has existed on the earth, an assumption fatal to it, for that knowledge is infmitesim- ally small. Now, as the theory professes to rest on the facts that are known — to be a reading of the data actually in hand — it would have been relevant and effective criticism to have shown that these known facts do not countenance the theory, or that they are misinterpreted by it. But Mr. Wallace does not proceed in that manner. He appeals against the theory to the vast body of the facts that are unknown — of the data not yet come to hand, but only possible ; which is, in the first place, a very positive way of using negative evidence ; and, in- the second place, would put an arrest on all generalised conclusions from the only geological premises now or ever to be within our reach. ( To be continued. J PHYTOLOGY. CONTRIBUTIONS TO A FLORA OF ROSS-SHIRE. By A. DAVIDSON. RANUNCTTLACE^. Thalictrum alpinum L. — Tor-Achilty and the west coast. T. minus L. — Tarbat-Ness. Anemone nemorosa Sibth. — Common. Ranunculus circinatus L. — Near Dingwall. R. aquatilis L. — Common. R. hederaceus L. — Common. R. lingua L. — Not uncommon ; Kintail, Gairloch, and near Dingwall. R.flam- mula L., var. a. and b. — Common. R. auricomus L. — Brahan, . graminea L. — Com- mon. S. uliginosa Murr. — Not common. Cerastium vulgatum L.— Common. C. triviale Link.— Frequent. C. semidecandrum L.— Not common. C. alpi- num L. — Wyvis and other mountains. C: trigynum Fries. — Same situation as alpinum. LINACE^J. Linum catharticum L. — Common. Radiola millegrana Sm. — Rare ; near Wyvis ; Achilty, (F. B. W. ) MALVACE^l. * Malva rotundifolia L. — Rare ; Balnabruach, Tarbat. TILIACE^I. * Tilia europ&a L. — Woods, Tulloch. HYPERICACE^] . "^Hypericum calycintim L. — Rare ; Balmacarra. H. androscenmm L. — Rare ; Glenshiel. H. perforatum L. — Common. H. humifusum L. — Rare; near Strathpeffer ; Achilty, (F.B.W.) H. pulclirumL,. — Common. ACERACE^J. * Acer pseudo-platan us L. — Tulloch. GERANTACE^J. Geranium sanguineum L. — Rare ; Tarbat Ness ; thence to Fortrose. G. RobertianumL,. — Common. G. molleL,. — Common. G. sylvaticuj/i L. — Ach- 76 The Scottish Naturalist. ilty, (F.B.W.) G. dissectumh. — Achilty, (F.B.W.) Erodium cicutariumSm, — Not common. OXALIDACE^J Oxalis acetosella L. — Common. RHAMFACE51. Rhamnus frangula L. — Rare; Achilty, (F.B.W.) LEGUMIIfOS^. Ulex europmis L. — Common. Genista tinctoria L. — Rare; near Auchter- need, Strathpeffer. G. anglica L. — Not common. Sarothamnus scoparius Winn. — Common. Ononis arvensis L — Not common. Anthyllis vulneraria L. — Common. Medlcago lupulina L — Common. * Melilotus officinalis I, — Not common; Balnabruach, Tarbat. Trifolium repensL.. — Common. T. pra- tense L. — Common. T. medium L. — Common. T, arvenseh. — Not common; near Brahan. T. procumbens L. — Frequent. T.filiforme L. — Not common. Lotus corniculatus L — Common. Oxytropis uralensis D.C.---Not common; Tarbat. Omithopus perpusillus L. — Rare; Balintore. Viela lathy roides L. — Not rare. V. sativa L. vars. a. and b. — Common. V. sepium L. — Common. V. cracca L. — Frequent. V. orobtis L. — Common. V. sylvatica L. — Rare ; near Fortrose. V. tetrasperma Lois. — Rare ; corn field, Dingwall. V. hirsuta Koch. — Achilty, (F.B.W.) Lathy r us pratensis L. — Not common. Orobus tu- berosus L. — Frequent. KOSACE^. Prunus communis, var. spinosa Hud. — Common. P. padus L. — Common. P. avium L. — In many places. Spiraea uhnaria L. — Common. Geum urba- num L. — Frequent. G. rivale. L. — Not common ; Craig near Dingwall. Ru- bus idceus L. — Common. R. suberectus L. —Common. R. carpinifolius W. & N. — Not common. R. corylifolus Sm. — Not common ; Glenshiel, &c. R. glandulosus Bell. — Not common. R. saxatilis L. — Frequent. R. chamcemorus L. —Frequent on the mountains. Fragarxa vesca. — Common. Comarum pa- lustre L.- -Frequent. Potent ilia anserina L. — Common. P.tortuentilla Sibth. — Common. P. fragariastrum Ehrh. — Frequent. Alchemilla vulgaris L. — Common. A. alpina L. — Frequent on the mountains and near the sea on the west coast, as at Poolewe. A. arvensis Sm. — Common. Agrimonia eupa- torium L. — Not common. Rosa spinosissima L. — Not common; Tarbat Ness. R. involuta Sm. — Gairloch. R. Sabini. — Woods ; not common. R. villosa L. — Frequent. R. rubiginosa L. — Rare ; in a hedge near Dingwall ; Achilty. R canina L. — Common. Crataegus oxyacantha. — Common. Pyrus aucuparia Gaertn. — Common. P. aria Sm. — Rare ; Lochcarron. P. malus L.— Achilty, (F.B.W.) ONAGBACEJE. Epilobium attgustifolium L. — Rare; Kiach-more, Wyvis. E. hirsutum L. — Rare ; near Dingwall. E. parviflorum Schreb. — Not common ; Craig near Dingwall. E. tnontana L. — Common. E. tetragonum L. — Not common 1 E. palustre L. — Not common. £. alpinum L. — Wyvis; not common. R. alsini- folium Vill. — Not common. Circaa lutetiatia L. — Near Dingwall and Strath- peffer. C. alpina L. — Frequent; Var. intermedia Ehrh. — Achilty, (F.B.W.) HALOEAGiCEiE. Hippuris vulgaris L — Rare; Coul ; Achilty, (F.B.W.) Myriophytlian spica- turn L. — Common. The Scottish Naturalist. 77 LYTHEACEA Lythmm salicaria L. — Rare ; Brahan. Peplis portula L, — Not common. SPERG-UL ACEiE Spergularia rubra St. Hil. — Rare; roadside to Strathpeffer ; Achilty, (F.B.W.) S. marina Camb. -Common on the sea coast. Spergul* arvensis L. — Too common. CBASSULACEA Sempervivum tectorum L. — Not common. Sedum rhodiola D.C.— Baois, Bhein, Gairloch. S. telephlum L. — Not common ; Gairloch. S. auglicum L. — Rare ; Gairloch. S. villosum L. — Frequent. S. acre L. — Common. RIBESIACEA Ribes grossularia L. — Rare ; Woods at Tulloch. H. petr&um. — Very rare ; Kincardine. SAXIFRAGACSiE. Saxifraga stellaris L. — Frequent. S. nivalis L. — Rare ; Wyvis. S. aiziodes L. — Common on the hills. S. granulata L. — Plentiful on Tarbat Ness. S. tridactylites L. — Not common ; Inver and Morrich-mhor, Tain. S. hyp- noides L. — In many places. Chrysosplenium alternifolium L. — Common. C. oppositifolium L. — Common. Parnassia palustris L. — Frequent. UMBELLIPERiE Hydrocotyle vulgaris L. — Frequent. Sanicula europcea L. — Not common ; Craig near Dingwall. Cicuta'virosa L. — Glenshiel. Helosczadium nodiflorum Koch. — Not common; Gairloch. H. inundatum Koch. — Achilty, (F.B.W. ) sEgopodium podograria L. — Common. Bunium Jlextiosum With. —Common. Pimpinella saxifraga L.— Frequent. CEnanfhe Lachenalif Gmel. — Rare; Gairloch. CE. crocatal... — Not common. Ligust'xcum scoticum L. — Common on the coast. Metim athamanticum Jacq. — Prequent. Angelica sylvestris L. — Not common. Conium maculatum. — Common. Scandix pecten L. — Not common. Anthriscus sylvestris Hoffm. — Common. A. vulgaris Pers. — Frequent. Myrrhis odorata Scop. — Not common ; Brahan and Easter Ross. Dauais carota L. — Frequent. Torilis anthriscus Gaertn.— Not common. CORNAOE£. Cornus suecica L. — Wyvis and Gairloch. HEDEEACEiE. Hedera helix L. — Common. CAPRIFOLIACE.E. Sambucus nigra L. — Frequent. Adoxa m&schatellina L. —Frequent. Lonicera periclytnenum. — Not common. LinncBa torealis Gronor. — Not common ; Brahan ; one of the islands in Loch Maree, &c. Viburnum opulus L — Coul, (F.B.W.) RUBIACE.E. Galium verum L. — Frequent. G. saxatile L. — Plentiful. G. uliginosum L. — Frequent. G. palustre L. — Frequent. G. aparine L. — Common. Sher- ardia arvensis L. — Common. Asperula odorata L. — Woods, common. VALERIANACE^. Valeriana officinalis'L. — Plentiful. Fedia olitoria Vahl.— Rare ; near Ding- wall and Tarbet Ness. 78 v The Scottish Naturalist. DIPSACACEiE. Scabiosa succisa L. — Common. Knautia arvensis Coult. — Not common ; Cornfields, Munlochy. (To be continued. ) SCOTTISH GALLS. ( Confirmed from p. 32. J By J. W. H, TRAILL, M. A. Astragalus hypoglottis L. — The galls consist of leaflets which become conduplicate, hard, and fleshy. Usually when a leaf is affected almost every leaflet on it suffers, and the whole form a mass so compact at times that the indivi- dual leaflets are hardly distinguishable, though readily so in general. The masses formed may be terminal or axillary, and seem to consist at times of all the leaflets of a bud. They are very light yellowish-green, and are covered with whitish hairs. Each leaflet contains one or more Ceci- domyious larvae. Very common on the coast a few miles south of Aberdeen. Vicia cracca L. — On this plant there occur galls very like those on A. hypoglottis in every point, but of larger size, the leaflets being larger. Each leaflet is tenanted by one or more larvae of" Cec. onobrychidis Bremi. At Muchalls, near Aberdeen, at Dunkeld, and at Lintrathen. Vicia sylvatica L.— In this also the galls consist of leaflets which are conduplicate, but the leaflets remain quite dis- tinct, not forming masses, and are less hard and fleshy, and less inflated. Externally they are smooth, and are reddish- brown tinged with green. Usually only a few leaflets on some of the side leaves are affected. Each contains several white larvae of a Cecidomyia. Not very common at Much- alls in August. Lathyrus pratensis L. Each gall is a leaflet, treated as in the Vicia, but of larger size and more inflated. They occur in groups of three to eight in the axils of the leaves, but remain distinct ; their colour is reddish-brown or green. Each contains two or three orange Cccidomyious larvae. Common at Muchalls in August. Rubus id/lus L. The galls consist of woody swellings on the stem or leaf-stalk of a rounded or oblong form, y 2 ' to y^' The Scottish A'aturalist. 79 by j^' to Y^' \ the surface is naked, or with small prickles; and is wrinkled or cracked ; the colour is yellowish green. The swelling is chiefly medullary, and in the heart of it live several small reddish-orange Cecidomyious larvae. I h; ve found it (scarce) at Dunkeld in September. Potentilla tormentilla Sibthorp. Of this gall I got one specimen from Mr. W. Vice, which was found by him in August near Loch Etive in Argyleshire. It consists of a swelling just above a node, and contains three somewhat rounded cells, each about T V diameter. Externally it is irregularly rounded,, showing traces of the cells. Surface slightly pubescent and (in the dry state) wrinkled and pur- plish. Cells thin-walled, walls compact. Each cell contains one white larva. Rosa canina L. Gall (b), Sc. Nat. vol. i. 124, formed of con- duplicate leaflet, is formed by Cecidomyia rosce. Bremi. This gall, as also those of Rhodites Egla?iterice and of Rh. rosce and gall (c), are common throughout Aberdeenshire, and at Dunkeld and Lintrathen. Rosa villosa L. On this species I have found galls of Rhodites rosce L., of Rh. EglantericeJH..^ and of Cecido??iyia rosce Bremi, and also like gall (c) of R. canina, all in various parts of " Dee," at Dunkeld, and at Lintrathen. Pyrus aucuparia -Gasrtn. The leaves become covered with blisters of various sizes projecting chiefly from the lower surface. Above, they form at first small yellow spots which spread, and eventually become brown and dead. In the interior of each blister there is an irregular cavity almost filled with interlacing hairs, among which live four-footed mites (Phytopus). Common in August, near Aberdeen, also sent me from Glasgow, by Mr. P. Cameron, jun. Crataegus oxyacantha L. About Dunkeld I observed that on the hawthorn hedges the branches were frequently tipped with a rounded mass of deformed sessile leaves, usually covered with prickly hairs. These masses are some- times as much as i^' diameter, but the colour is not changed. Between the leaves live several larvae of Ceci- domyia cratcegi Winnertz. Though common in Perthshire I have never seen it in Forfar or in counties north of the Esk. 8o The Scottish Naturalist. Galium verum L. (a) Sc. Nat. vol. i. 156, formed by Ccci- domyia galii Winnertz. I have found on G. verum what I took to be a distinct kind of gall, but which Mr. Miiller , informs me is also formed by C. galii. It occurs -along with the form described, from which, however, it differs con- siderably ; it is not glossy ; its colour is different, being dull green or dull reddish ; it is usually of smaller size, and is much more compact in structure, and frequently bears a few stunted leaves at the apex ; like the form described they split open when matured to allow the escape of the larva. This form is more local than the other. (b) Sc. Nat. vol. i. 156, during July and August this gall is inhabited by several larvae of Cecidomyia ? Rather local. (c) The gall-like body described on the same page is formed by mites (Phytoptus ?) Very common everywhere. (d) This gall consists of a projection from the stem, usually a little above a node, flattened laterally, somewhat coni- cal in form, and ending in a beak curved downwards. Length from above downwards about £', projects from stem }i'. It is green, naked, and slightly wrinkled; it is monothalamous, and the side farthest from the stem is very thin. Each contains one whitish Ceeidomyious larva. Common in " Dee " in June and July. Carex punctata in Scotland.— The Rev. J. Farquharson announced, at the February Meeting of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, his discovery pf Carex- punctata, in the parish of Colvend, Kirkcudbrightshire. He noticed at the same time some of the rarer plants of the parish which had been pointed out to him by the Rev. J. Fras«r of Colvend. These are all tolerably well known and include Cladium mariscus, Scutellaria minor, Lychnis viscaria, &c. He seems, however, to have overlooked Spergularia rupestris which is common on the rocky shore of Colvend — the only Scottish habitat at present known for it. Mosses.— Botanists will welcome the appearance of " A Synopsis of the British Mosses " by C. P. Hopkirk. It was quite time for a new work on this interesting group of plants, for since the publication of the " Bryologia Britannica,'' eighteen years ago, the number of species recorded as British has considerably increased, hence in the Synopsis we find descriptions of 562 species, or 116 more than in the Bryologia. In the Synopsis, in addition to a lucid description of each species — in which the chief distinctive characters are pointed out, and no unnecessary plethora of words used — the habitat of each species is noticed, and a/ew localities given for the rarer ones. With Leighton's "Lichen Flora," Cooke's "British Fungi," and Hopkirk's "Mosses," the British Cryptogamic Botanist ought to be thankful at having so many works 71 p to date. INSECTA SCOTICA. THE LEPIDOPTERA OF SCOTLAND. ( Con tin zied from p. 43, Edited by F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D. [Note on Bombyx quercus (Sc. Nat. II. 43). Mr Doubleday has kindly favoured me with the following remarks on this species : — u I suppose you have copied your statement about callu?ice from Dr Staudinger s Catalogue, and I presume that his quer- cus and callunoz are the same form, which is unquestionably the true quercus of Linnaeus. "It is very difficult to know what modern naturalists mean by a species, but I consider that Dr Staudinger has united three dis- tinct species under the name of quercus ; he takes no notice of the form of the fasciae on the wings, or of the larvae. I will give you my views about these insects, which I think ought to stand thus : — i. Quercus Linn.; Hub. 172 ? — not a good fi callunoz Palmer. quercus, female, Hub. Gey. 350.- 2. Spartli Hub. 173, male, var. Catalaunica Staud. 3. Roboris Schrk. var. = quercus var. Hub. 270. var. sicula Staud. .■ "In quercus — No. 1. — the yellow fascia on the upper wing turns outwards on the inner margin, and the fascia on the under wing turns down to the anal angle. (Fig. 1.) This species is found in wild uncultivated places throughout Northern Europe, 82 The Scottish Naturalist. Fig. i. and occurs in abundance in Scotland, Ireland, the North of England, and on Dartmoor and throughout Cornwall, on open heaths. The white spot on the upper wing is distincly visible on the under side of all the specimens which I have examined. No. 2. — Spartii. This spe- cies appears to be confined to a few localities in the south of Europe — it is abundant at Cannes. The direction of the. fascia on the upper wing is different from what it is in quercus or roboris. No. 3. — Roboris. This in- sect inhabits central and south- ern Europe, and appears to be rather local. The yellow band on the upper wing turns in- wards on the inner margin, and the fascia on the under wing is semicircular and does not turn down to the anal angle. (Fig. 2.) I have never seen a speci- men in which the w T hite spot on the upper wing is visible on the under side. This is the one which we find here (south of England). The larva will not eat heather, but feeds principally on white-thorn or black-thorn growing in cultivated ground. I have often seen them in the garden, on apricot trees which are trained to the wall. The moth appears in August after remain- ing about a month in the chrysalis." The notice of Bombyx quercus at p. 43 (lines 17 — 30) must therefore be altered to the following : — QUERCUS L. ; calluna Palmer. Common. Ericetal. Ascends to 1400 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray § Orkney g West. Solway Clyde Argyie West-Ross Hebrides. Fig. 2. The Scottish Naturalist. 83 Lat. 54°4o // -59°io". Range in Europe. North and north- central. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain, Scottish. Timb of Appearance— Imago. June. Larva. July-September of the following year. Food-plant. Heather, &c. ROBOKIS Schrk. ; (quercus auct. Angl.) Rare. Nemoral. Distribution — East. 00000000 West. §00 West-Ross o Lat. 57 4o 7/ . Range in Europe. Central and southern. Type. Centro-meridional. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. July, August. Larva. Au.gust-June. Food-plant. Sloe, hawthorn, &c. I have not seen Scottish examples, but from what Mr. A. Davidson tells me I hav^no hesitation in including roborls in this list. Mr. Davidson writes as follows : — " 1 found the larvae of querczis in a plantation consisting principally of larch, near Kerrisdale, Gairloch. They were feeding upon the sloe. I fed them with it and had the satisfaction of seeing the moths emerge from their cocoons in the latter end of July."] DREPANULIDiE Boisd. CILIX Leach. GLAUCATA Sc. (1763) \ spimda SchirT. (1776). Local. Nem- oral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth §00000 West. Solway Clyde 000 Lat. 54°5o"-56°. Range in Europe. Central (not in Sweden) &c. Type. Centro-meridional. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. May, June ; August. Larva. July, September. Food-plant. Sloe and hawthorn. DEEPANA Schrk. rALCATAKlA L. Not uncommon. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed g Ta-y Dee Moray goo West. Solway Clyde 8 8° Lat. 54 40" — 5 8° Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance.— Imago. June. Larva. August, September. Food-plant. Birch and alder. 84 The Scottish Naturalist. There appears to be only one brood in Scotland. Scottish examples are much paler than English, and have the streak that runs from the tip to the inner mar- gin of the wing more strongly marked and much clouded. lacee, tin ARIA L. Not uncommon. Nemoral. Ascends to 1000 feet or upwards. Distribution — East. § § Tay Dee Moray §00 West. Solway Clyde § West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-58°. Range in Europe. Northern and cen- tral. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June. Larva. August, September. Food-Plant. Birch. Also apparently single-brooded in Scotland. D. hamula may occur in the • south of Scotland ; D. unguicula is exclusively a beech-feeder, and cannot be expected except as an introduction ; D. curvatula (not known as British) has nearly as wide a European range as falcataria and feeds on alder. NOTODONTID^l Boisd. HARPYIA Ochs. PUBCTJTjA L. Not uncommon. Nemoral and ericetal. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray § o o West. Solway Clyde § West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o // -57°4o // . Range in Europe. Northern and central. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. June, July. Larva. August, Septem- ber. Food-plant. Sallow and poplar. vintjla L. Common. Nemoral. Ascends to 2000 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray §00 West. -Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-58°. Range in Europe. Throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. May, June. Larva. June-September. Food-plant. Willow, aspen, die. A Lapland variety is nearly black. H. bicuspis and bifida may perhaps be found, and so may erminca, a species of central Europe closely allied to vinu la. LEIOCAMPA Steph. TKEMULA CI. (1759); didcea Esp. Not common. Nemoral. The Scottish Naturalist. 85 Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde § o ° Lat. 54°4o' / -57°4o". Range in Europe. Central. Type. Central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. May, July. Larva. August, Septem- ber. Food-plant. Aspen, poplar, and willow. dict^eoides Esp. Not common. Nemoral. Ascends to 1200 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray §00 West. Solway Clyde § West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-57°4o". Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. May, June. Larva. August, Septem- ber. Food -plant. Birch. NOTODONTA Steph. ziczac L. Not uncommon. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray goo West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o // -57°4o". Range in Europe. Northern and cen- tral.. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. May, June. Larva. August, Septem- ber. 'Food-plant. Sallow, poplar, alder. Only single-brooded ? TBITOPHTJS F. Very rare. Nemoral. Distribution — East. 00000000 West, o Clyde 000 Lat. 55°5o". Range in Europe. Central; South Sweden. &c. Type. Central. Type in Britian. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. ''May and August." Larva. "July and September." Food-plant. Aspen, poplar, birch. Once taken near Paisley by Mr. Morris Young. DKOMEDABIUS L. Not uncommon. Nemoral. Ascends to 1200 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray goo West. Solway Clyde Argyle § o Lat. 54°4o".-57°4o". Range in Europe. Central. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. 86 The Scottish Naturalist. Time of Appearance — Imago. June, July. Larva. August, Sep- tember. Food- plant. Birch, alder. PERIDEA Steph. TBEPIDA Esp. Rare. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed § Tay o o o o o West. Solway §000 Lat. 54°5o // -56°3o". Range in Europe. Central (to South Sweden.) Type. Centro-meridional. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. May, June. Larva. July-Septem- ber. Food-plant. Oak. DRYMONIA H.S. CHAONIA H. Rare. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth §00 000 West. Solway § 000 Lat. 54°4o' / -56°2o // . Range in Europe. Central. Type. Central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. May. Larva. July. Food- plant. Oak. [tkimacula Esp. (1785) ; dodoncea Frr. Rare. Nemoral. Distribution — East. 00000 West. Solway Clyde 000 Lat. 54°4o // -56°io". Range in Europe. West-central. Type. Occidento-central. Type in Britain. English. ' Time of Appearance — Imago. May, June. Larva. July, August. Food-Plant. Oak and birch. A doubtful native of Scotland. ODONTOSIA Hub. CABMELITA Esp. Rare. Nemoral. Distribution— East, o o Tay Moray 000 West, o Clyde Argyle o o Lat. 56°2o"-57°4o". Range in Europe. Central; (once in Sweden). Type. Central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. April, May. Larva. June. Food- plant. Birch. LOPHOPHTERYX Lederer. CAMELINA L. Common. Nemoral. Ascends to 1200 feet. The Scottish Naturalist. 87 Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray g o o West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-57°4o / '. Range in Europe. Northern and central. Type. Septentriono-centro-oriental. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June- August. Larva. August-Oc- tober. Food-plant. Birch, hazel, beech, alder, &c. PTEROSTOMA Germ. PALPINA L. Not common. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed § Tay § Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 8 8° Lat. 54°4o // -57°4o". Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June, July. Larva. August, Sep- tember. Food-plant. Aspen and sallow. PHALERA Hub. BUCEPHALA L. Common. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray § o o West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o r '-57°4o // . Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June, July. Larva. August, Sep- tember. Food-plant. Oak, birch, &c. PYG^RA Ochs. PIGEA Hufn. (1766); redusaY. (1787.) Not uncommon. Ne- moral and ericetal. Distribution — East. § Forth Tay 8 Moray 8 ° ° ,West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-57°4o". Range in Europe. Northern and central. Type, Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. May. Larva. August, September. Food-plant. Sallow and aspen. Mr E. C. Buxton reports P. cnrtula (larvae) from Argyle. It is desirable that specimens should be bred before we include it in the Scottish list. It ought to occur. LIPARIDIDJS. [Lipaiidce Boisd.) OHGYIA Ochs. ANTIGUA L. Common. Agrestal and nemoral. 88 The Scottish Naturalist. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray § o o West. Solway Clyde § 8 ° Lat. 54°4o // -57°4o // . Range in Europe. Throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. July-October. Larva. June-Sep- tember. Food-plant. Various trees. DASYCHIRA Steph. FASCELINA L. Common. Ericetal. Ascends to 1500 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray §00 West. Solway Clyde goo- LaT. 54°4o"-58 . Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June, July. Larva. September- May. Food-plant. Heather, sallow, &c. A darker, nearly unicolorous, var. {pbscura Zett. ) occurs in Lapland, and though J have not seen speci- mens of it, I imagine that our Scottish form is intermediate between this and the southern form. D. pudibunda and Psilura monacha should occur. m LEUCOMA Steph. SALICIS L. Rare. Nemoral. Distribution — East. 000 Dee Moray 000 West. § Clyde o West-Ross. Lat. 55°2o // -57°4o // . Range in Europe. Northern and central. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. August. Larva. May, June. Food-plant. Willow. A few specimens have been taken in Ayrshire (Duncan), Aberdeenshire (Yuill teste Traill), and Ross-shire (Davidson). Mr. A. Davidson reports the capture, in Ross-shire, of a -larva supposed to belong to Ocncna dispar. Specimens must, however, be bred before dispar can obtain a place in the Scottish list. PORTHESIA Steph. SIMILIS Fuessl. (1775); auriflua F. (1787.) Rare. Distribution — East. 00000000 West. Solway 0000 Lat. 54°5o // . Range in Europe. Central and south-eastern. Type. Centro-meridional. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. July, August. Larva. May, June. Food-plant. Hawthorn, oak, &c. I took a single specimen, apparently just emerged from the puparium, on the coast of Colvcnd, Kirkcudbright- shire, in 1870. (To bejontinued.) The Scottish Naturalist. 89 THE COLEOPTERA OF SCOTLAND. ( Continued from p. 48. J Edited by D. SHARP, M.B. DYTISCID^l. CNEMIDOTUS Schaum. impbessus Fab. Very rare. In stagnant waters. Lowland. Distribution — East. oooooooo West. o Clyde o o o "Ayrshire." R. Hislop. HALIPLUS Thomson. OBLIQTJUS Fab. Rare. Lowland. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth o o o o o o West. o o o o o o CONfinis Steph. Scarce. Lowland. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth Tay o o o o o West. o r o o o o [Variegattjs Sturm. Doubtful as Scottish. Distribution — East. o Forth o o o o o o West, o o o o o "Dollar. J. T. Syme." Murray's Cat. FULVUS Fab. Not common. Stagnant waters. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g Dee Moray o o o West. g Clyde o o o FLAVICOLLIS Sturm. Very local. Lowland. Distribution — East. oooooooo West. Solway o o o o Abundant in some pools by the side of the Nith below Thornhill. — D.S. FLTJVIATILIS Aube. Very rare. In clear slowly moving water. Lowland. Distribution — East, o Forth o o o o o o West, o o o o o Muttonhole, Edinburgh. — D.S. BUFICOLLIS De Geer. Abundant in stagnant waters. Low- land. Distribution — East, g Forth Tay g Moray o o o West. Solway g o o o 90 The Scottish Naturalist. STRIATTJS Sharp. Very local. Maritime ? Distribution — East, o ooooooo West. Solway o o o o Abundant in a pond occasionally filled by the tides on the banks of the"Nith, about three miles below Dumfries. — D.S. LINEATOCOLLIS Marsh. Abundant in clear waters. Low- land. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray o o o West. Solway § o o o BRYCHIUS Thomson. ELEVATUS Panz. Common in rapid streams. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g g Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o o HYPHYDEUS Schaum. OVATUS Lin. Very local. In still waters. Local. Distribution — East, oooooooo West. Solway o o o o " Barean Loch, Col vend." — Buchanan White. HYDROPORTJS Schaum. QUINQUELINEATUS Zett. Very rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed ooooooo West. Solway o o o o INEQTJALIS Fab. Common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray West. Solway Clyde o o o CONFLTJENS Fab. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. g Forth o o o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o novemlineattjs Steph. Local. In lakes. Lowland. Distribution — East. o Forth o Dee Moray o o West. Solway Clyde o o o picipes Fab. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. ooooooo West. Solway o o o o PICTTJS Fab. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o Moray o o West, g Clyde o o o o o o The Scottish Naturalist. 91 LEPIDTJS 01. DlSTRIBUTION- Local. Lowland. -East. Tweed Forth West, g Clyde g Dee KIVALIS Gyll. DlSTRIBUTION- Common in streams. -East, g Forth Tay West. ° ° Lowland, g Moray SEPTENTRIOKTALIS Fab. Common in streams. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway g o o o DAVISI Curt. Common in streams. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East, g Forth g Dee Moray 000 West, g g o o o LA.TTJS Steph. Rare. In rapid waters. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g g Moray 000 West. Solway 0000 DTJODEOIMPUSTULATUS 01. Common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g g Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 DEPFvESSUS Fab. Common. Lowland. Distribution — East, g Forth g Dee Moray 000 West. Solway 0000 ASSlMiLis Payk. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g Dee Moray 000 West, g g o o o GRISEOSTPvIATUS De Geer. Local. In highland lakes. Distribution — East, o Forth o Dee Moray 000 West, o o Argyle o o [dobsalis Fab. Doubtful as Scottish. f Raehills, Rev. W. Little-" Murray's Cat. MEMNONIUS Nic. Rather common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g Dee Moray 000 West. Solway g o o o OBSOLETUS Aube'. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East, o oooo'ooo West. Solway 0000 92 The Scottish Naturalist. FERKUGINEUS Steph. Local. Lowland, highland. Distibution — East, o Forth Tay g Moray o o o West, o o o o o GTLLENHALLI Schiod. Local. Distribution — East. § Forth Tay o Moray o o o West, g g o o o bufifkons Duft. Rare. Distribution — East. Tweed o o Dee o o o o West, o Clyde o o o ERYTHEOCEPHALUS Linn. Common. Highland, lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray goo West. Solway Clyde o o o LITubatus Fab. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o o o o o West. Solway o o o o planus Fab. Abundant. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g g Moray o o o West. Solway g o o o MELANOCEPHALTis Steph. Common. Lowland. Distribution — East. g Forth Tay g Moray o o o West, g g o o o . disckettjs Fair. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. o o Tay o o o o o West. Solway o o o o NIGRITA Fab. Common. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. g Forth Tay Dee Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o celattjs Clark. Rare. Highland. In tricklingwater. Distribution — East. o Forth Tay Dee Moray o o o West, o o o o o monttcola Sharp. Rare. Highland. Distribution — East. o o Tay g Moray o o o West. Solway o o o o LONGICORNIS Sharp. Very rare. Highland. Distribution — East. o o Tay o o o o o West, o o o o o m The Scottish Naturalist. 93 ATRICEPS Crotch. Local. Highland. Distribution— East. o o Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Sol way 0000 TRISTIS Payk. Common. Distribution— East, o o Tay Dee 0000 West. Sol way 0000 UMBROSUS Gyll. Local. Distribution— East, g Forth Tay o Moray 000 West, g Clyde 000 OBSCUKUS Sturm. Not rare. Distribution — East. o o Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 VITTULA Er. Scarce. Lowland. Distribution — East. o Forth 000000 West. Solway Clyde 000 PALU3TRIS Linn. Abundant. Lowland, highland. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray goo West. Solway Clyde goo incogntttjs Sharp. Rare. Distribution — East. o Forth Tay o Moray 000 West. Solway 0000 angustatus Sturm. Scarce. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway g o o o IiINEATUS Fab. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed g Tay 00000 West. Solway 0000 LACCOPHILUS Schaum. MINUTTJS Linn. Local. Lowland, Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay 00000 West. Solway 0000 H TALINUSD e Geer. Common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay 00000 West. Solway Clyde 000 94 The Scottish Naturalist. COLYMBETES Schaum. iFUSCUS Linn. Not common. Lowland. Distribution — -East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray o o o West, g Clyde o o o [fulverosus Steph. Doubtful as Scottish. "Forfarshire, Rev. W. Little."— Murray's Cat. NOTATUS Berg. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o Dee o o o o West, o o o o o BISTRIATUS Berg. Common. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde goo EXOLETTJS Forst. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray o o o West. g Clyde o o o ILYBIUS Erichson. FTJLIGINOSTTS Fab. Common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o ATEE De Geer. Not common. In marshes. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay o o o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o OBSCTJRTJS Marsh. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o [Dee] o o o o West, g Clyde o o o [gtjttiger Gyll. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. oooooooo West, g Clyde o o o " Frequent near Paisley, Mr. M. Young." — Murray's Cat. ANGUSTIOR Gyll. Scarce. In mossy pools. Lowland, high- land Distribution — East, o o Tay Dee o o o o West. Solway g o o o The Scottish Naturalist. 95 LIOPTERTJS Schaura. [RUFICOLLIS Schal. Doubtful as Scottish. Distribution — East. 00000000 West. Solway 0000 "Raehills, Dumfriesshire, Rev. Mr. Little." — Murray's Cat. AGABUS Schaum. BIPUSTULATUS Linn. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay § Moray § § § West. Solway Clyde 800 A Solieri Aube. {sexualis Reiche. ) is a small highland form of this species, and has occurred in Strathglass, Braemar, and Criffel. Ordinary Scottish individuals of this species are smaller and less developed than South of Eng- land or South European individuals. TARSATUS Zett. Very rare. Highland ? Distribution — East. 000000 Orkney o West. 00000 CHALCONOTUS Panz. Rather common. Lowland. Distribution — East. § Forth Tay § Moray 000 West. Solway §000 CONGENER Thunb. Abundant. In mossy pools. Highland. Distribution — East. Tweed § Tay Dee § o o o West. Solway §000 ARCTICUS Payk. , Local. Highland. Distribution — East. o Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde Argyle 000 STURMI Schon. Common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 [ULIGINOSUS Linn. Doubtful as Scottish. Distribution — East, o Forth o Dee 0000 West. 00000 "Rare, near Edinburgh; Aberdeenshire." — Murray's Cat. I think it probable that individuals of A. congener were mistaken for this species. A. uliginosus, however, has been found in Northumberland, so that it may ultimately prove to be a Scottish species. PALUDOSUS Fab. Rather scarce. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay § Moray 000 West. 00000 - 9 6 The Scottish Naturalist. NITIDUS Fab. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o Moray o o o West, o o o o o GATTATUS Payk. Abundant. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East: Tweed forth Tay Dee Moray o o o West. Solway §000 NEBULOSUS Forst. Common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway §000 CONSPERSUS Marsh. Local. Maritime. Distribution — East. o Forth o 00000 West. Solway 0000 AFFINIS Payk. Very rare. Lowland (?) Distribution — East. 00 000000 West. Solway 0000 Specimens of A. unguicularis have usually been mistaken for this species. UNGUICULARIS Thorns. Not common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth 000000 West. Solway Clyde 000 FEMORALIS Payk. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay § Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 MACULATUS Linn, Common. In running water. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth § Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 A small dark variety, A pulchelhcs Heer. , occurs in some of the High- land lochs. DYTISCUS Schaum. marginalis Lin. Common. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 punctulatus Fab. Not common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay § Moray 000 West. ' Solway §000 lapponicus Gyll. Very local. In highland lakes. Distribution — East. 0000 Moray 000 West, o Clyde Argyle o o (To be continued. J ZOOLOGY. POLARITY IN THE GEOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF GENERA AND ITS CAUSE. / Continued from p. 73. J By the Rev, J. WARDROP. PHE objection moves the question from its proper point of view. Polarity professes to start from actually ascer- tained facts. The objection abandoning this, the only ground on which the theory can be either established or controverted, meets the inference, which it affirms, with an obstruction drawn from the contingencies of future discovery. Now, polarity does not assume a knowledge of palseontological facts complete in extent. It assumes only a representative completeness — a com- pleteness in kind. And who is entitled to say that the facts known give not a specimen of the true relations of the whole? Since, too, the generalisation deals with the amount, not of in- dividual life, but of generic life, is there not something in that that gives the facts a higher chance of being truly representa- tive ? Then again it is not the part of inductive reasoning to be either solicited to a conclusion or deterred from it by any surmised testimony of the unknown, or any anticipated revela- tion of the future. It only seeks, what with a true instinct polarity seeks, to give to the facts which are actually submitted to its treatment, their full interpretation. In any path of investigation, the facts known, however few they may be, are not scientifically exhausted till all the general views they can suggest, all the laws and theories they can, as they stand, legitimately warrant, are brought to their interpretation. As we must not too readily or too far presume on the unknown, so neither must we at all ignore the known. And if polarity or aught else be a competent rendering of the facts already 9 8 The Scottish Naturalist. gathered and registered, science has not discharged her functions with respect to them till it be acknowledged. She has no alternative but to discover, accept, and proclaim what- ever is a law of present experience. Is a polar arrangement in the production of genera part of the evidence of the facts ascertained ? That is the whole question in the first instance. If that were settled affirmatively there would then of course arise a second, as to the cause that might be supposed to deter- mine such a state of things. A question which Forbes did not contemplate, and which would now emerge with an interest and a hopefulness that nothing before the day of Darwin could have given it. As to the question, then, of the reality of a polar arrangement of genera in ^geological distribution, what is the evidence at command? It is not entirely to seek. At the very moment when Forbes first broached his theory, there was passing through its second edition the standard work of "Piclet on Palaeozoology." If you had undertaken the simply mechanical task of counting up the genera with the production of which each geological formation was in that work credited, you would have found your figures, somewhat to your surprise in view of this theory, assume an arrangement something like this. (See Table.) This Table, even discounting, as it does, the advantage which the admission of recently originated genera would have given, offers about as polar an arrangement as could well be. There, of a truth, the force that diversifies organic structures to the extent of generic distinctness, as it works along the axis of geological time, begins with maximum intensity of action ; then lowers towards a minimum in Permian and Triassic times ; from that minimum again gathers strength gradually till with a second maximum it ends in the Tertiary, as it had begun with a first in the Silurian, epoch. It is not. known in what detailed and tabulated shape Forbes would have presented the proof which he considered himself to have ready at hand j but this result seems to show that the facts at the time known might have been cast into some shape of preponderating evidence in his favour. It is certainly remarkable. With respect to the Palaeozoic period in Silurian times, the earliest, there are pro- duced more animal forms generically distinct than in all the other later Palaeozoic formations together, and in the Permian The Scottish Naturalist. 99 g*8 « !' 1 1 Crf w H CO to COVO vO CO 3 u aj c [I * -— < r< CO c^O O CO VO 1 1-2 • 4J •* 1 0J • . 1 W < C-, r^ n o "-< "^" CO •3 erf 't c\m ooo CO CO ' 1 w z o u 1 2 w o Ul w in < erf C\ O >-' W Ov M i-t O loco 00 Tj- z £> M CO • i — i t in o . 1 m < CO CN OCO rj- co .-o ^ 2 M HI CO CO i— < p N o *3 U |8\ < o ; CMOiON VO I 1 hJ > '. m CO CO On *s o ^rf a h- 1 < Q c Ch .2 erf N O lO O N to £ o / ^ -- V ,-»_ ■ V— -V «-* N.^ % ^-»^ h ^» N — ,*Q < 0. "^ ^ O 1 / <-5 1 ■5 ^ 1 s I 1 s s s "SXOVjI 3HX dO AV n— "v 'AH03HX IVDlSAHd— '9 ioo The Scottish Naturalist. age, the latest, only a fraction of the produce of any other. Similarly, in the Neozoic period, the Tertiary epoch claims far more than all the previous formations together, while the Trias again, the earliest, produces, like the Permian, only its fractional part. The grade of the organisms in the scale of animal perfection is of no account. It is the amount of diversity of type alone that is in question, and that is not affected by the considera- tion how low or how high in the scale, were the forms which the terrene conditions of the time were fitted to produce or maintain. It may be pointed out that the. amount of genera originating in Cretaceous times is a decline on that in Jurassic, so that the theory on that point seems to break down. But, on considera- tion, the exception may be felt rather to establish than abolish the rule. Of all formations the chalk is the least known or perhaps knowable in an adequately representative manner. It has been nearly swept away — its rocks and its forms of life together. The wonder is, as compared with the Jurassic, that we have so many genera. An enormous lapse of time separates all known Cretaceous rocks from the Tertiaries ; whilst the evolution of organic forms takes in the interval a tremendous leap — there being little community of generic forms, vertebrate or invertebrate, uniting the two. The former fact explains the latter. Probably for long cycles to come there will be no resurrection of the intermediate deposits laid down at the cost of the chalk. - If we could recover them, doubtless they would disclose the line of continuity, physical and vital, and reveal how much richer in generic forms the chalk really had been than we now find it. There is no other way of explaining the new and far different types of Tertiary ages, or the universal unconformability of Tertiary rocks to the Cretaceous and the denudation to which the latter have been subjected. But it will be suggested, this generalisation is now eighteen years old — a very old age considering the rapid progress of scientific research meanwhile. Facts bearing on the point must have 'accumulated largely. Piclet must by this time be much in need of a third edition. Suppose it were got up, and the science brought down to the present day, would the result read as before ? It is the progressive accumulation of The Scottish Naturalist. 101 facts that tests and establishes or invalidates the soundness of any scientific theory. Does polarity stand that test? I have not been able to make an investigation* of the recent additions to Palaeontology adequate enough, and am therefore not able to speak with assurance. 'I observe that Mr. Wallace, who republishes last year the explanation he suggested seventeen years ago, of the facts of which polarity professes to be an expres- sion, appends no note to the effect that the facts have assumed in these years any other form of arrangement. And so far as I know their polar arrangements still stands much as it did. Great additions to fossil genera have been made ; and notably to Triassic genera from the St. Cassian beds in the Austrian Alps, as well as those of the oldest periods by Barrande's researches. But I have seen nothing that forbids the conclu- sion that the earliest Palaeozoic and the latest Neozoic for- mations have on the whole been the greatest gainers, and still show as much as ever, two maxima of generic development. It may be noted that the fact of the Silurian maximum main- taining its place goes to weaken any objection for negative evidence and to corroborate the truly representative character of the ascertained facts. Besides the growth of Palaeontological facts, it may also be objected that the advance in physical geology bears most un- favourably on this polar idea. The one of the extremes of the geological series with which it deals, the Tertiary, remains, of course where it was, but what was the other pole has, through the hammer of the geologist and his speculations together, re- ceded immensely farther back ; so that Cambria and Siluria may now stand chronologically about the middle of the fossili ferous deposits, or what have been so, instead of being the ear- liest. " If the theory of natural selection be true/' says Darwin, " it is indisputable that before the earliest Cambrian stratum was deposited, long periods elapsed, as long as, or probably far longer than, the whole interval from the Cambrian age to the present day; and that during these vast periods the world swarmed with living creatures." Yet, at the worst, we may take the Silurian as the completion of the first cycle of the earth's course of evolution, the time and the whole state of things, in which the characteristic agencies and conditions of that cycle had reached their goal. It is the results of the earliest 102 * The Scottish Naturalist. developments of the life-bearing earth summed up; and is thus still the starting point for all future developments. By that time, according to Darwin, in the same section of his work on the "Origin of species," there is some reason to conclude that a com- plete revolution of the earth's surface had been effected, where- by oceans have since spread themselves out where continents before lay, and continents have arisen where clear open oceans flowed before. This is given as a hypothesis that may possibly be found yet to explain an otherwise inexplicable difficulty — " the difficulty of assigning any good reason for the absence of vast piles of strata rich in fossils beneath the Cambrian system." The earth, it appears, on her march of evolution, having reached the Cambrian stage, then shifted step, as it were, and began to move on along a new line, inaugurating thus a new cycle — the one to which we and the theory in hand belong, the only one that has left clear traces of its course and its character. The old solid earth had become submerged under our present oceans ; and the old oceans had their bottoms elevated to be the foundation of the new ten-a firma. This may have been. It explains the loss to observation of the course of previous evolution. But still the earth's known history lies all between the era of that extreme exchange and this : so that if, at the worst, Cambria and Siluria are the goal of a primeval develop- ment and the starting point of a succeeding one, at the best they may be the initiation of the only cycle of evolution through which the earth as yet has run. However it may be, it is in the stretch of time between the base of the known geological series and its highest strata that there is, as we have seen, some ground for holding a law of polarity in the distribution of genera of organic beings. I now pass to the question of a physical theory to account for the profusion of genera at the geological poles. And here let me at once go the length of asking, may it not be possible that natural science during the last decade or so, working entirely in oblivion of the ideas of this Forbesian theory, and even notwithstanding the obstacles in the way of these ideas it seemed in its advance to be raising, has nevertheless actually fallen on results that are capable of being regarded as demand- ing, and therefore as applicable to account for, the very state of things which polarity describes ? Would not the doctrine of The Scottish Naturalist. . . 103 evolution through natural selection, which explains so much else in the field of natural science, explain also why genera were produced in the varying manner asserted by Forbes ? It was the impression that this idea may not be altogether ground- less that induced me to trouble the Society by now calling to its remembrance such a forgotten and hopeless-like subject as " Polarity in the distribution of genera.''"' Polarity is a law of observation — a generalised expression of the observed arrangement of the facts concerned. It is a law of the same class as was in Kepler's hands, the law of the Ellipticity of the planetary orbits. Kepler, with his law of the observed motions, had to wait for Newton with his causal theory of these motions. In like manner, if Forbes were right in that law of palseontological observation, which he called Polarity, he waits for his Newton with some causal theory showing what *makes the facts so. And the question I am putting is this, Has not recent science furnished the cause wanted ? Is there not something in the hypothesis of natural selection as the vera causa of the indefinite modification and transmutations of organic forms — in its conditions, its methods of operation, and its results, that would determine the facts to be somewhat just as* polarity describes them ? On a considera- tion of the conditions under which natural selection works favourably and otherwise, and of the conditions under which, by geological evidence it has actually operated from first to last, it would indeed seem" as if an explanation of this polar distribu- tion of genera might be given largely in terms of the Darwinian theory. Mr. Wallace, though he argues against the possibility of establishing any such generalisation of the facts himself, strangely argues a theory to account for their being as that generalisation asserts\they are. His explanation is shortly this, geological activity cogues diminished production, geological repose increased production, of the specific and generic forms : so that if a maximum number of genera be concentrated in the earliest and latest formations, and a minimum in Permian and Triassic formations, we have only to suppose that there was geological repose in the earliest ages of life, with a fit maxi- mum of generic forms corresponding ; that intensity of geologi- * This paper was read to the Perthshire Society of Natural Science. 104 The Scottish Naturalist. cal action increased towards the Permian age, when it reached a maximum coincidently with the minimum of generic produc- tion ; that onward through the Neozoic formations geological activity lessened again till it ended with a second quiescence and the second maximum generification. This, it will be seen, goes quite beyond Forbes's position. He gave an empirical Law. Wallace, supposing that law established, suggests a physical theory or cause. He plays Newton to Forbes. But with what success ? Would the facts of physical geology allow of an explanation of polarity or of anything else on the terms of Wallace? There is evidence enough of intensity of geological action at the middle of the series, but where is the proof of repose at the extremes ? And even if the alterations of geological activity and quiescence were in accordance with Wallace's supposition, what is this he asserts of their respective biological influences ? Does geolo- gical repose account for an accelerated production of generic forms ? Does activity account for an arrest thereof? With ample authority the hypothesis of natural selection reverses this order of cause and effect. And altogether it seems to offer such provisions as would promise Forbes his Newton rather in Darwin than in Wallace. (To be continued.) SCIENTIFIC NOMENCLATURE. By the EDITOR. "The laws requisite for the correct name of an animal or of a plant have become as difficult to establish as the most intricate legal question." — Agassiz. 1\ /T ANY of my readers must be aware that for some time **■ past a fierce war has been raging among entomologists on the subject of nomenclature, and that most entomologists have ranged themselves on one of two sides ; one party con- tending that the law of strict priority should be applied in all cases, the other that a name long used and well-known, though not the oldest, should be retained in preference to a name little known and used, even though the latter has the right of priority. The Scottish Naturalist. 105 This bone of contention is of no recent date, for in 1842 an attempt was made to meet the difficulties of the case by a code of rules adopted by the British Association for the Advance- ment of Science, but which, however, never received the general assent of naturalists, and has long been out of print. A revised code was adopted in 1865, but seems not to have received a better reception than its predecessor.' At the last meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a committee was appointed by the entomological section, " to report a series of rules for considera- tion at the next meeting," and in reference to this matter, Mr. W. H. Edwards contributes an interesting paper to the " Canadian Entomologist" for February. After noticing what has been written on the subject, Mr. Edwards submits a code of rules (extracted from the writings of various entomologists of celebrity) for consideration by entomologists. On the whole Mr. Edwards' suggested code (though meant only for entomologists) seems calculated to meet the difficulties of the case. It would be absurd, however, for entomologists to separate themselves from other naturalists, and to have a code which should apply only to one branch of natural science. I have therefore made a few alterations in the code, and herewith sub- mit it for consideration. THE LAWS OF THE SCIENTIFIC NOMENCLATURE OF SPECIES AND GENERA. i. The names of species and genera must be Latin, or Latinized to that extent that renders them capable of being used in scientific Latin. (Sharp.) 2. For a name to stand, it is necessary that there be an intelligible description or a recognizable figure in the case of a species, and a definition of the essential characters in the case of a genus : in both cases, publication is necessary. (Thorell.) 3. Names once given are not to be altered or set aside for any defect or errors. (Sharp.) 4. The name originally given by the describer of a species 106 7he Scottish Naturalist. shall be permanently retained, to the exclusion of all subsequent synonyms. (Brit. Assoc. Code). 5. In determining the priority of specific and generic names, notice shall be taken only of those works, in which the Linnean binomial system of nomenclature (propounded in 1 751) is exclusively and consistently employed. (Thorell.) 6. If a name is placed after the name of a species it shall be that of the author who first described the species. 7. A generic name when once established shall never be cancelled in any subsequent subdivision of the group, but re- tained in a restricted sense for that portion of the original genus which was considered typical by its author. (Brit. Assoc. Code.) 8. When a name is placed after the name of a genus, it shall be that of the author who established the genus in the sense in which it is actually used. (Sharp.) 9. The same specific name may be employed in different genera, but it is advisable that the genera should be sufficiently remote from each other. (Staudinger.) 10. The name employed for a genus in one branch of Zoology may be also employed for a genus in another branch of Zoology or in Botany, and vice versa, but it is not advisable. it. The name employed as a generic appellation may- be used as a specific one in the same genus, but such a use is not advisable. Simple as rule (1) is, and almost unnecessary as it appears to be, yet the following cases for example (not to mention the celebrated Amphionycha k?ioiv nothing) seem to prove that some such law should occupy a prominent position in a code of scientific nomenclature : — Aulocera JVcrang (so called apparently from having been found in the Werang Pass) and Hespcria Illinois (from the state of that name). Our American friends seem to be the chief sinners in this respect. In regard to rule (3) it has been asked if, supposing a letter be inverted in the name of a species when published for the first time, the misprint is to be perpetuated in all subse- quent printings of the name, and it has therefore been argued that mis-spellings (such as gallii for galii, Zeuzera for Zenzera, &c.) should also be corrected ; but it seems to me that, whereas in the first case we cannot be said to have a word at all, if an. 27ie Scottish Naturalist. 107* inverted letter (which, in such a position, is not the symbol of any articulate sound) be retained, in the second we must retain the mis-spelling, for ''it matters not in the least by what con- ventional' sound we agree to designate an individual object, provided the sign to be employed be stamped with such an authority as will suffice to make it pass current." A great deal has been written for and against a literal inter- pretation of rule (4). I agree with those who hold to a literal interpretation, and for this reason, that if all naturalists of this day were to agree to use only those names which are in use though not having priority, it by no means follows that their successors will bind themselves to follow such an interpretation, but if they adopt the oldest names given under the binomial system, then the matter is settled for ever. " All that we can with any justice demand is, that the original name by which a species was first baptized should be recognised to the exclusion of all others ; if it be possible to determine the name with accuracy" (Agassiz). " The -changes necessitated by an application of the law of priority to the names of species are comparatively small, but appear more extensive than they really are because they necessarily occur most frequently among common species." (W. F. Kirby). Various dates (1766, 1758, &c.,) have been proposed as the period farther back than which the law of priority should not be carried. Linne fully and distinctly propounded the binomial system in the Philosophia Botanica in 1751 (though he did not apply it universally till 1758), and there can be no reason whatever (as Dr. Thorell remarks) why authors who adopted and system- atically applied it should be set aside. In regard to rule (6), botanists generally, and zoologists in some countries, do not adhere 'to the principle that the name placed after the name of a species should be the name of the describer of the species, for in those cases where new genera are established for the reception of previously described species, or where -a species is removed from one genus to another, the name of the founder of the new genus, or of the remover of the species, supplants that of the original describer cf the species. Against this practice several reasons may be brought forward, tst, — That "it is an inducement for vain-glorious individuals to found new genera without sufficient reason, in order that their 108 The Scottish Naturalist. names may appear after the name of the species. 2nd, — That it increases an already overburdened. synonymy ; and that, with- out the synonyms being given, a species described by Linne (say) will appear to have been only described by a lucent author. For example, Sisynibriun nasturtium L. becomes Nasturtium officinale Br. ; 6". sylvestre L. becomes N. sylvestre Br., &c, and thus, as far as appears from the names, these species were unknown to Linne. 3rd, — That it is not fair to the original describer. 4th, — That those who practice it are not consistent, sometimes using the name of the author of the genus, and sometimes that of the describer of the species. For example, L'Heritier founded the genus Erodium out of part of Geranium L. If botanists therefore followed their rules consistently we should have Erodium cicutarium L'H.; but instead of that, I find, on consulting five recent botanical works, the following, Erodium cicutarium L. ; Erodium cicutarium L'H. ; and Erodium cicutarium Sm. in the three remaining works. Again, in one of the most recent British Floras, two Linnean species ( Valeria?ia rubra L. and Serratula alpina LJ are placed in the genera CentrantJius DC, and Siussurea DC. ; but in the one case we find CentrantJius ruber DC, and in the other Saussurea alpina L. And many other cases might be cited. Staudinger ("Catalog" p. xv.) notices a good instance of how this practice may be carried out to an absurd extent. Guenee xites an Anophila Ramburii Clercke, from which it follows that Clercke, who died in 1765, dedicated a species to Rambur, who was not born till 1802 ! In reference to rule (8) "Carabus of Linnaeus included all the insects now comprised in the family Carabidae, af present divided into several hundreds of genera. To write therefore Carabus Linn, when we mean something else may be usual but is not desirable." (Sharp). In rule (10) it might be better to enact that the same generic name cannot be used twice, but at the same time that the rule should not be retrospective, so that names already doubly used be permitted to stand. It might be a matter for consideration, however, whether even this should be allowed. Though the use of the same word in one and the same genus, both as a generic and specific appellation (rule 11), has been deprecated, I do not see why a name should not be so The Scottish Naturalist. 109 used, and instances are not wanting where such a combination exists, e.g., Cossus cossus, Vertigo vertigo, &c. If rule (4) be adopted we shall have other cases, such as Nasturtium nastur- tium L. ( = Nasturtium officinale Br.) &c. One or two additional rules may require to be framed to meet certain special cases. To these, however, (or to the rules of the nomenclature of families,) I shall not direct attention on the present occasion. A BRITISH NATURALISTS' AGENCY. "\ \ TE have much pleasure in laying before our readers the * following suggestions for the establishment of a " Natu- ralists' Agency" in Britain. The object of, and advantages likely to accrue from, the institution of such an agency are fully explained in our correspondent's letter, so that we need not allude to them further than to say that we trust that such an agency will be soon established, and to entreat all readers of the Scottish Naturalist to assist. We shall be glad to answer any enquiries about the matter. " Wishing as I do to call the attention of naturalists gene- rally to what I believe to be a desideratum in this country, I would be much obliged by the insertion of the following state- ments and suggestions in the pages of the Scottish Naturalist, with a view at some future time of seeing the suggestions laid before the British Association for the Advancement of Science for its consideration and support. A few years ago a Naturalists' Agency was formed at Salem, Mass. U.S., N. America, and was called "The American Natu- ralists' Agency." Since that time the Agency has flourished and brought forth abundant and good fruit, and in an incredibly short space of time has become the acknowledged medium for the sale of the proceedings of all the learned societies in America, and through which advertisers on all natural history subjects make known their wants. The objects of this Agency are stated at length in their prospectus, which is transcribed further on. Some of the more important of these objects, how- ever, I may be permitted more directly to call attention to. i l o The Scottish Naturalist. The first mentioned in the prospectus is, "-To facilitate the purchase of Works on Natural History." Now, many authors who write for journals or for scientific societies, and who retain the copyright, have no easily attainable means of distributing copies of their papers; and on the other. hand, there are many who have no easily attainable means of procuring them. The latter class of people must either obtain copies from the authors, or perhaps purchase a whole volume or whole part of the pro- ceedings, neither of which means are always easily attainable. In America, copies are thrown off of all valuable papers, and the Agency dispose of them for the authors, or procure them for the public. -Another object of the Agency is the republication of valuable pamphlets or standard works, and reprinting and refiageing sepa- rate papers or other portions of the proceedings of societies. In order to accomplish this the Agency has secured the support and encouragement of the various learned societies throughout North America. Moreover, the American Agency often re- print valuable pamphlets which were originally published in other countries (especially in Great Britain), but which are now out of print in these countries. No more striking instance of this can be cited than the following : — The British Association for the Advancement of Science some years ago published a Code of Rules, for the guidance "of authors and naturalists, on Scientific Nomenclature. In this country it was soon bought up, and became out of print, but in America it is still in circu- lation, and doubtless hundreds of copies lie ready for the hun- dreds of young naturalists who in time must learn and keep these rules. In this country I am sure there must be" a great many young naturalists who are utterly ignorant of such a pam- phlet, and that not through any fault of their own, but simply because it has been allowed to go out of print. Surely an asso- ciation which professes to advance science should see that such a valuable " grammar of nomenclature" should be within the reach of every young student, and should never allow it to go out of print. I think, further, that effectual means should be^ taken to prevent in future all valuable pamphlets, books, pap in societies' proceedings, journals, or even in newspapers, from going out of print ; and I think that an Agency ably conducted could effect this, for, does not the prospectus of the American 77ie Scottish Naturalist. 1 1 1 Naturalists' Agency tell us, " The facilities of the Agency for the sale of works relating to Natural History are unsurpassed in this country." For the benefit of those who feel interested in the subject, I give some extracts from the prospectus of the American Naturalist's Agency : — " In order to facilitate the purchase of works on Natural History, the editors of the Naturalist have established an Agency for the sale of such works, and any publication mentioned in the following list can be obtained of the agency at the prices annexed. The prices given arc those affixed by the owners of the books. It is particularly requested that parties sending works on sale will price their books as low as pos- sible.- The Agency will also keep on hand for sale, at publication prices, the late and standard works in the several departments of Natural History. Giueis will also be taken for works not on the list, and for foreign publications. All orders for books given on the list must be accompanied with the amount specified, and books, zvi 11 not be foi warded until the money is received. The Agency is prepared to publish for authors any first-class work on Natural History." "The many letters which we received requesting information about obtaining books and papers on topics of Natural History, induced us to establish an Agency at the office of the American Naturalist, for the purpose of supplying Naturalists with Books and Pamphlets, and aiding Authors and Institutions in selling their various publications on the following plan : — Parties to sent! to us several copies (not exceeding twenty, unless specially requested) of each book or pamphlet they have for sale, stating the retail price. An account will be opened with each party sending, and credit given at the retail price for all books received. Parties will be charged on their accounts for any transportation expenses which we have to pay when receiving the packages, which should be sent to us by mail (prepaid when not too bulky). A classified list of the books will be given from time to time in the Natziralist, with the prices of each annexed, and the amonnt to be remitted in addition for postage. Yearly accounts of each party will be made up, and a statement forwarded regarding the number of copies on hand, and the sales that have been made, for which the ca?h will be remitted, after deducting any express charges incurred on the receipt of the books, and our commission to defray the expense of the adver- tisement, &c. Parties having works on Natural History which they wjsh to dispose of, can send them to us on the same terms. We also give in our list notices of the various Scientific Periodicals, and the regular publications of Scientific Societies and Institutions that have made us their agents. It will be part of the business of the Agency to procure, if possible, any works on Natural History, other than those on its list, that may be ordered. ii2 The Scottish Naturalist. To Institutions and Societies publishing Proceedings, Transactions, Memoirs, &c, the Agency is proving of great benefit, and authors having extra copies of their own papers for sale are finding it to their advantage, in thus making their papers more widely known." Now, the above are only some of the advantages which would flow from the establishment of an Agency in this country such as I have attempted to indicate. The very presence of such an Agency would create a demand for scientific knowledge. Many small country reading-clubs, many libraries, and many naturalists residing at a distance from the centres of scientific circles would, I believe, hail the advent of such an Agency with pleasure. They would then be enabled to purchase good scien- tific literature at a low price. By means of the American Naturalist's Agency, I for one have ?iever failed in procuring easily any paper read at any meeting of any learned society in the United States that I have applied for ;' but in this country (mark the contrast) I have never succeeded in doing so, without purchasing either a whole volume or a whole number of a volume of the Proceedings, except in such cases as I have received separately printed copies from the authors. Surely science might be advanced by a more general distribution of scientific papers. Again, many appendices to works on Travel are thus lost to the general naturalist public, and notably I may instance the appendices to the earlier Arctic and Antarctic ■ " Voyages." An agency could reprint and repage these ap- pendices, and, I believe, find a sale for them both in this country and in America. An American correspondent of mine has repeatedly expressed surprise that no such agency exists in Great Britain, and I have often experienced great difficulty in obtaining pamphlets here which my American correspondent wished to procure. I am sure many others must have felt the same difficulty. Again, to show the enormous circulation and sale of pam- phlets, &c, in the United States, I cannot do better than quote in part the Annual Report of the Librarian of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. He tells us that in 1S61 the number of donations to the library was i6Sr. Of these there were 380 volumes, 1295 pamphlets, and 6 maps ; so many were folios, so many quartos, &c, &c. Of these, editors presented r 5 7 ; authors, 209,; societies, 629; and one private indivi- The Scottish Naturalist. 1 1 3 dual no less than 208 ; 160 others were purchased by the Library and "Wilson" funds; and the remainder were re- ceived from other sources. Of these there were 328 on Conchology alone; 103 on Geology; 45 on Entomology; 39 on Botany; 2>Z on Ornithology; 53 on General Natural History; besides quite a large number of others on diffeient scientific subjects. More to recommend the above suggestions I cannot well say, but I think the statements cannot fail to show how great a boon to naturalists a similar Agency in this country would prove, provided it were ably conducted, and fully acknowledged and supported by the leading scientific societies: Scientific circles in time, I believe, would be enlarged, and not be con- fined to the metropolis, or nearly so. There are plenty of good men out of London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the large towns, who have no opportunities of reading, being removed from the principal scientific libraries. Not one individual, nor indeed any one society, could set such an undertaking afloat, with all the necessary careful and exhaustive machinery of management which would be necessary for its success. But if all the leading societies would jointly discuss its merits and demerits, and at length bring it carefully and repeatedly before the notice of the British Association, I see no reason against its ultimate complete success. But to arrive at this first step it is necessary to ventilate the suggestion, and this cannot be better done, I believe, than by bringing it before the notice of the local societies, and asking each to assist in bringing it finally before a higher court." John Ar Harvje Bro\v>\ MEMOIRS ON SCOTTISH TENTHREDINID£. By V. CAMERON, Jun. No. II.-NEMATUS DEGEERT. Tenthredo Degeeri Klug ; Die B/att7ces/>en No. 169. T. Geeri Stephens; ///. Brit. Ent. vii. p. 80. No. 25. Dineura Degeeri Hartig ; Die Blattwespen, Sex., 227, No. 1. Nematus Degeeri Thomson, Hymen. Scand., 80, No. r. ii4 The Scottish Naturalist. HP HE larva of Nematus Degeeri is one of the commonest ■*■ birch feeders in Scotland ; in some localities it may be found in very great numbers. Stephens, alluding to the perfect insect, says in his Illustrations, that it is "apparently very rare " in the south, and the imago is certainly not so common as the larva. Larva. — Head somewhat roundish, narrower than the second segment, light shining-green, with a yellowish tint, covered with short white hairs ; eyes small and deep black ; N mouth organs brown, mandibles black at the tip ; feet, light whitish-green ; claws brown, black at the extreme tip. The fourteen claspers, light green like the body; the fourth and eleventh segments have none. The body when old is whitish- green throughout, without any marks whatever. The segmental divisions are well marked, being much whiter- than the other parts; when filled the dorsal vessel is noticeable by being dark green. A very few short hairs are scattered over the skin. , The larvae when young have a brighter and greener tint than when old. The body is flattish, broad at the thorax, getting narrower towards the anus. The larvae are found gregariously, from August to October, on upper surface of the birch leaves, the epidermis of which they devour. They do not often eat it through, but only the upper portion, and when they do so, the fibres remain like a net-work. They are very sluggish and remain almost motion- less, with the body closely pressed against the surface, and lying at full stretch on the leaves. I am not sure that they do not reside on the same leaf during all their larval life. When the creatures become full-fed, they drop to the ground. In the breeding jar, the cocoons, which are oblong, about 4-5 lines long, were spun one against the other, on the under sur- face of the leaves or singly in the earth. The cocoon is thin, composed of two distinct coverings, but some larvae, for some reason or other, only spin the inner one. After being some time in the cocoon, the larvae become shorter and stouter, and the claspers shrink in. About the beginning of May they enter the pupal state. The pupa displays all the parts of the future insect. It is bright green, with transparent white antennae, feet and wings ; the eyes brown. After the insects leave that condition, they re- The Scottish Naturalist. 115 main some days in the cocoon, until the limbs become firmer, and get divested of the pupal covering, which sometimes ap- pears to be a difficult matter. At this time the abdomen is greenish. The larvae described by De Geer (Memoirs, 2., pp. 266-7., No. 20, pi. 38., fig. 8-db), have been given by authors as those of this species; but those reared by me, and they were taken in different localites, do not agree with his account, in as much as their heads were green with a yellowish tint, not pale orange- yellow, and the dorsal vessel was not at any time remarkably conspicuous like his. I have, however, found, but failed to "rear, some larvae which agreed perfectly with his description, and their habits were identical, so that it may be after all merely a variety. Imago. — Head narrow, reddish-yellow ; eyes and a spot on the top covering the ocelli, black ; lower half of the face whit- ish-yellow; mandibles brownish-black. The antennae of the same colour as the head, and about the length of the abdomen. Wings long, with brownish nervures ; costa and stigmal spot pale testa- ceous ; feet, light reddish-yellow ; the points of the posterior tarsi, blackish. The upper surface of the body is sometimes entirely black, with the exception of the last segment or two, but occasionally all the thorax is reddish yellow, or only the pro thorax, or it may be of that colour with black spots. Some specimens have the last four or five segments also of that colour. Two white oblong spots are close to the scutellum, and on the anal segment are two sharp projecting prongs. The anal segment is covered with short hairs. The underside of the body is entirely reddish-yellow. Long. corp. 3^-4-lines ; Exp. alar. 7-8-lines. Variety, of the female. Antennae, blackish-brown. The saw is short and narrowish, slightly bent at the base ; the teeth, twelve in number, somewhat triangular, more of a square shape at the apex, straw-coloured, with black lines going across from the teeth to the back. The perfect insects made their appearance towards the end of May, and may be beaten out of the birch trees during June, but the larvae have not been met with earlier than August. After, a careful examination of this insect, I can see no adequate reason why it and its allies should be formed into a r i 6 The Scottish Naturalist. genus \Dineura) distinct from Nematus, with which they agree in almost everything except in having two instead of one mar- ginal cell in the anterior wings, while from the foregoing description it is seen that the larvae are likewise similar. OBSERVATIONS ON THE (ECONOMY OF THE PARASITES AND INQU1LINES OF NEMATUS GALLICOLA AND OTHER GALL-MAKING SAW-FLIES. By P. CAMERON, Jun. (First Paper.) 'pHE insects which live at the expense of gall-making saw **■ flies may be conveniently arranged under three heads. i<;t, Inguilines. — These feed on the substance of the galls, not on the larvae of the saw-flies, the death of which, however, is the invariable consequence, and are mostly Ciirculionida and Micro- Lepidoptera. 2nd, Pa?-asites. — These devour the larvae, some- times as internal, but more frequently as external feeders, and belong to the hymenopterous families Ichneiwwnidce and Chal- cididce, as well as to the order Diptera. 3rd, Casuals.— Under this may be arranged sundry insects which inhabit the galls temporarily or permanently, and which are not injurious to the saw-flies, or to any great extent to the galls. The saw-flies, especially N. gallicola, are subject to some form of disease while in the cocoon. A fungus appears to attack them (but it is doubtful if this is the primary cause of their death), and when the cocoons are opened, especially in winter and spring, they are found to contain nothing but a white woolly substance. I am not here alluding to the insects bred in confinement, but to those in a state of nature, and it is astonishing what a number perish thus in some localities. It can scarcely be caused by an excess of moisture, for the same thing happens to those kept in a dry room. I have made care- ful calculations regarding the mortality of N. gallicola, and, taking into account those killed by disease, inquilines, parasites, &c, consider that not twenty per cent, reach the perfect state. Of course, some localities and seasons are more favour- able for them than others. The Scottish Naturalist. J 17 BALANINUS BJtASSIOE Fab. This is the commonest species found in the galls of N. galli- cola. It is also found, but very rarely, in those of N.pedunculi. I was not able to observe the manner of oviposition, or the eggs, but have found the larvae when they could not have been more than a day or two out of them. They were then per- fectly white, and the fuscous colour of the head was not so conspicuous as it was when they were of a more mature age. When full-fed the larva is about 1^ lines in length ; the head is narrower than the body, and is of a fuscous colour, with the mandibles, which are well developed, of a darker hue. It has neither legs nor claspers, but the segments, especially the anterior, are very prominent, and by their aid they manage to progress at a smart pace when ejected from their nidus ; the colour of the body is of a shining pale-yellow. In form it is somewhat cylindrical, stout and flat-looking, with the segments decreasing a little in width towards the anus • a few hairs are scattered over the body. The weevils devour the contents of the galls like the saw-fly larvae, and have a peculiar energetic way of jerking the head in feeding or walking. Usually only one larva is found in a gall, but occasionally two, three, and in one instance four, were found living harmoniously together. After they have become full-fed, they eat a round hole in the side of the gall, and drop to the ground, to pass into the pupa state. In the breeding jar they moved restlessly about for two or three days before bury- ing themselves in the earth, and a number which happened to be ejected from the galls before being full fed, completely riddled some willow leaves which were in the jar. Mr. M tiller records'" the interesting fact, that they drop to the ground by means of a silken thread, but this does not appear to be always the case. The galls which have been tenanted by the weevils may be easily recognised by the round hole in the side — the saw-fly larva escapes by a hole at one end — and by the smallness of the pellets of frass. Six or seven clays after having entered the earth, they cast oft' the larval skin and enter the third stage of tlieir existence. * Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. ix. p. 192, and vi.' p. 137. n8 * The Scottish Naturalist. The pupa is shorter and stouter than the larva, and the abdomen is more sharply pointed. At first it is white, but after a day or two assumes a yellower hue ; wing-cases, limbs, and proboscis white; eyes black. At the commencement of the pupal state, the proboscis is pressed -rather close to the breast, but afterwards projects more from it. The limbs are laid along the breast. When touched or alarmed the pupa moves the abdomen about in a rapid and irritable manner. The larvae rarely spin a cocoon in confinement, but occasionally they spin a rough one. The larvae are found in the galls from the end of June to the end of September. Several broods appear to occur in a year. The development of the insects will occupy about seven weeks. In some localities near Glasgow I found that fully forty per cent, of the galls were occupied by them ; on the other hand, in some places they are not found at all, so that the total per centage of sawfly larvae destroyed by them will be much smaller than that. How does the weevil contrive to get rid of the proper tenant of the gall ? Upon this point, I was unable to make any direct observations, but am strongly inclined to believe that it is dis- troyed in the egg, or at anyrate when a very young larva. This conclusion is based upon the following facts. I have found in a gall a very young weevil larva, and on the same leaf was another gall in which was an egg of galiicola. In another instance the two species were found living in separate galls on the same leaf ; they were both in the first moult, but the weevil larva was clearly further advanced in its develop- ment than the other. These facts seem to point to the con- clusion that the growth of the weevil is more rapid than the saw-fly, and they have been found shortly after the galls have arrived a maturity. Although I have examined some hundreds of galls never in a single instance were the two found together, and when a young weevil was placed in a gall with a saw-fly larva, and the gall carefully closed, it shortly afterwards cut its way out, leaving the other uninjured. It is therefore evident that the inquiline being stronger, and coming to maturity fast :v than its companion, kills it, perhaps unconsciously, by its e.urgetic manner of feeding. The eggs appear to be also deposited in galls where the larvae are about The Scottish Naturalist. 119 half fed, and in this case the struggle for existence must be harder, but the death of the host seems always to happen. The larvae of B. brassicce, themselves almost parasites, are preyed upon by at least two Hymenopterous insects. On the 26th of July, a larva of a small Ichneumon was observed crawling over one of the lafvas, which was then quite lively and evidently uninjured. The ichneumon soon fastened its mouth in the other's side, and I watched it, by the aid of a lens, evidently sucking it with great gusto, and giving now and again a twist to its body, as if wanting to get into a better position to enjoy its meal. While looking at it, I was disturbed and let the two fall to the ground, a distance^ of about four feet, and on immediately picking them up was interested to find the parasite in the same spot, and sucking away as vigorous as ever. By the 28th it had devoured the tail half of the body ; on the 30th the rest of it was gone with the exception of the mandibles, and the parasite had spun up in a white cocoon. Even when full fed it was considerably smaller than the weevil. The dorsal vessel was of a reddish colour. A still smaller insect, one of the Chalcididce, is the other parasite. Although equally voracious it takes a longer time to finish the larva, and like the other sucks it from the outside. It does not spin a cocoon. Both these insects feed likewise on the larvae of the saw-flies. Acentropus nivsus— How to find and capture it.— I would advise any entomologist who wishes to become acquainted with the history of this very peculiar insect, to peruse Mr. Dunning's elaborate essay on the subject, which is published in the "Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 1872." I am under the impression that the species is much more generally dis- tributed in Britain than is generally supposed, and that on account of its small size and insignificant appearance, it is often overlooked. I purpose, therefore, to give a few hints how to find it. In the first place, it must be remembered by those who lcok for it, that the early stages of its life are passsed in the water, and that, consequently, the perfect insect is seldom found far from that element. It is found from the beginning of June till September with us in the south. The principal food of the larva are the various species of Potamo- geton, but from recent accounts it appears the moths have been taken abundantly where Potamogeton was comparatively rare, but the American water-weed Ana- char is alsinastrvm was common. There was no proof, however, that the larva fed on the latter. I have found the moths most commonly in July. They begin to fly just about dusk close to the surface of the water, and seem to be swimming about in broken circles, and often glide out upon the mud at the margin of the water. Though they are very small, their white appearance makes them very 120 The Scottish Naturalist. conspicuous, but their capture at night is not altogether easy or very remunera- tive. They can be taken, however, with a water-net, but whether in the net or not ihey are very active at night, and their perfection is soon marred. My plan is to find a spot where they are abundant at night, and go the next day to cap- ture them. They settle upon boards, sticks, grass, or any kind of herbage close to the water's edge. In -the day-time they are sluggish, and may be taken m pill- boxes, &c, off the objects on which they rest. They will also be found settled up- on the weeds on the surface of the water, during the day-time. The flight of the insect, once seen, is not easily confounded with any other, and is not easily for- gotten, as its erratic movements on the surface of the water reminds one in some degree of the eccentricities of the whirling beetle (Gyt in its natator). I believe it is generally found in abundance where it does occur. In 1871, when I first de- tected it here, it swarmed to an incredible degree, but last season it was not so common. — G. B. Corbin, Ringwood, Hampshire. A New British Dipteron (Laphria flava J. — In the second week < f August of last year, and during a four days' excursion along the Don, we stayed a day at Colquhomy Inn, situated in that portion known as Strath-Don. On the opposite side of the river to the inn was a slight rise, the incline of which was rather steep, and was covered with long moss, heather, coarse grass, Sec, and with fir trees pretty thickly over it ; here it was the good fortune of one of our number (Mr. H. Williamson) to capture a specimen of a large fly, which turned out. to be a species of Laphria. I sent the insect up to Mr. G. H. Verrall, and he has identified it as Laphria flava L. , new to Britain. The specimen is a female, measuring in length 10 lines, with an alar expanse of 17 lines ; the tho- rax and abdomen aie thickly covered with tawny hairs, those on the thorax being rather the longer ; the legs are very stout, with black hairs, the tibiae more or less with light tawny hairs. The head is clothed with long stiff black hairs, the first two joints of the antennae with tawny hairs, and a row of these extends downwards on each side internally to the e)es, till half-way down the face. Anion the Syrphidcz which I also obtained there were a single male of Sericomyia superbiens Mir., {Arctophila mussitans Fb.) ; Sericomyia borca- lis Fin. : and Helophilus pevdvlus L., which are common even where. ; Eris- ialis intricaritts L., E. horticola Dg., JS.JbssammlAeTgle., and. E. ri.pium Fb. This last "Walker gives as "rare; in Mr. Stephens' collection.'' I obtained several specimens of it, but that is the only time I have taken it in Scotland. Of the Cheilosis. I took one or two of C. astracca L., and a number of C. chloris Mg. — W. A. Vice, 15 Union Terrace, Aberdeen. Notes on Lepidoptera in 1873.— As notwithstanding the late spring, the times of appearance of certain Lepidoptera this spring are considerably earlier than they were last year, the following notes may be of interest. The dates within brackets are those of 1872. Melanippe biriviata May 21st (June 9th), Venilia maculata May 22nd (June 17th), Noctua plecta M ay 29th ; haw- thorn just beginning to blossom, and some of the oaks scarcely shewing leaf yet. Chcsrocampa porcellus about June 1st (22 days earlier than 1872), Kmmelesia albulata 14 days later, and Dianthcecia cucubali 34 days earlier than 1872. Fidonia piniaria (female) May 8th (June 8th female, May 19 male).— Thos. Moncretffe, Moncreiffe, Bridge of Earn, 1 'ossibly the exceptionally mild weather at the end of December and beginning 1 ; ] in ary may have su far brought the pupa 1 of these insects to perfection that on the first warm weather after the late spring the perfect insects were able to appear at once.- -KDitor Sc. Nat. PHYTOLOGY. HOBKIRK'S "SYNOPSIS OF THE BRITISH MOSSES." P HOUGH a new work on British Muscology was much needed, owing to all existing works on the subject being out of date, the announcement made last year by Mr. Hobkirk, that he was about to publish a Synopsis of the British Mosses took most botanists by surprise. It is also unquestionable that after its announcement this new work was looked for with a good deal of curiosity, and not a little misgiving. The reasons for this are manifest. Mr. Hobkirk was not generally known as a muscologist ; he had gathered nothing of any conse- quence ; he had distributed nothing • he had published nothing ; and he had not added a single new species to the British list. British muscologists had been so accustomed to Berkeley's handbook, Schimper's Synopsis, and Wilson's Bryologia — all expensive works written by world-renowned botanists — that there was some wonder among them as to what would be the character of a work offered to subscribers for 5s., and undertaken by one comparatively unknown. Moreover, the only work approaching to Mr. Hobkirk's in size and price is Stark's British Mosses, a work which certainly gives the mimimum of satisfaction to the student. The size and price, therefore, of the Synopsis, were not very suggestive of good things. Mr. Hobkirk's work has now been before us for some months. We have tested it in the field and in the study ; we have compared its descriptions of species with descriptions of the same species given elsewhere, and with actual specimens, and we have no hesitation in saying that it is not to be men- tioned in the same breath with Stark's work. It is almost equal to Berkeley's, except that it has not a single figure of genera or species, and not a line of introduction. To the ordinary 12 2 •" The Scottish Naturalist. student who has already made some progress in the identifica- tion of species, it has some advantages over even Wilson's Bryologia. In fact we know of only one work of the kind without any plates which is in every way superior to it, and that is Dr. Milde's Bryologia Silesiaca. With many merits, it has, however, not a few defects, and to both we would call attention. The great merit of this Synopsis is the smallness of its size. Though it describes about 560 species, it consists of only 196 pages ; and its lightness and general handiness allow the collector to take it along with him to the field without the least inconvenience, and to appeal to it in cases of perplexity. This can be done with no other book on British Mosses worth carrying. Even were this Synopsis twice its size it could still be carried about without any trouble. In fact its great excellence lies in its being a field-book, and we have no doubt but that many will do with it as we are doing, viz., have it inter- leaved, so that descriptions of omitted European and North American species may be inserted. In this way, when one goes away on an excursion, he can have along with him, in our most unaccessible wilds, descriptions of almost every species likely to be met with. This most desirable result is attained by a severe economy of space. In such works as Bridel's Bryologia Universa, Schimper's Bryologia Europea, and Wilson's Bryologia Brit- tanica, the same plant is almost invariably described twice ; first the more important characters are given, aud after- wards, — and usually in smaller type, — these are again de- scribed, intermixed with a considerable amount of detail. Mr. Hobkirk takes the rational way of at once saying all he has got to. say in the way of description, and he thus avoids a good deal of the repetition which has made the works of so many of our earlier botanists unnecessarily cumbersome. Not only is space saved by this common-sense course, but one escapes the studying of two descriptions of the same plant, and thus time is saved as well as space. Again, the synonymy of species, which takes up about a third of the Bryologia Universa, and almost a fourth of the Bryologia Brittanica, is here entirely discarded; and, as a rule, only one name is mentioned in connection with one species. And this we consider to be quite right. To an The Scottish Naturalist. 123 ordinary student, synonymy is really of very little use ; and it is very little attended to. ' Besides we are, just now, very much at sea with regard to the true names and synonymy of many species, and will so continue until Lindberg publishes his work on the synonymy of European and North American Mosses — a work for which he has been ransacking such old herbaria and writings as those of Micheli and Dillenius. In the above particulars Mr. Hobkirk has acted wisely ; but we think he has done unwisely in not giving an introduction in which the structure, organs, biography, uses, and 124 The Scottish Naturalist. Dr. Braithwaite, in the Journal of Botany, following out Mitten's principles to their natural limits, unites Gymnostomum and Weissia and retains the latter name for the genus so enlarged. Thus Gymnostomum calcareum and G. commutatum become with him who abolishes the genus Gymnostomum, Weissia cal- carea and IV. commutata respectively. Mr. Hobkirk, whilst retaining the genus Gymnostomum after Wilson, adopts the generic names of these recent aditions to our Moss-Flora, as given by Dr. Braithwaite and includes them in his own and Wilson's genus Weissia^ forgetting evidently one of two very important things ; either that he had in his Synopsis a genus Gymnostomum for the express purpose of embracing what some would call non-peristomical Weissice ; or that the two mosses above-mentioned have no peristome ! A good deal may be said with regard to nomenclature, and two or three passages in the work before us give us an oppor- tunity of touching on a point connected therewith. It is allowed on all hands that the name first given to a species should adhere to it ever aftei wards, if possible, and that the name also of the nominator should be added thereto. Some- times it is not possible to retain the generic name of a plant owing to the many changes which take place in men's ideas regarding genera, but in nineteen cases out of twenty it is possible to retain the specific name. Now we hold that the names of the original nominators of plants — the names of those who first distinguished them as species — should alone be attached to them as the names of their nominator. This is too frequently disregarded at the present time. In his Synop- sis Mr. Hobkirk, for example, associates the name of Mr. Carruthers with Seligeria paucifotia as its nominator. Why should this be so when the plant was well known to, and named by, Dickson seventy years ago ? And yet Dickson's name is never mentioned in connection with it ! It is true he called it Bryum paucifolium, but everything almost was a Bryum or a Hypnum in his day, and genera had then much wider limits than now, though their limits have been once more expanding of late. Again, the name of Dr. Braithwaite is associated with Tortula rufa, which species all allow to have been first dis- tinguished and named by Lorentz, who called it Didymodon ntfus. But Mitten believes that Didymodon^ Trichostomum, The Scottish Naturalist. 125 and Tortula all form one great germs, on which be bestows the name Tortula. Of course, had Mitten had occasion to mention Didymodon rufus as included in this great genus, he would have called it Tortula rufa, and according to the modern system, his name would have come after it ; but he, dealing with the general points of his classification and not with details, has no occasion to mention it. But Dr. Braithwaite, who follows Mitten's system, has occasion to mention the plant, calls it, under the compulsitor of Mitten's system Tortula rufa, and is perhaps the first to do so. On this account, the name of Lorentz appears within parenthesis as a secondary name in connection with the plant, and Dr. Braithwaite's appears as nominator in chief. No one will surely say that this is fair. But this is our modern plan, by which we have very much driven away the names of our older botanists from our books; and it is a plan against which we loudly protest. In the Synopsis about 560 species are described. Several of these, such as Campy lopus breinfolius, Bryupt apiculatum, Atrichum tenellum, &c, are admitted on insufficient authority or by mistake ; whilst we observe an occasional confusion of species as when it is stated that Trichostomum zonatuvi and Trichostomum tenue var. glaciate are the same, we notice that Dicranum glaciate Berg, and D. arcticum Schpr. are described as two distinct species, whereas they are precisely the same plant under two names. Hypuum Breadalbanense and Hyp. rupestre B.W., seem to us not only misplaced among the cupressiforme group, but in all likelihood one and the same, and identical with Hyp. sulcatum Schpr. which again cannot well be other than a stunted state of Hyp. falcatum Bridel. Though these and others have to be subtracted from the number here recorded as British, a good number, principally of Scottish species, must be added. Among these are Sphagnum papillosum Lindb., 6". Ki?ilayanu?n\\\\s., S. Zindbergii, Phascum intermedium, Weissia co?npacta, Grimmia alpestris, Mnium insigne Mitten, Bryumfallax, Hyp. subpinnatum, glaciate, Star kit, Schimperi, Fontinalis minor, &c. Besides, we notice an exceed- ingly large number of rather rare mosses set down as having been found only south of the Tweed or in Ireland, whereas they have been detected (often in many places) in Scotland — Didymodon rccurvifolius, Ortkotric/ium obtusifoliam y Tortula pa- 126 The Scottish Naturalist illosa, Hypnam vernicosum, Bryum neodamense, Szc, are some of this class. Scotch collectors also have occasionally their honours wrested from them. Instead of Crombie beinsr the first to detect Seligeria tristicha in Britain, that plant so minute and so interesting, was first gathered in this country by Miss M'Inroy of Lude, a lady who has with much perse- verance prosecuted the investigation of the mosses about Blair Athole, and has there found such plants as Anodus, Scligeria pusilla, Hypnum Sommcrfe/dtii, Tortilla princcps and Dicranum Grevilleanum. The descriptions of species are very concise, and considering their brevity, good. Occasionally one detects a slip, as when Dicrafium lo?igifolium is described as having a sk?ider nerve. Mielichhoferia ?iitida — the form of it which grows in this country — is set down as the var. gracilis, but it should be referred to the var. elo?igaia. Grimmia Ungeri is described as without an annu- lus by Juratzka. The statement is taken without question by Dr. Braithwaite and Mr. Hobkirk, but the plant has a very narrow but distinct enough ring. In the descriptions, we think that a great deal more attention should have been given to the in- florescence and areolation — a diagnosis of the latter being now often essential to the determination of species, and always useful. Perhaps the great defect in the descriptions is that they smack too much of the study of books, and too little of the plants themselves. To hit upon the great distinguishing characters of a moss under the microscope, or under the naked eye, is a thing Mr. Hobkirk does not unfrequently, but not quite so often as we could wish. However, he has given us a singularly handy book, containing descriptions of about 120 species in addition to those given by Wilson, and- he has therefore our sincerest thanks. John Fergusson. SCOTTISH GALLS. (Continued from p. 80. ) By W. H. TRAILL, M.A. Quercus robur L. — (//) I last summer got " Oak-apples " at Banchory and at Ballater, both on Deeside. When fresh, they are soft, and covered with a reddish skin, and can be readily cut with a knife, (i) Gall of Cynips ( Aphi- The Scottish Naturalist. 127 lothrix) radicis Fab. For a specimen of this gall, from near Glasgow, I am indebted to Mr. Cameron, jun. It consists of a swelling on the root, made up of a mass of oval cells irregularly grouped, the walls coalescing more or less. The wall of each cell is very thin and compact, and the cavity is pretty large. Externally, each cell is about \- inch by |-inch. Outside the mass of cells is a layer of compact woody tissue, outside which is a loosely compacted layer, (k) Gall of Biorhiza renum H. The galls are at- tached to the chief veins on the lower surface of the leaf, usually in pairs, one on each side of the vein. For a time they remain small ( VI -inch by |^-inch), and distinctly reni- form, but in October they swell up to several times their former bulk, become nearly globular, and readily fall oft" the leaf. They are. smooth, naked, and green. They are mono- thalamous, and thin-walled. Usually many occur on a leaf. They remain all winter on the earth, and produce their oc- cupants in spring. Abundant at Dunkeld in September, and at Parkhill, near Aberdeen, in October, (l) Galls of Neuroterus fwnipennis H. ? The insects reared from them this spring do not agree with Marshall's description (E. M. M., iv. p. 125), but the galls agree with those of this species. They are the size and shape of " oak spangles," but are flat- tened, with the centre slightly depressed. They are smooth, with hardly any hairs on their surface ; usually bright green, but when on the upper surface of the leaf they are bright red ; they become purple when dry. They are monothala- mous. Usually they are scattered over the lower surface of the leaf, but occasionally occur on the upper. I have never seen them crowded together like the common "oak-spangle." Common about Dunkeld in September, and Mr. Roy tells me he has seen similar galls on Deeside. (m) Galls of Neuroterus ostreus H. occurred sparingly about Dunkeld in September, attached to the chief veins or midrib of the leaf below. They are usually ovate (^-inch by ^'f-inch; they are smooth, naked, and light-green, usually spotted with red. They are thin- walled and monothala- mous. At the point of attachment, two valve-like mem- branes project (one on each side), the remains of a skin which covered the gall in its early stage of development 128 . The Scottish Naturalist. In October the gall falls, leaving the valves projecting from the vein or midrib, (n) Last autumn, in Perthshire, I found in great abundance the galls of Dryophanta Scutellaria Oliv. (= Cynips folii Hartig.), and have reared the insects from them during the winter. They are attached to the midrib or chief veins, below the leaf. They are spherical, and vary in diameter from ± to j-inch. Externally, they are naked, nearly smooth, and red, or green mottled with white spots. They are monothalamous. The walls are excessively thick and fleshy, and contain much sap. (o) Galls of An. dricus ramuli L. occurred to me rear Ballater and Banchory, both last and this summer. They are attached to the male catkins in masses averaging f-inch across, which look very like rolled-up balls of whitish cotton. Each mass is made up of a number of small galls about the size of a whin-seed; which are monothalamous, and have hard compact walls ; but are covered externally with long, flat, dry hairs, resem- bling those of cotton, (p) Galls of Spathegaster baccarum L., or " Currant Galls," are abundant in Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire in June. Dr. Buchanan White sent me specimens from Perthshire also. They are globular and vary from -j 1 ^ to J-inch in diameter. They are attached to the lower surface of the blade of the leaf, in which case they project slightly on the upper surface also, or to the catkin. (To be continued. J Poa sudetica.— In " The Scottish Naturalist,''' II. p. 32, I mentioned having found Poa sudetica, but that the locality was not satisfactory. I have since (13th May 1873,) fo und Jt m plenty, and apparently truly wild, in Spring- wood Park woods, especially in one part of them, on a steep bank, under old trees, which never could have been under cultivation, owing to the steepness of it. Mr. Wemyss — who has been gardener upwards of twenty years— went with me to examine the station, and he could not see any means by which it could have been introduced. About a week afterwards Dr. F. Douglas visited it, and he also is of opinion that it is truly wild there, especially as we could not detect it in the park adjoining, although there are many suitable places under the trees that are scattered about ; which shows that by whatever means it came there at first, it would not be amongst the grass seeds with which the park was sown. — Andrew Brotherston, Kelso. New British Oak-Galls.— 1 have recently found in Aberdeenshire galls of Andricus amend Gir and A. quadri lincai us Hartig. which I believe have not been observed in Britain before. Full description will lie given in the next number of the Scottish Naturalist.— J. W. H. TRAILL, Old Aberdeen. INSECTA SCOTICA. THE LEPIDOPTERA OF SCOTLAND. ( Continued from p. 88, ) Edited by F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. O chrysobrhjea L. Rare. Distribution — East. - o o Tay o o West, ooooo Lat. 56°2o // . Range in Europe. South and central ; South Scandinavia, &c. Type. Meridiono-central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. - August. Larva. May, June. Food-plant. Sloe, hawthorn, Sec. A single specimen flew in, one evening in the summer of 1872, at a window of Moncreiffe House, Perth- shire, and was captured by Sir Thomas Moncreiffe, Bart. It is in good condition. • AHCTIID13 Steph. SFILCSCMA Steph. TJRTICLSJ Egp. Rare. Pascual (in damp places). Distribution — East. ooo ooooo West. [Sol way Clyde] o West-Ross o Lat. [54°4o // ]-57°5o // Range in Europe Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. June, July. Larva'. August, September. Food-plant. Low plants. I have seen a specimen taken by Mr. A. Davidson in Ross-shire. The Solvvay and Clyde records are doubtful. menthastri Esp. Common. Agrestal and pascual. Distribution-^East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray § o o West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-57°5o". Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. 130 The Scottish Naturalist. TiiME of Appearance— Imago. May-July. Larva. August, September. Food-plant. Low plants. LUBRICIPEDA Esp. Somewhat local. Agrestal and pascual. Distribution — East. § [Forth] Tay § o o o- o West. Solway Clyde § West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-57°4o // . Range in Europe. Central and north- ern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Eritain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. June, July. Larva. August-Sep- tember. Food-plant. Low plants. MENDIOA CI. Local. Agrestal and pascual. Distribution — East. g § Tay g o o o o West. 000 West- Ross o Lat. 56°2o"-57°5o". Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. May, June. Larva. July- September. Food-plant. Low plants. PHRAGMATOBIA Steph. FULIGINOSA L. Var. borealis Stgd. Common. Agrestal, pascual, ericetal. Ascends to 2000 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray g Orkney g West. Solway Clyde g g g Lat. 54°4o // -58°io". Range in Europe. Scotland and Lapland. Type. Boreal. Type in Britain. Scottish. Time of Appearance— Imago. June, July. Larva. August -April. Food-plant. Low plants. Scottish specimens all appear to be the var. borealis of Staudinger, which is also the form, I suppose, found in the north of England ; from Yorkshire south- wards, however, the form found is that of the var. fervida, but probably inferior in brightness of colouring to South European specimens. ARCTIA Schrk. CAJA L. Common. Agrestal (and, rarely, ericetal). Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray g Orkney o West. Solway Clyde g West-Ross o The Scottish Naturalist. 131 Lat. 54°4o"-58°ro // . Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in'Britain. British.. Time of Appearance— Imago. July. Larva. September-June. Food- plant. Low plants (rarely shrubs). More maritime in the north, according to Dr. Gordon of Birnie. A. quen- selii Payk. may perhaps be found on some of the mountains. Callimorpha dominula L. ought, from its European distribution, to be a Scottish species. NEMEGPHILA Steph. PLAWTAGiwis L. Not uncommon. Ericetal. Ascends to about 2000 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray % Orkney Zetland West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross § Lat. 54°4o"-58°4o". Range in Europe. Northern, central, and on the southern mountains. Type. Septentriono- central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. June. Larva. September-May. Food- plant. Low plants. Ab. hospita SchifT. White instead of yellow. Occurs in several places but not commonly. EUTHEMONIA Steph. RTJSSULA L. Not uncommon. Pascual and ericetal. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray §00 West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-58°io // . Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June, July. Larva. September-May. Food-plant. Low plants. EUCHELIA Boisd. JA.COB^LE L. Local. Usually maritime. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth Tay § Moray 000 West, g Clyde o o Lat. 54°4o // -57°4o // . Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. June. Larva. July, August. Food- plant. Ragwort (Senecio jacobcea). 132 The Scottish Naturalist. LITHOSIID^E Steph. GNOPHRIA Steph. RTJBRICOLLIS L. Not very common. Nemoral. Distribution-— East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee §000 West. Solway § Argyle o o Lat. S4°4° ff -57°- Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June. Larva. July, August. . Food- plant. Lichens on trees. quadra L. Very rare. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed 0000000 West. 00000 Lat. 5.5°2o". Range in Europe. Central; South Sweden, &c. Type. Central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. July. Larva. May, June. Food- plant. Lichens. A single specimen only, has been taken. It was captured at Ayton, Berwickshire (teste A. Kelly/ LITHOSIA Fab. LUBIDEOLA Zinck. (181 7); complanula B. (1834). Local. Usually (but not always) maritime. Distribution — East. § Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde § o Lat. 54°4o"-57°4o // . Range in Europe. Central and south- ern. Type. Centro-meridional. Type in Britain. English. Time of appearance — Imago. July. Larva. August-June. Food- pea NT. Lichens. L. comflana L. (doubtfully recorded from Solway and Moray), from its Euro- pean distribution, might have been supposed to be a more likely species to occur than luridcola L. ; dcplana Esp. {Jiclvcola O.) may yet be found. GRISEOLA H. Rare. Distribution — East. 0000 Moray 000 West. 00000 Lat. 57°3o". "Range in Europe. Central. Type. Cen- tral. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. July, August. Larva. August-May. Food-plant. Lichens '(Stictu caning &c.J and other low plants. The Scottish Naturalist. 133 mesomella L. Not common. Distribution — East. 8000 Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde § § o Lat. 54°4o"-57°4o // . Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentnonal. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appeaance— Imago. June, July. Larva. September-May. Food-plant. Lichens and heather. SETINA Schrk. iKEtORELLA CI. Not common. Distribution — East. Tweed g Tay § §000 West. g Clyde Argyle § o Lat. 55°5o //: 56°5o"- Range in Europe. Northern and cen- tral. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June, July. Larva. August-June. Food-plant. Lichens. NUDARIA Steph. mundana L. Common. Near rocks and walls. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay § §000 West. Solway Clyde § § o Lat. 54°4o"-56°4o // . Range in Europe. Northern and cen- tral. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. July. August. Larva. September- June. Food-plant. Confervoid growth and lichens on stones. senex H. Rare. Distribution — East. o o Tay 00000 West. [Solway] 0000 Lat. [55°]-56°2o". Range in Europe. Northern and north- central. Type. Sep:entriono-central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. July, August. Larva. August-June. Food -PLANT. Lichens {St i eta caniiia, &c.) NOLA Leach. CONFUSALIS HS. ; eristulalis Dup. Local. Nemoral. 134 ?he Scottish Naturalist, Distribution — East. Tweed § Tay o o o o o West. § [Clyde] o o o Lat. 55°2o"-56°4o". Range in Europe. West Germany, France, Belgium, Britain. Type. Occidental. .Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance—Imago. May, June. Larva. July, September. Food -plant. Oak. CUCULLATELLA L. Local. Nemoral. Distribution — East. g § Tay § Moray o o o West; g § g' g o Lat. 56°2o"-57°5o". Range in Europe. Northern and cen- tral. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. June, July. Larva. May. Food-plant. Sloe, hawthorn, &c. N. strigula should occur in the south. NYCTEOLIDiE HS. HYLOPHILA Hub. PRASINANA L, Not uncommon, Nemoral. Distribution — East, g g Tay Dee Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde g g o Lat. 54°4o // -57°4o". Range in Europe. Northern and central. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. British. „ . Time of Appearance— Imago. May, June. Larva. July, August. Food-plant. Oak. Earias clorana L. should occur. SAimOTHRIPA Gn. UNDULATsTA H. (1796)'; revaya?ia Tr. Local. Nemoral. Distribution — East, g g Tay g Moray o o o West, g Clyde goo Lat. 55°3°"- 57°4 "- Range in Europe. Central and southern (reaching to South Scandinavia and Finland). Type. Centro-tneridional. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. July-May. Larva. May-July. Food- plant. Sallow, &c. Besides the typical form (front-wings grey, more or less unicolorous), the fol- lowing aberrations occur :- dilutana Mb. (grey, with a darker costal blotch, or central fascia), dcgcncra?ia lib. (ashy, variegated with black), punctana Hb. (with three [1-6] very distinct black spots). The Scottish Naturalist. 135 CYMATOPHORIDiE HS. THYATIRA Ochsen. BATIS L. Not uncommon. Agrestal and nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 8 8° Lat. 54°4o // -57°4o // . Range in Europe. Central and nor- thern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June-July. Larva. September. Food- plant. Bramble and raspberry (Rubus). CYMATOPHORA Tr. OR F. Local. Nemoral. Ascends to 1400 feet. Distribution — East. 8 8 Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde Argyle 8 ° Lat. 54°49 // -58°. Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June, July. Larva. July-September. Food-plant. Aspen. duplaris L. Common. Nemoral. Ascends to 1200. Distribution — East. 8 Forth Tay Dee Moray 8 ° ° West. Solway Clyde Argyle § o Lat. 54°4o"-58°. Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. June, July. Larva. August, Septem- ber. Food-plant. Birch. ASPHALIA Hub. [diltjta F. Local. Nemoral. Distribution — East. 8 ° ° ° ° ° ° West. Solway 0000 Lat. 55 . Range in Europe. West-central. Type. Occidento-central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. August, September. Larva. June. Food-plant. Oak. FLAVICORNIS L. Not uncommon. Nemoral. Distribution — East. o 8 Tay Dee Moray 8 ° ° West. Solway Clyde 8 o ° 136 The Scottish Naturalist. Lat. 54°4o"-57°4o // . Range in Europe. Northern and central. Type. Septentriono-central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. March, April. Larva. August, Sep- tember. Food-plant. Birch. DILOBA Steph. CJERTJLEOCEPHALA L. "Local. Agrestal. Distribution — East. Tweed § Tay 00000 West. [Solway] Clyde o o o Lat. 54°4o"-56°3o". Range in Europe. Nearly through- out. Type. European. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. September. Larva. June. Food- plant. Hawthorn. BRYOPHILID^l Gn. BRYOPHILA Tr. PEKLA F. Not uncommon. About rocks and walls. Distribution — East. g Forth Tay Dee 0000 West. Solway Clyde 000 Lat. 54°4o"-57°io". Range in Europe. Central (to South Scandinavia) and south-western. Type. Central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. , July, August. Larva. February-April. Food-plant. Lichens on stone. ACRONYCTIDJE. ACRONYCTA Ochsen. LIGUSTRI F. Not uncommon. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed § Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 8 8° Lat. 54°40 // -57°-4o // . Range in Europe. Central and nor- thern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance -Imago. June, July. Larva. August, Septem- ber. Food-plant. Ash. (To be co/iti/iuca. J The Scottish Naturalist. 137 THE COLEOPTERA OF SCOTLAND. {Continued from p. g6.J Edited by D. SHARP, M.B. ACILIUS Schaum. CANALICUXATUS Nic. Scarce. Lowland. Distribution — East. § Forth g g Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 srxLCATUS Lin. Var. Scoticus Curt. . Rather common. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East, g Forth Tay g Moray o c c West. Solway Clyde 000 GYRINID^l. GYHINUS Aube. MINUTUS Fab. Local. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 NATATOR Scop. Abundant. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay o Moray o o o o o o West. Solway Clyde g g STJFFRIANI Scriba. Very rare. Lowland, maritime. Distribution — East, o 0000 o West. Solway 0000 distinctus Aube\ Scarce. Lowland. Distribution — East, g Forth 0000 West, g Clyde 000 OPACUS Sahl. Common. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East, g Forth Tay Dee g o West. Solway Clyde 000 OHECTOCHILUS Esch. VILLOSUS Mull. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth 0000 West. Solway Clyde 000 o o 138 The Scottish Naturalist. HYDR0PHILID51. HYDROBIU3 Thorns. FUSCIPES Lin. Abundant. Lowland. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth Tay § Moray o- o o West. Solway §000 HELOCHARES Muls. PtJNCTATUS Sharp. Very local. Lowland. Distribution — East. o o Tay 00000 West. 00000 Rather common in a pond on Moncreiffe Hill, Perth. — D.S. PHILHYDRUS Thorns. nigricans Zett. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. § g Tay Dee Moray 000 • West. Solway g o o o melanocephalus 01. Common. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. g Forth Tay g Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 marginelltjs Fab, Local. Lowland. Distribution — East, g Forth Tay 00000 West. Solway Clyde 000 SUTURALIS Sharp. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East, g g Tay 00000 West. Solway 0000 ANACiENA Thorns. LIMBATA Fab. Abundant. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray 000 West. Solway g o o o variabilis Sharp. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East, g Forth Tay g o o o o West. Solway g 000 LACCOBIUS Er. MINUTUS Lin. Common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray 000 West. Solway 00 o o The Scottish Naturalist. 139 NTGKICEP3 Thorn. Local (?). Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g 00000 West. Solway g o o o BEROSUS Thorns. LUKIDTJS Lin. Rare. Lowland. I Distribution — East. 0000 Moray 000 West. Solway g o o o LIMNOBITJS Thorns. TRTJNCATELLUS Thunb. . Common. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g Dee Moray 000 West. Solway g o o o NITIDTJS Marsh. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth 000000 West, g g o o o CELETARTHRIA Wat. SEMINULTJM Payk. Local. Lowland. In damp mosses. Distribution — East. Tweed g Tay g Moray 000 West. Solway g o o o HELOPHOBUS Thorns. RUGOSUS 01. Scarce. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee 0000 West, g Clyde 000 NUBILTJS Fab. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g Dee g o o o West. Solway g o o o AQTJATicus Lin. Abundant. Lowland, highland. In weedy pools. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray goo West. Solway go 00 MTJLSANTI Rye. Local. Maritime. Distribution — East. 00000000 West. Solway 0000 Abundant in pools of salt water by the side of the Nilh, below Dumfries. — D.S. 140 The Scottish Naturalist. [griseus Hbst. Doubtful as Scottish.- Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o o o o o West, o o o o o I have never seen a Scottish exponent of this species, and think it probable that some of the allied species may have been mistaken for it. GBANULARis Lin. Abundant. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray g o o o West. Solway § o o o jeneipennis Th. Abundant. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. g Forth Tay Dee Moray goo West. Solway Clyde goo arverwicus Muls. Local. Lowland. Frequents sandy banks by the sides of rivers. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray o o o West. Solway g o o o * | dorsalis Marsh. Doubtful as Scottish. Distribution — East. o Forth o o o o o o West, o o o o o '• Dollar, Mr. J. T. Syme."— Murray Cat. EYDROCHUS Thorns. i^revis Hbst. Very local. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay o o o o o West, g Clyde o o o UiiONGATUS Schall. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. g Forth o o o o o o West. o o o o o angustattjs Germ. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o o o o o West, g Clyde o o o OCTHEBIUS Er. l : iX3cnJLPTUS Germ. Common. Lowland. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth g g Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde goo ] iakinus Payk. Local. Maritime. Distribution — East." g Forth o o o o o o West. Solway g o o o^ The Scottish Naturalist. 141 o o PTGM^ius Fab. Local. Maritime. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g o West. Solway goo BICOLON" Germ. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. o Forth o o West. Solway o ' o o o BUFTMABGINATUS Steph. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. o Forth o o a o o West. Solway 0000 HYDK^NA Kug. TESTACEA Curt. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. 000 0000 West. Solway 0000 In pools by the side of the Cairn at Irongray. — D.S. BIPABIA Kug. Common. Lowland. Distribution — -East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray o o West. Solway g o o o AJSTG-USTATA Sturm. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed g o o o o o West. Solway 0000 NIG-bita Germ. Local. Lowland Distribution — East. Tweed Forth 00000 West. 000 00 gracilis Germ. Common. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g g o o West. Solway g o o o pulchella Germ. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. o Forth Tay 0000 West. Solway g o o o ATBICAPILLA Wat. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth 00000 West. Solway g 000 PYGM^A -Wat. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. 0000000 West. Solway 0000 142 The Scottish Naturalist. CYCLONOTUM Er. ORBrcTjLARE Fab. Local. Lowland. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth Tay g Moray poo West. Sol way Clyde Argyle o o o SPH^RIDIUM Er. SCARABEOIDES Lin. Abundant Lowland, highland. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth g g Moray g g g West. Solway g g g g marginatum Fab. Not rare. Lowland. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth g g Moray o o o West. Solway g o o o CERCYON Er. OBSOLETUS,Gyll. Scarce. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o o o o o West. Solway o o o o o Hemorrhoid alis Fab. Common. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee g o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o h^moerhous Gyll. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East, g Forth o o o o o o West. Solway g o o o AQXJAT1CUS Muls. Rare. Lowland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o o o o o West, g g o o o FLAVIPES Fab. Abundant. Distribution — East, g g g Dee g o o o West. Solway g Dee g O o Dee g o o o lateralis Marsh. Common. Distribution — East, g Forth g Dee o o o West. Solway g LiTTORALis Gyll. Maritime. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g Dee Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o The Scottish Naturalist. 143 unipunotattjs Lin. Common. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth § Dee Moray 000 West. Solway §000 quisquilius Lin. Common. Distribution — East. § Forth §00 000 West. Solway §000 melanocephalus Linn. Abundant. Lowland, highland. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth g Dee Moray § § 8 West. Solway 8000 TERMINATUS Marsh. Rare. Distribution — East. Tweed 0000000 West. 00000 PYGMiEirs 111. Common. Distribution— East. 8 Fortn 8 Dee 8 ° ° ° West. Solway Clyde 000 NIGRICEPS Marsh. Distribution — East. o o o 000000 West. Solway 0000 MINUTUS Fab. Distribution— East, g Forth 8 8 8 ° ° ° West. Solway 8 ° ° ° LUGUBRIS Payk. Rare. Distribution — East. 8 Forth 000000 West. 00000 analis Payk. Common. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth 8 Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde 000 MEG-ASTERNUM Muls. BOLETOPHAGUM Marsh. Common. Distribution— East. Tweed Forth 8 8 Moray 000 West. Solway 8 8 ° ° CRYPTOPLEURUM Muls. ATOMAKIUM Fab. Common. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth g 8 Moray 000 West. Solway 8 ° ° ° 144 The Scottish Naturalist. STAPHYLINIDJ1. AUTALIA Er. IMPR"ESSA 01. Common in fungus. Lowland, highland. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay § Moray g -§ o West. Solway § § o o PUNCTICOLLIS Sharp. Common. Highland. In sheep's dung. Distribution — East. § Forth Tay Dee Moray g Orkney o West. Solway Clyde § o o FvlVULARls Gr. Common. Lowland, In dung. » Distribution — East. Tweed Forth o o o o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o FALAGRIA Er. SULCATA Payk. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. § Forth o o o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o OBSCTJRA Gr. Local. Lowland. Distribution — East. g Forth o o o o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o BOLITOCHARA Kr. LUCIDA Gr. Very rare. Lowland. In fungi. Distribution — East. o oooo oooo West, g Clyde o o o " Glasgow."— R. Hislop. LUNOTiATA Payk. Rare. Lowland. In fungi. Distribution — East. Tweed o o o o o o o W t est. g Clyde o o o OBLIQUA Er. Common. Lowland, highland. In fungus under bark. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay g g o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o PHYTOSUS Er. baltictjs Kr. Rare. Maritime. Under seaweed in sandy places. Distribution — East. g Forth o o o o o o West, g Clyde o o o (To be continue J. J ZOOLOGY. ON A PORPOISE WITH INTERMEDIATE TEETH-LIKE BODIES, &C. By ROBERT WALKER, F. G. S. E. HHE Porpoise is the smallest, the most common, and, popularly at least, the best known member of the Whale family that frequents the European coasts. It is pretty widely distributed, extending from Greenland to the Mediterranean, if not further south. It is sometimes stranded in its rambles along the coast, it is not unfrequently caught in herring and other nets, to which it is very destructive, and occasionally it gets entangled in the fishermen's loag lines. As it is very easily killed or drowned, in these cases it is generally secured without much difficulty. The individual about to be noticed was taken in the latter way, in St Andrews Bay, in the end of July 1872. It was five feet seven inches in length, and looked a fat, healthy, well-formed animal, having externally the general ap- pearance of the common porpoise ( Phoccena communis ). On putting my finger into its mouth I was rather surprised to feel the bluntisb. points of small intermediate teeth-like bodies, situated on the margin of both sides of the upper and lower jaws. Unfortunately it was too dark by this time to examine it further that night. I could not find anyone to whom it belonged, but, as I was lead to believe that it was not disposed of, I thought it would be safe enough where it was until next morning. On returning to the place where it lay pretty early next morning, however, I- was disappointed to see that it had been removed, and still more so when, upon ascertaining its whereabouts, I found that it was already " flensed" for the oil 146 The Scottish Natwalist. it contained, and the carcase partly broken up — and otherwise mangled— for the purpose of feeding pigs. The skull luckily was unbroken, and as the lips had been cut away in the flensing operation, all the teeth and intermediate bodies were distinctly displayed. The latter were small objects, from T *g to \ of an inch in height, conical shaped, with broadish somewhat oval- formed bases, slightly grooved or wrinkled all round. They were firmly attached to the gum, and when pressed by the finger they did not move more readily than did the ordinary teeth. It was impossible to remove any of them without tearing away part of the flesh at the same time. They were regularly inserted alternately between the normal teeth on both sides of the upper and lower jaws, from the symphysis to the posterior edge of the dental margin, and when fresh their points extended well up between the spatulate portions of the ordinary teeth. The accompanying figure [Plate II.] will give a general idea of the posi- tion and appearance of these bodies; as it was taken, however, after the skull was macerated and the gum considerably shrivelled, they are not represented projecting so far up as they did when in a fresh state. On drying the skull a number of these bodies as well as some of the other teeth peeled off with the gum. Ultimately, as the latter continued to shrink, the greater number of the objects in question lost their hold altogether and fell away. When examined in a detached state the base of each, by which it adheres to the gum, is seen to be slightly concave. When dry they are of a yellowish horn colour, and apparently texture, not unlike the colour and appearance presented by the base of the baleen in some of the larger whales, to which they may have other and more important analogies. In all the small whales — and in the large ones too — the teeth are loosely inserted in wide shallow groves in the margin of the jaws, with little or no attachment to the bone except what is fur- nished by the gum. In this respect they seem to have made scarcely any advancement from the foetal condition in which the teeth are placed in the jaws of their precursor, if not their progenitor, the ancient Ichthyosaurus. The porpoise under consideration seemed from the size and position of the fins to be the common species, but as vor .11 SCOTTISH NATURALIST. PLATE, 1L M _1 < a. h- < Z < X z o i I 4 « ^ I W The Scottish Naturalist 147 I could count only twelve pairs of ribs, the matter is still open. It had a number of tubercles or short spines on the upper anterior edge of the dorsal fin. In a paper read at a meeting of the Zoological Society "in 1865, Dr. Gray directed attention to these curious tubercles as observed by him on the dorsal fin of a porpoise caught at Margate. Previous to this these tubercles had not been noticed in any of the descriptions of the common porpoise published in this country. Dr. Gray considering the difference anatomically that would appear— from the descriptions of anatomists — to exist amongst the members of this species concluded that he had met with a new animal, which he named P. tuber culif era. As subsequently pointed out by himself, however, the spines on the fin had been noticed by Pliny, Camper, and Dr. Jackson on an American specimen. In the additions and corrections at the end of his catalogue of seals and whales, published in 1866, he states that several porpoises caught on the coast cf England have been lately examined, and they all have spines or tubercles on the upper edge of the dorsal fin, and that specimens without these tubercles are desiderata. Meantime he retains tuberculifera as a var. Since the publication of Dr. Gray's paper I have examined some eight or nine porpoises, newly caught or stranded on the coast of Scotland, and they all had tubercles on the dorsal fin. On some individuals they were not very apparent, more especially when the animal was fresh. Sex does not appear to me, so far as I have seen, to make any difference in this respect. In the autumn of 1869, I examined a newly killed half grown male at Crail. At the time I could not distinguish any tubercles, and was under the impression that I had found the missing animal. I cut off the dorsal fin and put it in spirit On examining it about three weeks after, when it had shrunk somewhat, the tubercles although small were quite visible. It would thus appear that in the present condition of the matter the tubercles cannot be relied on to indicate more than possibly a variety of the porpoise. The skull does not differ materially from that of other porpoises with which I have compared it. It is rather less in proportion to the size of the animal, the beak is somewhat narrower, the foramen magnum is larger, and the vomer is 148 The Scottish Naturalist. more exposed in the middle of the palate than is usually the case in the common porpoise. There are only two foramina on the flat part of the front of the head, one on each side of the nasal openings. The brain was in bulk perhaps rather under than above the average in the porpoise. It weighed when ex- tracted by the occipital foramen i6j4 oz. It is certainly not easy to understand how such a large mass of highly convoluted brain as exists in this and some of the other toothed whales should be necessary in the economy of these animals. In Professor Huxley's * reply to Mr Wallace's t state- ment " That savage man in his large and well-developed brain possesses an organ quite disproportionate to his actual require- ments" he remarks, That this objection applies quite as strongly to the lower animals. The brain of a porpoise is quite wonder- ful for its mass, and for the development of the cerebral convolu- tions, and yet, since we have ceased to credit the story of Arion, it is hard to believe that porpoises are much troubled with intel- lect. Nevertheless, it is difficult to see how these animals, any more than savage man, should have such large brains, if they are not the result of the operation of the law or force that developes all the other bodily organs according to the increased functions, which the changing environment of the animals has rendered imperative in order that they may maintain their ex- istence. Still it must be confessed that there is not much known regarding the intellectual attainments of the porpoise, or any of its large brained congeners. It seems evident, however, that an animal which is compelled to come to the surface of the water to breathe every 12 or 14 seconds must be placed at considerable disadvantage in the pursuit of its prey. ' In the case of the salmon, it appears almost inexplicable how it could possibly overtake any of these fishes, considering the rapid rate at which they go through the water, unless its movements in pursuit of them were guided by superior intelligence. That the porpoise and a number of the other toothed whales kill salmon is beyond doubt, and the havoc they sometimes make amongst these fishes is something astonishing. For instance, Mr Halliday, in his evidence given before Mr Home Drum- mond's committee in 1835, states that three cwt. of salmon * Critiques and Addresses. f On Natural Selection. The Scottish Naturalist. 149 were taken out of the stomach of a grampus caught at Sands- field, in the mouth of the Eden. Mr. W. M. Williams, in a contribution to the cerebral physiology of the porpoise in Nature for June last, after quoting Professor Huxley as to the brain of the porpoise, says that many years ago, in a voyage he made from Constantinople to London, they were often becalmed, with porpoises playing about the ship. He frequently plunged overboard and swam towards the porpoises, who direct- ed towards their unusual visitor an amount of attention which " I may venture to dignify with the title of curiosity," and that his recollection of the expression of the eyes of his swimming companions is very different from what he had since seen on the large vacant orbs of acquarium cod-fishes. Mr W. Saville Kent, in Nature of July last, notices Mr William's paper, and amongst other interesting facts given relative to the intelli- gence displayed by the two porpoises at present in the Brighton acquarium, states that the intellect of the porpoise, as fore- shadowed by its convoluted brain, exceeds beyond comparison that of the cod-fish or any other representatives of the piscine race. He at the same time considers that the representatives of the Gadidce are by no means the least intelligent of fish. That the investigation of the relation existing between the large brain of the porpoise, as well as some of the other toothed whales, in proportion to the intelligence manifested by these animals, is "a subject of primary interest to the student of cerebral physiology" few will doubt. And now that the matte 1 " is receiving attention it is perhaps not too much to expect that it will be found that the large brain of the porpoise, &c, is of the utmost use to the possessors. St. Andrews, 1st August, 1873. POLARITY IN THE GEOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF GENERA, AND ITS CAUSE. (Concluded from p. io\.) By the Rev. J. WARDROP. I N testing natural selection for the cause of Polarity, the question is, are there grounds for holding that natural 150 The Scottish Naturalist. selection has operated with varying intensity at different times, and specially that it operated with augmented force at the extremes of the geological series, and with a force lessening from each extreme towards the centre? Does it appear that natural selection was operating at a maximum when the production of genera is found to have been at a maximum ? and when this had its minimum, is there reason to think that that had its minimum coincidently ? or, to put the question in a form that leads directly to a mode of settling it, did the conditions that affect the operation of natural selection concur most favourably when genera are said to have been produced most abundantly, and least favourably when genera were least abundant ? Natural selection operates with a force and a rapidity proportionate to the favourable character of certain conditions. Now, if it could be shown that these conditions preponderated in the earliest and latest times, we should then have a cause existent for the preponderant number of genera in these ages produced ; and if these conditions could be shown to have grown deficient in an increasing degree for these returns till they failed most of all in Permian and Triassic times, we should then have the other affirmation of Polarity established and accounted for — the paucity of genera originating in those times. Now my conten- tion is, that there is a variety of considerations which look favourably on the attempt to convert each of these hypotheticals into a categorical. What are the conditions favourable to the action of natural selection ? There is one formula that covers them all, viz., changes in the external conditions of life. This, looking away of course from the tendency to variation innate to organisms, is the one element of force in the operation of natural selection that lies nearer than any other to the effect of modifying one type into another. Expose an organism to some change of con- ditions, from whatever source, and you lay a foundation for natural selection taking the advantage of favourable variations and accumulating them to the extent pf transmuting the type. Let us look then at the sources of change in the conditions of life, with an eye to the inquiry, what geological formations may have been favoured most in respect of them, and what least. The survey must be rapid. These sources of change are numerous, varied, mutually complicated, and producing or variously in- The Scottish Naturalist. 1 5 1 fluencing one another. They might be grouped as geological, geographical, climatal, and organic. I shall select the following — 1. One class concerns areas of occupation. The origination of new areas, making a fresh demand on such forms of life as suit the circumstances thus emergent, the alteration of areas already occupied — alteration in extent, position, exposure, degree of isolation ; or again, the number of areas causing a multiplica- tion of changed conditions ; all this variety affecting areas, furnishes one class of circumstances that tell very powerfully on the conditions of life, and on the intensification and acceleration of the process of selection and the modification of structure. To appreciate the influence thus exercised, two important principles must be borne in mind : — First; That every area tends to be peopled with all the life which it can possibly support- The increase of life and the eagerness with which organic beings lie in wait to seize every inch of unoccupied ground, whether in a new or an old, but only partially, occupied field, secures that every area shall ever make progress towards full occupation. Second, and what is of main consequence, it is only through means of a stock of greatly diversified organisms that any area is occupied by all the life which it is capable of supporting. Now the question is, when did these two principles operate in the peopling of areas of occupation that were most favourably ordered for the action of natural selection, and through natural selection accelerate at a maximum rate the diversification of structure and the production of generic types ? Certainly if ever, it must have been in the earliest ages, when the earth was but growing towards the consummation of its capacities as a life- bearing world. If many new fields must be occupied with life when life is a new thing, and being devoid as yet of a great wealth of forms ready provided to furnish the occupants, must provide them as it were on the instant ; if only great diversity of structure can fit such living inhabitants as there are for the full occupation of the areas that are waiting till these inhabitants shall increase and multiply and replenish them ; and if the conditions of life thus raised and multiplied suit themselves through natural selection with the forms they are fitted to maintain — all this seems but a concentration of reasons why we should expect to find a great profusion of generically 152 The Scottish Naturalist. different types of living beings in the earliest times. Modifica- tion of structure goes on rapidly and far in the process of naturalisation. And With all else that the primary replenish- ment of the earth offers in favour of a maximum multiplication of genera, it was like a constant process of naturalisation pro- secuted for a long season and on a vast scale — every inch of every area, as it successively grew fit for life putting in its demand for occupation, and hastening the diversification of all the types of life in order to suit itself with its own, and get the right form for the right place. This goes to account for Polarity so far as the early extreme of the geological scale is concerned. 2. We find in dimatal changes another class of circumstances that affect powerfully the conditions of life and favour the action of natural selection. The greater the changes of temperature, the more, so far forth, is this influence exerted on. the conditions of, life and on the acceleration of structural diversification. And the more frequently these vicissitudes occur the greater accumulation will there be of the diversifying effects. Climate has no doubt always through all formations varied with greater or lesser extremes, and quicker or slower vicissitudes, and over larger or smaller areas. Subterranean action elevating or depressing areas, change of ocean currents to heat or cool them, and other constantly occurring geographical changes, not to speak of the place of the earth's orbit in the heavens, would make climate come and go to some extent continually, and exert a subtle and an efficacious power on the conditions of life, and on the vital forms depending thereon. So far as volcanic action is an indication of such more general geological action as affects such changes, it is to be noted that there is a dearth of such action from the Permian to the Chalk age. We have evidence of great vicissitudes of temperature during Tertiary times, from beginning to end. Lately indications of glaciation have been detected in some older formations. But there is no evidence of any such alternations of temperature as are known to have characterised the latest ages. It is these that have enjoyed a, maximum degree of this means of altering organic types ; and so far again there is an account rendered of the assertion of Polarity in reference to these ages — that there was at this later extreme of the geological scale, a second The Scottish Naturalist. 153 maximum of generic productions. As to climate in the earliest ages, these ages possess an element of vicissitude peculiar and special to them, for something surely is to be attributed to the effects of the originally incandescent state of the earth. We have not more reason to believe that there was an incandescent state at all, then we have to believe that as the globe cooled and the incandescence, once universal, receded from the circumference towards the centre, it would leave "behind it, when it had shrank so far as to make life possible at all, the whole terrestrial surface subjected to more than the torrid temperature of a palm house, to lessen by degrees through all the grades of heat or cold endurable by life. If the post- cambrian earth be all the earth that was ever seen, and if this cooling from incandescence be part of the physical history of Siluria, it makes a notable addition for the time to the other climatal sources of change in vital conditions, and thus it is brought about that the earliest as well as the latest epochs — the time of the early maximum of generic production as well as that of the late, claims a preponderance of this second source of organic transformation. 3d. The grade in the scale of organisation which the forms of life of any period had reached, gave the conditions of life more or less effect in modifying type through natural selection. The higher the organisation of any being, it enters into more com- plex relations with the organic and inorganic conditions of life; and hence probably the fact that higher organisms change more rapidly than those that are lower. Whencesoever it may be, there is some reason, says Darwin, to believe that organisms high in the scale change more quickly through natural selection than those that are low. So far then as this is true, it will have an influence in determining a greater profusion of genera to- wards those periods when the scale of life had risen high, and especially in those formations that supplied most largely the conditions for the development of the higher forms on an ex- tensive scale. That is to say, given favourable conditions for the occupation of wide spaces by the vertebrate forms of life, we have, so far, provision made for the favourable action of natural selection and the rapid multiplication of generic types. Now this range of conditions falls on tertiary and present times. Mammals were few in earlier times. Birds not many more. The maximum development of both classes marks the close of 154 The Scottish Naturalist. palaeontological history. Even fishes and reptiles, if we count- (not weigh) them, how profuse soever in generic types in pre- vious formations, abound still more in these — the flourishing period of their fellow vertebrates. So that, in regard to this third class of circumstances influencing favourably the working of natural selection in evolving diversity of forms, the scale again preponderates in favour of the recent formations. One more set of conditions adding intensity to the genus-differenti- ating process falls on a time when the law of polarity asserts a maximum production of genera. And thus, on the whole, it cannot be said that there are awanting facts either to establish the law or to unfold the cause, that the commencement of organic development has been inaugurated, and the goal of its perfection signalised, by a profuse origination of generically- distinct organisms. It may be said that the above view and treatment of this theory makes it a very different thing from what it was in the hands of its author. It concerns genera, but with Forbes a genus was not anything for the origination of which Darwinism could render a reason. Also, while the theory concerns a numerical variation in the genera produced at different times, its author contemplated no physical agency intermediate be- tween the creator and his generic creations. But, as has already been indicated, taking Polarity in itself as simply a generalisation of the facts concerned, and irrespective of its dis- coverer's concomitant doctrines, it is perfectly indifferent whether genera were created immediately or by evolution, whether the external conditions were suited with the proper forms of life by immediate creation, or they suited themselves with their appro- priate forms by natural selection and the survival of the fittest. Other generalisations of the same theorist, such as that of generic centres (see Jukes' Manual of Geology, p. 492, 1873 ) admit of being easily wrought into the texture of the Darwinian hypothesis — a fact that may do something in the way of verifying both it and them ; and Polarity, the widest, and if you will, the wildest, of them all, suffers change only in the relations it held to his other scientific opinions, not in its essence, when it is similarly treated. Mr. Wallace says this theory died a natural death long ago — the natural death of all false theories, a fjte from which ; he adds, the great name of its author could not The Scottish Naturalist, 155 save it. But false theories should not be allowed to die a natural death — at least when they come from such as Edward Forbes. All such theories should die by violence. At the hands of a just and unsparing scientific criticism, they should have their time cut short. Certainly if Mr. Wallace left the theory of Polarity dead, it must have met its end somehow, in the course of nature or by violence, before he came to the field. His thrusts are not directed so as to have drawn blood of anything living. But perhaps the theory is not dead. There may be life in it, and truth. Notes from Kelso.— I have recently come across the following: — A. Pochard, on June 13. — A white water-rat, killed amongst the Cheviots on June 21st. It is of a pure white, not like the reddish-yellow white of the albino mole, which I frequently get. — A young male of the short-eared owl, on July 26th. This is an unusual time for a ''winter visitor." I believe it was bred in this district. — Andrew Brotherston, Kelso, August, 1873. Trie Squirrel occasionally insectivorous.— While walking on Kinnoull Hill, in July 1862, a squirrel was observed busily engaged amongst the heather and grass. Its head was immersed in a hole, and only raised occasionally to reconnoitre, the jaws being actively engaged chewing some object. Being be- hind it no alarm was given, so that we cautiously approached at intervals, while its head was in the hole, until, indeed, it barely escaped capture by the hat. In the hole were swarms of the common ants and their larvae and pupae, ekher of which the squirrel had been devouring most intently. — W. C. M. "White Blaokbirds.— There has been a curious outcome of these in this district during the past season. A nest was found near Kinnaird House in which one of the young birds was white. The old birds were of the usual colour. About a mile further west there w^s another nest with a white bird in it also, and it appears that there are two birds of the same kind going about, so that there must have been several broods with albino birds in them. In 1872 there was a nest with one albino in the same district. — Charles M'Intosh, Inver, Dunkeld, August. 1873. Long-eared Owl.— I found a nest with six and another with five eggs of this species on March 22nd, which, considering the cold season, I think rather early. Last year, a much milder season, I found in March, in the same nest where I found the six eggs this year, five well-fledged young owls and one fresh egg. I think that each pair of owls has two nests not far from each other, and when eggs are taken from one, the hen owl lays in the other.- Charles Stratton, Perth, March, 1873. • Occurrence of the Echinorhynchus spinosus on tihg Aberdeenshire coast— In July last a specimen of this rare shark was taken at the mouth of the Ythan by salmon fishermen, and was sent by Mr. Davidson to the Natural His- tory Museum of Marischal College, Aberdeen, where I had an opportunity of examining it. Its measurements were — length 7 feet 3 inches, greatest breadth 156 The Scottish Naturalist. (behind the jaws) ir inches, greatest depjh (behind the pectoral fins) S% inches, breadth of head between the eyes Z]/% inches. It is very evident from Couch's figure and description that he had never seen an example of this fish, as indeed he himself says. The figure is so far from correct in almost every point that it is recognisable as intended for that species only by the possession of tipo dorsal fins. As may be seen from the measurements given above, its breadth is greater than its depth, while its length is about as great in proportion to its depth as in any other shark, while Couch's figure represents it as very deep in proportion to its length. The chief points in which it differs from his figure and description otherwise are as follows. The eye is oval, antero-posteriorly, and bluish-grey ; the pupil oval vertically, and catlike in colour. The spines cover not only the body but also the snout and the fins, being even more numerous, though smaller, on these parts than on the body. The gill openings are entirely in front of the pectoral fins, on the same level. The tail has a pretty large lower lobe. The colour of the bactf is dark bluish-grey, which becomes paler on the sides, and is mixed with reddish tints on the belly. The outline figure in -Gosse's Marine Zoology represents very well the true shape of the fish. — J. W. H. Traill, Aberdeen. "What is Trichiurus lepturrs Hoy ?— In the recently published part of the Anales of the Spanish Society of Natural History, Professor Poey of Havannah describes and figures a curious fish under the name of Evoxymetopon tceniaius. This fish belongs to the family Trichiurid-z of Giinther, and was captured on the coast of Cuba. Professor Poey, however, thinks that it is probably an accidental visitor, and is really an inhabitant of more northern seas ; and he is inclined to think that a fish captured in November 1812 off the coasts of Scot- land, and described by Mr. Hoy in the Linnaean Transactions XI. p. 210, under the name of Trichiurus lepturus was probably the same species as the Evoxy- metopon tceniaius. Professor Poey says,that Hoy's description is inapplicable either to Trichiurus lepturus, or Lepidopus caudatus. Can any of our ichthyologists state whether Professor Poey's conjecture as to the real species of Trichiurus lepturus Hoy be correct or not ? — D. Sharp. NOTE ON THE EXAMINATION OF A MALE KELT. By W. C. M'INTOSH, M.D., F.L.S., F.R.S.E. PHE Fish was found dead at the side of the river Tay, on the 7th February, 1865, arid I am obliged to Mr. John Ferguson, of the Boat of Caputh, for directing my attention thereto. The weight of the specimen was about 281bs., but of course it was in a lean condition. It had the following measurements: — Length from snout to tip of tail, about 3 feet 4 ^-inches. ,, to posterior border of operculum, 10 „ „ to middle of eye, - 5 „ „ to anterior base of pectoral, 10 „ The Scottish Naturalist. 157 „ ], r '"' of dorsal, 1 foot 5 „ „ „ vi io.LL_y im, * iv,v.l ^.^a ,, }) of fatty fin, 2 feet 4^ „ from the anterior base of pectoral to anterior base of ventral, ioj^j ,, „ „ to anus, 1 foot 5^6 ,, „ ,, of fatty fin to tip of tail, 9^ » „ of pectoral fin, 4^ „ Breadth of dorsal fin, 3^ Highest point of „ from the line of body, - 3^ Length of ventral, 3^ Height of fatty fin (from the centre), - - 2 x / 2 Perpendicular line to longest tip of anal, - - 3% Expansion of tail, 10 External Appearances. — The general aspect, as usual, differed considerably from the plump and vigorous salmon. The cheeks and sides, moreover, were mottled with reddish pink spots, and two black spots on the operculum were each surrounded by a reddish ring. The tip of the mandible was greatly produced upwards and lodged in a cavity between the intermaxillaries. There was a wound fully an inch and a half long penetrating the right angle of the mouth, and almost separating the maxillary of that side posteriorly. The finger passed upwards and backwards close to the eye and impinged on the cranial bones. This was probably caused by the "gaff" of an angler. The outer border of each ventral fin was rather deeply abraded, so as to expose the base of the rays ; and the same injury appeared on the anal about ^ of an inch above the base — at the most prominent portion of the organ. The inferior edge of the caudal was also worn, about 1 yi inch from the base, and a limited abrasion occurred on the superior border ; while the centre of the organ was split, and a strip torn out. There were three notches (from abrasion) at the lower and anterior border of the fatty fin. In front of the latter a fungoid patch 1% inch in diameter existed — stretching downwards over the ridge of the dorsum on each side. Another of the same size and nature occured on the left side about an inch below the dorsal fin. These fungoid patches appeared to be similar to those often observed on various sickly fishes in fresh-water aquaria. On the tips of the branchial laminae were many specimens of Lemeopoda salmonea. 158 The Scottish Naturalist. Internal Appearances. — The liver weighed 5^ oz., and had externally a few circular indentations caused by Ascaris capsular ia, Rud. The gall-bladder was empty. The heart weighed fully 1^ oz., and the auricle was distended with blood. The oesophagus contained several examples of Distoma varicum y Rud., amongst the mucus. The usual tough, whitish, and translucent mucus occurred in the stomach, entangling many of the Distoma, and showing, microscopically, many cells and granules. A whitish elevation of the mucous surface indicated the position of a specimen of Tetrarhynchus appendiculatus, Rud., and another slightly elevated point held an example of Ascaris capsular ia. The contents of the duodenum were of a dark reddish colour, evidently from admixture of blood, as the micro- scope showed. This, therefore, differed from the ordinary condition in kelts, and was probably due to injury. The semi- solid and usually orange masses in the centre of the gut were also deep reddish, and their calcareous crystalline constituents chiefly of a radiate type, though fusiform and laminar forms also occurred. The same masses were found in the pan- creatic cceca. Between the duodenum and the valvular portion of the intestine the contents consisted mainly of mucus, but at the latter the crystalline masses again appeared. The pancreatic cceca were almost deprived of the fatty investment generally so conspicuous in the well-nourished fish. The milts weighed to- gether 2^ oz., and internally consisted of a milky semi-fluid granular substance. The swim-bladder was distended, and measured 1 foot 4^ inches long. MEMOIRS ON SCOTTISH TENTHREDINIDjE. By P. CAMERON, Jun. No. Ill -HEMICHEOA LUBIDIVENTRIS. Tenthredo luridiventris Fallen; Act. Holm. 1808, P- n5> 55- Leptocercus luridiventris Thomson; Hy. Sc. I. 78. No. 4. Nematus (Leptopus) hypogastricus Hartig; die Blatt., 184. 1, Tab. v. fig. 41 (after De Geer). Camponiscus Heal^ei Newman; Ent. No. 62. 215. 1869. The Scottish Naturalist. 159 For Larva : see De Geer, Me" moires, ii. 268, Tab. 38, fig. n-13; Reaumur, Memoires, Tom. v. Tab. 12, fig. 17, 18. A LTHOUGH widely distributed, this species is somewhat rare, both in the larval and perfect states I found the former in Glen Fruin, Loch Lomond, towards the end of Sep- tember, and subsequently a few were received from Dr. Bu- chanan White, from Dunkeld.* I have taken the imagos at Rannoch. In England it is found in the neighbourhood of London ; and on the continent in France, Germany, and Sweden. The larvae feed on the upper surface of the leaves of Alnus glutinosa, making roundish holes, at first small, but gradually larger and larger ; and may be observed lying motionless, with the body pressed close against the surface of the leaves, the colour of which harmonizes remarkably with that of their bodies, which are consequently rather difficult to discover. They have a habit when about to moult of resting on the head and anal segments, the central portion being raised and clear of the leaf. The larva is onisciform, extremely flat ; the back being raised and rounded, with the sides very thin, and almost transparent and membranous. The head is narrow, and quite differently formed from the rest of the saw-fly larvae. It rises sharply from the back, with a hollow in the centre at the top, and the face has a slope in the direction of the feet. When at rest it is partly withdrawn within the overhanging folds of the second seg- ment, with the mouth placed against the body. Its colour is green, with the eyes black. On the top, at the back, are two light brown splashes, and the mouth is of the same colour, but deeper. A few short microscopic hairs are scattered over it. The feet are glassy green, with black claws, and the fourteen claspers are of the same colour and very short. The fifth and twelfth segments are apodal. When the creature is motionless, neither legs nor claspers are visible, being concealed by the overhanging sides. The body in the centre is of a beautiful dark shining green, with the sides, which are waved, whitish, especially at the extreme edge, and fringed with long white hairs. On the third and following segments, except the last * I have also seen larvae in Rannoch and elsewhere in the Highlands, where this species seems pretty widely distributed. — Editor. 1 60 The Scottish Naturalist there are, at the juncture 1 ©? thirsegmental divisions, two black irregular dots situated above the flat sides, the one nearest the top being the largest. A dot is also on the second at its junction with the third. Length 5-6 lines; breadth 1^- 2 lines. About the 10th of October, the larvae buried themselves in the earth, and constructed black oblong cocoons, mixed with grains of earth, from which the perfect insects made their ap- pearance on the 3rd of May. Imago. Head black, with light testaceous palpi. Antennae black, covered with short down, and as long as the abdomen. Thorax black, above and beneath, with an irregular oblong testaceous spot on the sides below the wings ; wing scales reddish-brown. Scutellar spots white. Abdomen black, with the anal segments beneath testaceous. Feet ochreo-testaceous, with the trochanters and tibiae whitish. Hinder tarsi, with the apex of tibiae black; the apex of the joints of the tarsi testaceous. Wings almost smoky, with fuscous nervures and stigmal spot ; the latter having the lower part brownish. One of my speci- mens has only 3 sub-marginal cellules in the anterior wings, as in the section of Nematus called Ciyptocampus. The male differs in being smaller, in having longer and thicker antennae, in the pronotum being entirely black, and the anus fuscous. In none of my caught specimens can I detect the testaceous spot on the side of the thorax, which is observable in those bred, and it may be, therefore, the effects of the unnatural con- dition under which they were reared. Most of my specimens have the belly entirely black. Length 3-4 lines ; exp. alar. 6-7 lines. The parasite — one of the Ichneumonida> — remains inside the body of the saw-fly larva until the end of spring, when it com- pletes its destruction, and then spins a thin white cocoon inside the other, from which it emerges at the end of June. Note on Saw-fly Larvee and Ichneumons.— Every one who has paid any attention to saw-fly larvee, must have been struck with the curious habits of some of the larger Netnati, which feed exposed on the edge of the leaf. Fre- quently as many as a dozen may be seen ranged along the edge of a sallow leaf, attached to it only by their feet, the rest of the body being flung out in the The Scottish Naturalist. 161 air, either standing stationary, or thrown directly over the head, or violently agitated backwards and forwards; and this is sure to be done with extra vigour if they are in any way disturbed, and they seem instinctively to know when anything approaches. What is the meaning of this habit? I think it is not so much for fear of birds, as to scare away the ichneumons that are always prowling about, and this opinion is amply borne out by the erratic way in which their eggs (mostly pedunculated) are found scattered over the larvae. In one larva about a dozen eggs were found on its body, in every conceivable position, but the most remarkable instance observed, was one in which the larva had attached to its face, directly below the eyes, four pedunculated eggs> two on each side. The peduncles were fastened in some manner to the skin, and the egg proper hung down loose, the whole being nearly half a-line long. When discovered the larva, notwithstanding these singular appendages, ap- peared quite healthy, and fed vigorously, but in a day or two began to move its head about uneasily, and finally died ; but previously to this two of the ichneu- mons left the egg, and fell to the ground, where they, of course, shared the same fate. This fact is, however, sufficient to show the difficulty the ichneumon (Tryphon ? ) must have in depositing her eggs in their proper nidus ; and it is probably for the same reason that the larger species have acquired the power of squirting a liquid from the pores -of the body. It would be interesting if some one would investigate whether the possession of a bad odour or taste by an insect would deter insect depredators from prey- ing upon it. We know that to a certain extent the above qualities protect then- owners from birds, but judging from Mr Miiller's observations on the voracious manner in which a bug f Picronierus bidensj attacked and devoured a saw- fly larva which had a bad smell, it does not seem to be always the case with insects. I have, however, found myself that cockroaches, which are perhaps the most omniverous of all insects, would not eat lady-birds ( Coccinella ) and Telephori, while they greedily devoured a large quantity of other insects, given to them at the same time, many of these being small hard-bodied weevils. Some of the Ichneumonidce prey upon larvae in the perfect state. I once observed a Pimpla attack a small sized lepidopterous larva, and devour half of it before flying away.— P. Cameron, jun., Glasgow. Note on the Larva of Synergus.— In the April No. of this Magazine, I alluded to certain inquiline larvse, which inhabited pea-shaped galls on oak leaves, and pointed out that they were separated from each other by thin partitions, making the gall polythalamous, so to speak. During the summer I have investigated the subject further, and find that my former account is not strictly correct, bur having observed the inquilines ovopositing in the galls, have been enabled there- by to explain the matter, and the following is a summary of the observations made. The Synergus lays her eggs in the gall, while it is in a soft and growing state, and before the larva of the maker has left the egg. On entering their larval life, the inquilines feed on the juices of the gall, and as they reach maturity, form out of the woody matter, while it is still soft, these transparent partitions, and thus contrive to pass the quiescent period of their lives undisturbed by con- tact with one another, for that is I presume the raison d'etre, of the above proceedings. They follow the same practice in many different galls, and their presence seems to affect somewhat the form and size of the galls, either by making them irregular in shape, or of a smaller size. The galls of Spathegaster baccarum are frequently tenanted by six or seven inquilines, each in a separate 1 62 The Scottish Naturalist. compartment, and with practice I could always distinguish hese from those which contained the makers. Examined under the microscope, the partitions are seen to be composed of very much contorted cells, but which have never- theless, some resemblance to the regular woody structure. As a general rule the inquilines leave the galls some time after the gall- makers ; at least this is always the case with those found in the vernal galls. — Id. Occurrence of Had ena assimilis in Inverness-shire. — On the first of July last I took in the same locality where I have previously obtained this species, a very rich dark coloured specimen, on the sixth a second, and on the eleventh a third; the two latter were worn, and all are males. Scotch entomologists should try to breed this fine species, and thereby settle the question as to whether it is merely a variety of Cry modes exulis or not. I have taken during the past few seasons 10 specimens, and had a good view of another, which escaped. I have also seen 4 specimens taken in the same locality by a friend, all of which are exactly alike, except the one taken on the 1st ult., which is much darker than the rest, but scarcely to be called a variety on that account. C. exulis is said to vary so much that it is difficult to obtain two specimens exactly alike. It is recorded that it passes the winter in the larva state, making long galleries in the moss, and is easily traced. Mr. Greening of Warrington and 1 have turned up quantities of moss in Inverness -shire without finding any trace of larvae. It has also been stated that the imago of exulis may be found in the evening on grassy slopes creeping up the stems of grass, and in pairs hanging to the long grass. Our assimilis is not to be found so. Exulis is said to fly in the day time, and may be found hovering about flowers in the sunshine: it is not so with assimilis. Only two of the above named specimens are females. — Nicholas Cooke, Gorsey Hey, Mount Pleasant Road, Liscard, nr. Birkenhead. 23d August, 1873. Ocourrence of Hadena assimilis in Perthshire.— Mr. W. Herd showed me, on the top of Ben-y-Gloe, a living specimen of this rare moth which he had taken the previous evening in Glen Tilt. — F. Buchanan White. Pachnobia alpina in Braemar.— When tearing up moss on a hill side in Braerrar last July I found a chrysalis, which on the morning of my departure disclosed a specimen of Pachnobia alpina. This may prove a useful hint to those who have an opportunity of searching for this species. — J. S. Allin, 20 Beaumont Square, London. Trichiura cratsegi.— When at Braemar in July last year, my neighbour Mr. Garrow found some larvae feeding on heather on one of the hills, and gave them to me. They did not answer exactly to the book descriptions of any larva that I could find, and I had some hopes of finding that I had got something new, which, however, did not prove to be the case. They were full fed in the first week of August, but did not emerge until the beginning of July of this year, and then, they proved to be a peculiarly coloured variety of B. crataigi- very dark ashy-gray or slate coloured, both body and wings, and without any trace of brown. There were four males and one female. All the accounts I can find of this moth concur in saying that the larva is found in May or June, and the moth in September. Have any of your readers experience of its passing the winter in the chrysalis state?— W. Tait, Broomend, Inverurie. The Scottish Naturalist. 163 Lepidoptera of Sutherland.— In the following note are mentioned those species observed by me in August, in Sutherland (meaning by that name the, province so called in the lists of Scottish insects), which' have already been mentioned in Lepidoptera Scotica, without being given under that province, owing to want of information. I follow the names and order given in the list : — Vanessa urticce, abundant ; Efinephde janira, abundant ; Pieris brassier, one specimen, Lyccena icarus, common ; Saturnia pavonia, larvae and cocoons ; Bombyx rubi, larvae; Bombyx quercus, L. cocoons ; Leiocatnpa dictiBoides, one larva in Strathnaver ; Lophopteryx camelina L. one larva in Strathnaver ; Orgyia antiqua, larvae ; Dasychira fascelhia, one larva. The remaining species will be mentioned in their proper places in the list. — JAMES W. H. Traill, Aberdeen, August, 1873. Vanessa Antiopa.— Two specimens of this species were seen near Dunkeld last spring.— F. Buchanan White. Helix ericetoium in Sutherland:— While botanizing on the north coast of Sutherland, in August, I found this species of snail very abundant on the sandy banks at Malvich and Farr, and doubtless it occurs in similar localities elsewhere along the coast. The northern limit is given in Jeffreys' work as the Hebrides, no island being specified. At Farr I also found the shells of Bulimus acutus very abundant. — James W. H. Traill, Aberdeen. A LIST OF THE SCOTTISH LAND AND FRESH-WATER MOLLUSCA, WITH HINTS ON COLLECTING. By F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. A S subjects for study the Land and Fresh-water Mollusks, either dead or alive, are. well worthy of attention. In a living, state they may be kept, and their habits observed and recorded ; when dead, they have this advantage over many other groups of animals that their shells may easily be preserved without losing any of the beauty of form, and little of the beauty of colour; while to the possessor of a microscope their palates supply abundance of material for work and investigation. Moreover, to the naturalist possessed of but little time to devote to his favourite pursuits, the British species, being only about 130 in number, have the additional advantage of not being a group in which he need despair of attaining anything like a perfect col- lection, and are besides (as regards the majority at least) obtainable at all seasons and in most places ; while to him who is not over burdened with this world's pelf, the apparatus re- quired in their capture and preservation, need cost but little. To the casual observer, a few (often indeed too many) slugs, 164 The Scottish Naturalist. and a "wheen buckies " with mottled or banded shells, are apparently the sole terrestial representatives of the numerous " shell fish " that are found in the sea, but to him who knows how to use his eyes, our gardens and fields, woods and rocks, rivers and lakes, have numerous molluscous inhabitants. To assist, therefore, those who are desirous of becoming better acquainted with our Scottish species, I have briefly noticed the special localities affected by each. Arion ater L. — Appears to be common everywhere, though, if the testimony of certain farmers is to be believed, less com- mon than formerly, owing probably to the more extensive drainage of the land. I have seen specimens not unfrequently over 3000 feet above sea level. This animal varies consider- ably • in colour : I have found, but rarely, specimens nearly white. It is decidedly carnivorous, as well as herbivorous; I once found one devouring a specimen of that common moth, Spilosoma menthastri. A. hortensis Fer. — Common everywhere, and ascends as high as A. ater. A.flavus Miill. — Is considered by some authors as merely a variety of the last It is said to be common everywhere and to be a more tender species than hortensis. Limax gagates Drap. — Is said to have occurred once, in the west of Scotland. L. agrestis L. (nee Drap.) — Too common everywhere. L. marginatus Miill. — Is not an uncommon species through- out the country. It may be found on trees, especially beech, on the trunks of which it may often be seen in abundance after rain. It is occasionally, however, to be found on rocks, as, for example, on Ben Lawers, where it ascends more than 3000 feet above sea level. Like some others of the genus, L. marginatus is attracted by the "sugar" put on trees by collectors of moths. L. Icevis Miill. (brunneus Drap. ?) — Mr. Jeffreys says that this species is common everywhere. (British Conchology, v., 156.) L. tenellus Miill. — " North Marine, Shetland" Jeffreys (/. e. v., i5 6 )- L. flavus L. — Common; usually in or near houses, inhabiting sculleries and damp cellars. It is more rarely found in woods. L. maximus L. — Not uncommon in the same places as the last, but more frequently found in woods, often ascending trees The Scottish Naturalist. 165 and not uncommonly visiting the sugar placed there by Lepidopterists. Vitriua pellucida Mull. — Common everywhere, especially among decaying leaves. Succinea putris L- — Appears to occur throughout Scotland, but is not, in my experience, very common. All the specimens I have found are very small. It frequents plants and stones v near water. I have taken many specimens out of the dead grass of the overhanging bank of a pond in winter. At this season the mouth of the shell was closed by a diaphragm such as may be seen in many species of Helix. S. elegans Risso. — Occurs throughout the country, but is either not common, or is passed over as the preceding. It occurs in similar localities. Var. ochracea, Shetland. S. oblonga Drap. — Very rare. Said to have been found near Glasgow. It inhabits sandy places near the sea. Zonites cellar ins Mull. — A common species everywhere, frequently under stones. I have found the var. complanata and compacta, near Perth. Z. alliarius Mull. — Equally common as the last. Var. viridula, Shetland. Z. nitidulus Drap. — The commonest of the genus, occurring in all sort of places and attaining a considerable elevation. Var. nite?is: more common than the type, and frequenting dryer places. Z. purus Alder. — In woods, under stones, and among dead leaves, not very uncommon throughout the country. The var. margaritacea seems to be commoner than the typical form. Z. radiatulus Alder. — In woods among dead leaves, but not very common. It occurs throughout the country. Z. nitidus Miill. — Though apparently occurring throughout Scotland, Z. nitidus is not a common species. It inhabits woods, where it is found among dead leaves in damp shady places. From its love of moisture it is also to be found on the banks of lakes and ditches and it is said not to be an unfrequent inhabitant of orchard houses. Z. excavatus Bean. — This is the rarest of the genus, and though widely distributed, is local, and not common. It has occurred in the south and south-west of Scotland, near Glasgow, in Argyleshire, Bute, Aberdeenshire and Ross-shire. It inhabits the same kind of places as the two preceding species. 1 66 The Scottish Naturalist. Z. crystallinus Mull. — Rather common throughout the country, among dead leaves in woods, and under stones in more open damp places. I have found it in abundance and very fine under stones in a wet meadow by the side of the Tay, near Perth. Z.fulvus Mull. — Throughout, but never abundant; among dead leaves and on stones in woods. Helix aspersa Mull. — Throughout, but, especially in the north, chiefly near the sea ; inland it is rare and local. In dry weather it hides in holes in walls, but after rain comes out in great numbers. The var. exalbida occurs on the sea coast. H. arbustorum L. — Not uncommon throughout Scotland, but rather local, frequenting damp rocks and damp shady hedge banks. It is almost the only Helix that is to be found on the high mountains, where it is not uncommon and attains an elevation of at least 3000 feet. I have found the va*. flavescens near the sea in Fife ; the var. alpesiris occurs (but rarely) in several parts of Perthshire and Aberdeenshire ; and the var. fusca in Shetland. H nemoralis L. — Is a very common species everywhere. The varr. hortensis, hybrida and major, all occur, the first as common as the type, the other two less commonly. . The var. minor is recorded by Jeffreys from Shetland and Ross-shire, and I have a series from Balgowan, Perthshire, where it seems to pass gradually into hortensis. H. caperata Mont. — As far north as Moray, chiefly near the sea. It abounds on many sand hills, burying itself in the sand about the roots of grass, and under stones. H. ericetorum Mull. — Near the sea on sand hills in several places, more especially on the west coast. The var. instabilis is reported from Iona and Mull. H lapicida L. — Found at Hawick by Mr W. Grant Guthrie. H. rufescens Pennant. — Bowling (Trans. Glasgow Nat. Hist. Soc. I. p. 196). Var. albida; in the same locality. In this locality (which, as far as I am aware, is the only Scottish one), it is entirely maritime. H eondnna Jeffreys. — Said to be generally distributed, and in the Perth district it is certainly as common as the next species, from which it is most easily distinguished by the shape and colour of the an iro.il. Both species occur on and under The Scottish Naturalist. 167 stones, beside hedges and edges of fields, and upon the leaves of nettles and other plants. A heap of loose stones near a bed of nettles is pretty certain to yield many specimens. H. hispida L. — A common species, especially in the low and cultivated country. I have found the "var. albida at Perth. H. sericea Drap. — A rare species in Scotland, where I have not myself met with it. Jeffreys says " from the Moray Firth southwards," and it appears in the lists of several of the south- western counties, as Ayrshire and Wigtonshire. The broad leaves of the butterbur (Pttasites), and beds of nettles seem the favourite habitats. H. fusca Mont. — Is another species of some rarity. It has been taken in the following counties at least : —Ross, Aberdeen, Kincardine, Perth, -Lanark, Renfrew, Bute, Ayr, and Kirkcud- bright. It frequents shady places " among nettles and dog- mercury " (Jeffreys), " under leaves and upon brambles ' : (L. Reeve), " on the leaves of Pttasites " (Haddin). I have found it among coarse grass in a damp place, and on honey- suckle and ivy. Like other species, it is most easily found in wet weather. If. lamellata Jeffreys. — A most beautiful little shell, and though local, not uncommon where it does occur. It is the most common species of Helix in the wooded highland glens, where I have found it at an elevation of 1200 feet — it probably attaining greater altitude. I have met with it as far north as Ross- shire and it is likely to occur throughout the highlands, and, not improbably, in suitable localities throughout the lowlands also. It inhabits woods, especially of birch, living among dead leaves, especially the decaying-fronds of the softer ferns, such as Aspidium oreopteris and the Lady fern. Jeffreys (B. C. 1. 175) says, ''especially among dead holly leaves," but though I have carefully searched, I have never been able to find lamellita or any shell among holly leaves, even in the most likely-looking places. To obtain H lamellata and some other species such as aculeata and pygmoea, Carychium, &c, I fill a large bag full of the decaying leaves of Aspidiwn oreopteris, or other soft ferns growing in dampish places in open woods (as for example the hollows on the sides of hills, narrow glens, or near the channels of hill streams), scraping up from the ground below the fern, the decayed fronds of the previous year. When the bag is full — 1 68 The Scottish Naturalist. it is prudent in filling it to make sure that there are shells in the locality — I take it home, dry the contents, and then pass them through a seive several times; on examining the sifting a rich harvest of shells may often be reaped. H. aculeata Mull. — A widely distributed but not abundant species, frequenting the same kind of places as the last, but more universal in the lowlands than it. It should be searched for in the same manner, and may easily be passed over from its re- semblence to a prickly seed. H. pulchella Mull. — This shell well de'serves its name. It is a widely distributed but rather local species ; in the high- lands it appears to be very rare. It lives about the roots of grass in either dry or wet places, on rocks, walls or sandy shores. I have found it most commonly by shaking over a piece of paper the tufts of grass growing in the corners, or on the narrow ledges, of dry rocks. Many shells of different species may be easily obtained in this manner. About Perth I find the var. costata commoner than the type. H. rotundata Mull. — A very common species under stones, and about rocks, walls, &c , but less common in the highlands. The var. minor is alpine, and is recorded from Shetland ; the var. alba is rare, but has been found at Aberdeen, and I once met with it near Perth. H. rupestris Stud. — A rather local species, but common where it does occur. It has been found as far north as Sutherlandshire, but I have never seen it in the highlands. It lives on dry rocks and walls, under loose stones or in narrow chinks, some- times among the roots of grass on ledges in company with H. pulchella. H. pygmoea Drap. — Not uncommon among dead leaves in woods as far north as Ross-shire (where I have found it), but probably often overlooked from its small size. It should be searched for in the same manner as H. lamellata. Bulimus acutus Mull. — A maritime species occurring on sand-- hills on several parts of the coast both east and west, as far north as Durness. The var. bizona occurs in Iona. />'. obscurus Mull. — Widely distributed, but not found every- where ; I have never seen it in the highlands. It lives on walls and rocks, hiding in dry weather among the roots of grass or sticking to the rock behind depending tufts. It is one of the The Scottish Naturalist. 169 shells I find on narrow ledges in company with H. pulchdla. The young animal covers its shell with an encrustation of mud, and thus often escapes notice. Cochlicopa lubrica Mull. — A common and widely distributed species, living under stones and among dead leaves in both dry and wet places. It is less common in the highlands. The var. hibricoides is not uncommon near Perth. Azeca tridens Pult. — Very local, but apparently common where it does occur. It has been found at Bridge of Allan (Foulis)> and in Dumfries-shire (Somerville). It lives among moss. Clausilia laminata Mont. — Rare and local. Among ivy on a shaded rock near Perth, where I discovered it some years ago. It is said to frequent decayed leaves about the trunks of trees, especially in beech woods. C. perversa Mull. Common (but less so in the highlands) living on rocks and walls, and among moss at the roots of trees. It attains an altitude of 2400 ft. on Ben Lawers. The var. Everetti is reported from Shetland, and I have found it and the var. tumidula at Perth. Balia perversa L. — A widely distributed but local species. It is most abundant on rocks — hiding behind tufts of grass — and under the stones in dry stone dykes ; less abundant below loose bark of trees. The shell of this species (amongst others) seems to attain a greater size in Scotland than it does in England. I sent specimens to Mr. Jeffreys in illustration of this, and he remarks (B. C. v. 161) that they are rather larger than English. This may be caused by the moister atmosphere and lower temperature of the Scottish summer permitting the animals to feed for a longer period. As is well known, many molluscs remain dormant in hot dry summer weather, in the same manher as they do in winter. The same circumstances which cause these shells to be larger in Scotland than they are in England may also be the reason why many Scottish insects attain a greater size than English examples of the same species. Pupa muscorum L — Rather scarce, but widely distributed, and perhaps passed over as the next, and lives in similar localities. /To be continued. J PHYTOLOGY. SCOTTISH GALLS. ( Continued from p. 12Z.J By J. W. H. TRAILL, M.A. They are smooth, diaphanous, green usually when attached to the leaf, red partially or entirely when attached to the catkins; in this latter case they look much like a bunch of red currants. They are monothalamous, and have very thick fleshy walls. The insects eat their way out of the galls in June and July, (q) 1 found several galls of Trigon- aspis 7nagaptera Panzer in the month of June, both last year and this year, in Parkhill woods. They were on the trunks of oaks, in crevices of the bark. Sometimes two are more or less united, but usually they are separate. When well formed they are globular, pea-sized, smooth and naked; and are bright red in colour. They are monothalamous, with rather thick fleshy walls. Like the last they soon shrivel up, and disappear early in July. This year I have reared a good number of the insects, (r ) Galls of Andricus infiator Hartig, were in June found by me on an oak bush on Craigandarroch at Ballater. They are terminal (or axillary) swellings on the young branches, of an ovate form, about \ inch by |- inch; smooth externally, or with small leaves or leaf scales attached ; open by a small hole at the apex across which a thin membrane is stretched. Colour green brownish near the apex. Walls thin, cavity large, containing at the bottom a small ovate inner gall about -fa inch by ^ inch. This is attached by its base to the bottom of the cavity, its apex pointing to the opening in the outer gall. It is brownish black, thin and papery, yielding readily on pressure. The remaining species of oak galls are, I believe new to Britain, (s) Galls of Andricus quadrilineaius Hartig occurred to me commonly on oaks at Banchory on June 7th The Scottish Naturalist. 171 and at Ballater and elsewhere in this district for some time afterwards. They usually occur on the catkins, 4 to 5 on each. They are oval, about \ inch by \ inch. The surface is green, naked, but irregularly striated faintly. On making a section each is found to contain a whitish hard inner gall closely surrounded by, and grown to, the fleshy green outer case/ and enclosing a comparatively large cell. When al- lowed to dry the stride became much more apparent, and could be seen to form an irregular network, the variations of which in depth and regularity have been considered as warranting the conclusion that, they belong to different "species of Andricus. Though usually occurring on the catkins they are not seldom attached to the mid-rib of a leaf at one side, and form a gap in the lamina opposite it. In eveiy respect but situation these latter resemble those on the catkins, and are clearly formed by Andricus quadrili- neatus. From the figures and description given by Mayr those on the leaves are clearly those described by Schlec- tendal and named by him Cynips margina/is, which is only, as Mayr suggests, a synonym of Andricus quadri/ineatus. (t) Galls of Andricus amcnti Gir. — On looking over some oak catkins collected by Mr. W. Vice and myself, at Ballater (along with the galls of A. quadrilineatus) , there were found to be numerous specimens of the galls of A. amcnti, new to Britain. The galls are sessile on the catkins; they are ovate, and are attached by the blunt end; the apex is sharp and is slightly bent to one side. Length j l e inch to T l 2" inch, greatest breadth half as much. Surface covered with very short stiff hairs, colour brown. They are mono- thalamous and very thin-walled. Several of the insects have emerged. (t) Galls of Spathegaster vesicat?'ix Schlechtendal. — On Saturday, July 5th, 1 found galls of this species common in oak leaves at Banchory, where I had seen a few, about a month before, in their earlier stages without recognising them as galls. This species also is, I believe, new to Britain. They are sunk in the substance of the leaf entirely at first, but as they approach maturity they project both above and below, forming a very low double cone, and enclosing a cavity of some size, the walls being very thin. When mature they are readily seen, being 172 The Scottish Naturalist. whitish, while the leaf is green, but till maturity they are green like the leaf. They are then very difficult to find, the readiest eye-mark being the radii which pass from a small knob in the centre to the circumference. On the upper surface this arrangement is very regular and distinct, . but it is less regular below, and there is no central knob. Both surfaces are naked. The form is oval, about \ x ^. Almost all that I found were empty, but a few contained inquilines. Brassica campestris L. (Turnip). — Last February, at Old Aberdeen, I found galls of Ceuthorhynchus sulcicollis Gyll. on roots of turnips. They are scattered irregularly over the root, especially below the surface of the earth; and project rather more than half a hemisphere of \ to \ inch diameter. Walls in consistence and appearance are like the root. The galls are monothalamous and are usually distinct, but some- times two or more are united. Hypericum pulchrum L. — The galls on this plant already described have been found by Dr. White at Castleton of Braemar this summer. Ulex europ^us L. — On this plant, Mr. Verrall, during a visit to Aberdeen this summer, detected galls on Scotston Moor, near Aberdeen. I afterwards found the galls abundant near Aberdeen, and succeeded in rearing from them an Asphon- dylia which resembles pretty closely Asphondylia sarotham- ni ,but is larger than this species. As it differs in its food- plant from any described species, and is larger than A. sarothatmii, its nearest ally, I now propose for it the name of Asphondylia ulicis. The galls so closely resemble large flowerbuds as to be readily overlooked, though easy of de- tection after once being recognised. They are a good deal larger, and more inflated than the flowerbuds, but otherwise agree with them closely in appearance. Size about ^ inch by % inch. Monothalamous, enclosing a large cavity in whirh there is not a trace of the inner whorls of the flower. Walls lined with a short white pubescence on which the larva feeds. Cytisus scoparius L. — (c) During the summer I have found a gall which differs from both kinds (pcd galls and leaf bud galls) already described in consisting of a distorted flower- The Scottish Naturalist. 173 bud, usually situated on a twig bearing a number of flowers. It resembles a considerably swollen half-grown bud. Size about y^ inch by }i inch. It is frequently surrounded at its base by the sepals, but no other part of the flower can be distinguished. Contains a large central cavity inhabited by a larva which is not cecidomyious, but which I have not yet reared. Banchory, 7th June, common. (To be continued. ) A New British Moss.— Dr. Moore, of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Dublin, who has already done so much to extend our knowledge of the bryology of the Brit- ish Isles, and especially of Ireland, has again been so fortunate as to discover another moss hitherto unknown as a native of the kingdom. In 1868, when he was on a visit to the Island of Lewis, one of the outer Hebrides, his attention was taken by a Sphagnu?n growing plentifully on the flat moors, and rising from eighteen inches to two feet above the surrounding surface. In a letter to me, in which specimens were enclosed, Dr. Moore states that he had regarded it as a remark- able form of Sphagnum cymbiforme, but so extraordinary that he had drawn up a diagnosis of its peculiarities. This summer he showed the plant to Lindberg. and that distinguished botanist expressed his belief that it was identical with a comparatively recent American species, viz., Sphagnum A u stint Sull. I have compared specimens of the Lewis plant with original specimens of Sphagnum Austmi gathered in America by Austin in 1863, and the former do not differ much from the latter except in being stouter and having the branches more crowded upon the stems. It is interesting to find that another American species is a British species also, and that the Floras of Great Britain and America are, by still another link, more closely connected than we were hitherto aware of. — J. Fergusson, New. Pitsligo. Anacalypta latifolia.— Last July, Dr. Buchanan White, Mr. J. Allen Harker, and mjself, discovered a new and. fifth British locality for this ex- tremely rare and interesting little moss. We found it in fair abundance on Graig Koynach, near the Castleton of Braemar. Here, as in the other stations in Great Britain in which it had previously been found, it grows on the finely- pulverized earth of limestone rocks, a soil excelling all others in richness. On Graig Koynach, as on the Gaar Rocks and on the rock behind the farm of Tomintoul on Morrone, the other Aberdeenshire localities in which it is found, it loses much of that alpine character which we are naturally led to attribute to it, when we remember that on the Continent it is met with only near the eternal snows on the summits of the Swiss and Jurassic Alps, and that in the shires of Forfar and Perth it appears only at high altitudes. It strikes one as very odd, that from the spot at Tomintoul farm where Anacalypta latifolia can be gathered, one can almost pitch a stone into potatoe and turnip fields; and that on Craig Koynach it grows in the heart of a great wood at an elevation of not more than 1400 feet, and associated with a profusion of plants of a subalpine and lowland type. It is almost certain that the plant occurs elsewhere in the north of Scotland, and should be looked for on the limestone of the south flank of the Cairnwell in Glenshee, on the Nether Craig in Black- water, and about Tomintoul in Banffshire. — Id. A New British Fungus.— I understand that the Rev. James Keith, M. A., Forres, who is our best Scottish fungologist, has gathered near Forres what 174 The Scottish Naturalist. appears to be Coriinarius traga?ius, a plant hitherto unknown as British. It seems to be very common in upland fir woods, and will no doubt he he «rd of from other quarters now that attention has been called to it. — Id. The Clavarias of New Pitsligo.— The coast of the Buchan district in Aberdeenshire is one of the most magnificent in Britain, and is very rich in interesting botanical rarities. The inland part of the same district has a bare and almost painful sameness of aspect, owing to the general flatness of the country, and the paltry character of its plantations. These causes when com- bined with a low temperature make it as unpromising to a fungologist as Nova Zembla or even the Great Sahara. Still, within an area of about a mile all round the village of New Pitsligo, though its woods do not extend much over a hundred acres, and are in fact little better than a pretence, many more species of fungi have been detected than aie recorded for the three counties of Kincar- dine, Aberdeen, and Bamff, by Prof. Dickie's admirable " Botanists' Guide." This little spot, wken compared with other places, is very rich in Clavarias— beautiful, and generally branched or fasciculate fungi, of which some 34 species have been found in the British Isles. Of these only a very small proportion are known to be natives of Scotland. Dr. Dickie gives only four as having been discovered in the counties embraced by his "Guide.'' The Rev. J. Keith men- tions only the same number as having been found near Forres up to 1871, and until quite recently only two or three were known as belonging to Forfarshire. Within the above-mentioned area around New Pitsligo there are no fewer than ten species at the very least. In the Gardner and Rattray woods, which lie to the south of the village, you have first of all Clavaria cristata springing up through layers of beech and other leaves into which the foot sinks as into a pillow. The colour of the plant is usually whitish, but here it is of a pale-ash somewhat resembling that of C. cinerea from which, however, it can always be distinguished by its toughness and acute cristate branches. Near this occurs the much rarer C. inaqualis which, in this quarter, is by far the most abundant of the genus. It seems to grow in all our woods, especially in that on the east side of the upper lake of Glaslaw, where it covers an area of several acres, and is associated with Agaric us clavipes, a recent addition to the list of British fungi. Everywhere here we find it, not of the normal yellow colour, but of a delicate white, which occasionally, and especially when the plant grows old, has a feeble hint of yellow. I am not aware of this plant having been previously recorded for the north east of Scotland. . In these same woods, and on their borders, other three Clavarias can be col- lected, namely C. muscoides, C. rttgosa, and C. stricta. Though the first two seem to be quite common everywhere, according to report, our experience has been that they are rather rare. Only once have we seen Clavaria rugosa in all Buchan, and we have a suspicion that something else may have been taken for it. Clavaria stricta, on the other hand, is quite common round New Pitsligo at least, and apparently in other places, though it has no doubt been over- looked and confounded with C. abietina from which it can be readily dis. tinguished by the longer branches, the darker brown hue, and by its never turning bluish-green when bruised or in decay. It is usually found growing among accumulations of decaying pine leaves, and keeping well in below the branches of spruce trees, where it is almost always associated with its congener. From the Farm of Greenspeck on towards Tirclossie. there is a narrow belt of wood fringing the highway leading to Fraserburgh, and here several important things are got. First, we have C. fmtigiata, a much more "strict " species than The Scottish Naturalist. 175 C. strict*, and withal of a fine yellow, somewhat approaching that of Calocern viscosa, but not so rich. Then we come upon a small quantity of C. fragilis which is here in company with Agaricus Swartzii, and Ag. testaceus, species much rarer than, but not so curious as, the green and yellow Hygrophorous psittacinus, which is rather plentiful A little beyond these, springing up through and overtopping the long grass, is another splendid Clavatia of a casspitose habit, often attaining a height of five or six inches, and of a beautiful alabaster white. I was inclined to believe that ultimately it might have to be referred to C. argillacea ; but one of our first British fungologists regards it as a species closely related to C. argillacea. Genuine normal forms of this latter plant grow at no great distance in the same wood, or rather on the mud of an old wall which enclosed it, and has certainly a very different appearance. About half- a- mile or more to the north east of the village there is a belt of fir trees planted round the base of a singular granite knoll rising up out of the centre of an extensive peat bog. This is the only place in the district where we have yet observed C. abietina. In this wood there grow along with it C. stricta, and the odd looking Spathularia flavida. which in general looks so mightily like a common egg-spoon. The last and perhaps the rarest of the New Pitsligo Clavarias is C. cinerea. Last year I found it in a little beech wood at the north-end of the village, along with small quantities of C. cristata and C. incequalis. This year I can find only the latter there. It is possible that the others may yet show themselves, but one cannot tell. Clavaria cinerea seems to be very capricious and fastidious in the choice of its abode, and it may be as capricious in the times of its appearance. — Id. Occurrence of Centaurea scabiosa L. &c. in Sutherland.— During a walking tour in Sutherland with my friends Messrs Vice and Williamson we found Centaurea scabiosa commonly at Farr, on the north coast, especially on a sandy bank on which it abounded along with Ononis arvensis, Daucus carota, Scabiosa arvensis, Tragopogon pratensis, &c. In the Students' Flora the northern limit given for both Centaurea scabiosa, and Tragopogon pratensis is Moray. The rayless variety of Senecio jacoboza was even more common than . the ordinary form. We also found Pinguicula lusitanica and Primula scotica near Farr.— James W. H. Traill. Botanical Notes.— I have met with the following plants during the past summer. Equisetum pratense ( umbrosum ) in the Glas-alt Glen, on Craig-na- dalaBeag, in Braemar: not known before, I understand, as an Aberdeenshire plant. In the same locality I found Ajuga reptans var. pseudo-alpina. — Cerastium triviale var. alpinum, on Craig-na-dala in Cairn Toul. This plant varies much in the size of the petals. The Cairn Toul plant might almost be mistaken for Cerastium alpinum; the Craig-na-dala plant has much smaller flowers; and Colonel Drummond Hay found a plant on Lochnagar that is intermediate be- tween typical triviale and the var. alpinum.— Hypnum trifarium — Craig-na- dala ; not found previously in Aberdeenshire nor on the eastern Grampians. — Aira uligifiosa— common in several localities in Braemar. — Peziza axillaris — Morrone, Braemar. The following plants found by Colonel Drummond Hay, Mr. Roy and my- self during an excursion of the Perthshire Mountain Club to Glentilt and Ben- y-Gloe : — Equisetum pratense, Glentilt ; Orchis incarnata, near Falar, at an altitude of 1800 feet. This station was discovered by Professor Barker a few years ago. Aira alpina, Peziza axillaris, Solorina crocea, &c, Ben-y-Gloe, 176 The Scottish Naturalist. (Carex vaginata was found on Ben-y-Gloe by Mr. J. M'Farlane). — Utricvlaria intermedia near the Bynak Lodge, Braemar. Exobasidium vaccinii has been very common in Braemar this year, and among other Fungi Hydtium compactum, Trametes pini, Polyporus violaceus and Gyromitra esculenta have occurred. — F. Buchanan White. - VARIOUS NOTES. We learn that our contributor, the Rev. J. Fergusson, the well-known bryologist, is preparing for publication a Manual of British Bryology. A work upon the Birds of Shetland by the late Dr. Saxby (well known for his investigation of the ornithology of these islands), is announced as nearly ready. It will be published by subscription {£1 is.), and will contain, in addition to many observations on the habits, &c, of the Shetland birds, numerous tinted lithographs from drawings by the author. These plates are very beautifully drawn. Prospectuses may be obtained from the Rev. S. H. Saxby, East Clevedon, Somerset, or from the publishers, Messrs. MacLachlan & Stewart, Edinburgh. From what we know of the late Dr. Saxby's attainments we are satisfied that the forthcoming work is one that should be in every ornithologist's library. The annual report of the Glasgow Society of Field Naturalists is before us. This Club (established in 1871) appears to be doing good work, especially in investigating the entomology and botany of Clydesdale, where much remains to be done, especially in the first of these departments. To the report is appended a paper upon additions to the lichen flora of New Zealand (with descriptions of new species). This seems to be rather out of place here, but we understand that there are good reasons for so publishing it. We wish the Club all success. The Alloa Society of Natural Science and Archaeology has been showing an amount of energy lately that might wtll be imitated by many older and more influential Societies. Funds are being raised, and the foundation stone has been laid of a building, in the Grecian style of architecture, which is to contain the museum of the Society, in addition to lecture hall, committee rooms, &c. The lecture hall and museum, situated in the back of the building, is 58 + 28 feet, and 25 feet high. Being lighted from the roof, a gallery 5 feet broad ^.0 which access may be had from the staircase outside the hall) will be carried round, provided with wall cases and table glass cases in front. Besides the hall the front building contains a committee room 25 x 20 feet and a reading- room of the same size above; a cloak room 14 + 10 feet, with work room above, and rooms for the keeper of the building, »fcc. The hall will be heated by warm air, and will have three entrances, one of these by the committee room— thus giving direct communication between all the apartments. The cost of the building will be about ^r,6oo, of which a great portion has been raised. Well done, Alloa! We hope that the Society, in forming the museum, will bear in - mind the importance of illustrating well the local natural history, and carefully eschew all donations of two-headed calves, South Sea Islanders' cloaks, et id genus omne, which so often converts a provincial museum into an "omnium gatherum " of rubbish. We understand that among other collections of natural history and archaeology acquired by, and presented to, the Society, the very valuable local collection of geology and mineralogy purchased some years ago by the Society from the trustees of the late Robert Bald, C.E., will have a prominent place in the new arrangements of the museum. "*s« 1 *k£* INSECTA SCOT i c a. X> g \^ THE LEPIDOPTERA OF SCOTLAND. ( Contin tied from p. 1 36. J Edited by F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. MEGACEPHALA F. Local. Nemoral. Distribution — East. o o Tay § Moray o o o West, o o o o o Lat. 56°2o // -57°4o / '. Range in Europe. Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. June, July. Larva. August, Septem- ber. Food-plant. Aspen. MYRioai.Gn. Local. Ericetal. Ascends to 2000 feet. Distribution — East. o § Tay Dee Moray §00 West, o Clyde Argyle § § Lat. 55°3o"-58°. Range in Europe. Scotland and Ireland. Type. Scottish. Type in Britain. Scottish. Time of Appearance — Imago. May-July. Larva, August, Septem- ber. Food-plant. Sallow, heather, and other low plants. Staudinger appears to be of opinion that myricce may be only a form of euphor- bia, F, to which species it is certainly closely allied. BTJMiCis L. Common. Agrestal, pascual, ericetal. Ascends to 1200 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray § o c West. Sohvay Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o // -57°5o' / . Range in Europe. Throughout. Type. Territorial. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance -Imago. May-July. Larva. August-SeptemLer. Food-plant. Low plants. 178 The Scottish Naturalist. Ab. lepida. Usually rather smaller than the typical form; wings darker, nearly unicolorous. Stain ton's Manual I., 183 (under A. salicis; exclude description of larva, which is that of the ab. of i?ienyanthidis). Newman's Brit. Moths 255, (fig). menyanthidis View. Not uncommon. Ericetal. Ascends to upwards of 1000 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray § o o West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-57°5o". Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June, July. Larva. August-Septem- ber. Food-plant. Heather, sallow, Myrica, Menyanthes, &c. Ab. salicis Curtis. Darker, wings nearly unicolorous. Tros- sachs. PSI L. Common. Agrestal, nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde § West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-57°5o". Range in Europe, Nearly throughout. Type. European. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June-August. Larva. August- October. Food-plant. Various trees and shrubs, leporina L. Not very common. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed o Tay o Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde Argyle o o Lat. 54°4o"-58°. Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. June, July. Larva. August-September. Food-plant. Birch, alder. From their European distribution the following species should occur in Scotland, and probably some of them may yet be found : — aceris L., euphorbia F. , auricoma F., alni L., and trideiis Schiff. DEMAS Stph. coryli L. Not uncommon. Nemoral. Distribution — East, g Forth Tay Dee Moray Sutherland o o West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross g Lat. 54°4o"-58°3o". Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. The Scottish Naturalist. 179 Time of Appearance— Imago. June. Larva. August, September Food-plant. Birch, alder, hazel, sallow, beech, &c. ORTHOSIID.ffi. TRACE E A Hub. piniperda Panz. Common. Nemoral. Ascends to 1400 ft. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray § ° ° West. Solvvay Clyde § West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-57°5o' / . Range in Europe. Central and north- ern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. March-May. Larva. May-Augus.. Food-plant. Pine. Varies with colour greenish instead of reddish ( = Var. A. of Guene"e, from Northern Europe^. PACHNOBIA Gn. HYPERBOEEA Zett. Var. alpina Westw. (1841) ; carnica Hering (1846). Very rare. Alpine. Altitude, 2000-3000 feet. Distribution — East. o o Tay Dee 0000 West. o o g o Lat. 56°3o // -57°. Range in Europe. Carinthian Alps (the var.) ; Lapland, Norway, Switzerland, &c. (the typical form.) Type. Boreal. Type in Britain. Scottish. Time of Appearance— Imago. July, August. Larva. ? Food-plant. ? RUBKICOSA F. Not uncommon. Nemoral. Ascends to 1200 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray J 00 West. Solway Clyde 8 8° Lat. 54°4o"-57°4o". Range in Europe. Central and north- ern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. March-May. Larva. Maj, June. Food-plant. Dock, &c. 180 The Scottish Naturalist. T-ENIOCAMPA Gn. POPULETI Tr. Rare. Nemoral. Distribution — East. o o Tay o o o o o West, o o o o o Lat. 56°2o // 56°3o". Range in Europe. Central. Type. Central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. March, April. Larva. May-July. Food-plant. Poplar and aspen. This species might easily be past over as a variety of incerta. Among other points of difference the structure of the antennas of the male affords a good character — in populeti the pectinations are linear, in incerta they are pyramidal. GOTHICA L. Common. Nemoral. Ascends to 1200 feet. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray g Orkney o West. Solway Clyde 8 8 8 Lat. 54°4o' / -59°io". Range in Europe. Central and north- ern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. March, April. Larva. May-July. Food-plant. Sallow, oak, &c. Gothichia H. S. (a smaller paler aberration with the dark markings much less distinct) has occurred in Moray and elsewhere. incerta Hum. (1767); instabilis Esp. (1790). Common. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 8 8° West. Solway Clyde 8 West Ross 8 Lat. 54°4o"-57°5o". Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type, Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. March, April. Larva. May-July. Food-plant. Various trees and low plants. stabilis View. Abundant. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray J o o West. Solway Clyde 8 West- Ross o Lat. 54°4o // -57°5o". Range in Europe. Central and southern. Type. Centro-meridional. Type in Britain. British. The Scottish Naturalist 181 Time of Appearance— Imago. March, April. Larva. May, July, Food-plant. Oak (and sallow). T. opima will probably be found, at least in the south. pulvebulenta Esp. (1787) ; cruda Tr. (1825). Common but local. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed g Tay g Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde goo Lat. 54°4o"-57°4o". Range in Europe. Central and southern (South Sweden, &c.) Type. Centro-meridional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. March, April. Larva. May-July. Food-plant. Oak. [gracilis F. Very local. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed o o o o o o o West. Solway o o o Lat. 55°5o"-56°3o". Range in Europe. Central (to South Sweden). Type. Central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance- Imago. April, May, Larva. May, July. Food-plant. Sallow. This species is reported from Peasbridge, Berwickshire (Hardy), and Dalmally (Buxton). I have not seen specimens, and I think that there is possibly some error. [mtjnda Esp. Very local. Nemoral. Distribution — East. ooooo o o o West. Solway 0000 Lat. 55 . Range in Europe. Central. Type. Central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance— Imago. March, April. Larva. May, July. Food-plant. Oak, &c. DYSCHOHISTA Ledr. SUSPEOTA H. Not common. Nemoral. Distribution — East. g Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West, g Clyde g g o Lat. 55°5o"-57°4o". Range in Europe. Britain, German}', Batavia, North France, &c. Type. Central. Type in Britain. Scottish. Time of Appearance— Imago. July, August. Larva. ? Food- plant. ? 1 82 The Scottish Naturalist. YPSILON Bkh. Rare. Nemoral Distribution — East. o o Tay Dee o o o West, o o o o o Lat. 56°2o"-57°. Range in Europe. Central (to South Sweden, &c.) Type. Central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. July. Larva. September June. Food- plant. Narrow-leaved willows. ORTHOSIA Ochsen. lota CI. Local. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee o o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o Lat. 54°4o"-57 . Range in Europe. Central (to Sweden and South Finland, &c.) Type. Central. Type in Britain. English. Timb of Appearance— Imago. September-October. Larva. April- June. Food-plant. Sallow and willow. macilenta H. Common. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray g o o West. Solway Clyde § 8 ° Lat 54°4o"-57°5o". Range in Europe. Central (to Denmark.) Type. Central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. September, October. Larva. April, June. Food-plant. Beech, birch, &c. FERRUGINEA Esp. Common. Nemoral Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray goo West. Solway Clyde g West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o' / -57°5o // . Range in Europe. Central (South Sweden, Finland, &c) Type. Central. Type in Britain British. Time of Appearance— Imago. September, October. Larva. April, May. Food-plant. Sallow, aspen, to the subject here. — P. CAMERON, jun., 136 West Graham Street, Glasgow. Occurrence of Leioptolus brachydactylus Tr. in Scotland.— Of this rare plume I took a specimen near Blair Athole last summer. — Tiros. MON- creiffe, Moncreiffe House, by Perth, Nov., 1873. Capture of Hypermecia augustana Hb. in Perthshire.— In looking at some Tortrices lately taken near Perth by Mr. W. Herd, I found two specimens of this species. In one of them the basal blotch is similar in colour to the basal blotch in H. cruciana (i.e. greyish), but its shape is that of H. augustana. These two species are considered doubtfully distinct by some entomologists. — F. Buchanan White. Hallesus auricollis and other Neuroptera.— Haltesits auricollis, of which the only British exponents were a few taken by me in Rannoch some years ago, has been found in two otherlocalities during the last autumn, — in the north of England in great abundance, by Mr. M'Lachlan, and by myself beside the Dee in Braemar. Limnophilus borealis Zett. (pavidus M'L. ) ; a single specimen of this was taken in August last by Mr. Traill in Strath- naver, Sutherlandshire. A specimen of Megalomus hirtus was taken near Aberdeen last summer by Mr. Traill. Mr. M 'Lachlan thinks that possibly two species are confounded under this name : the few British exponents are smaller and darker than those from other parts of Europe. — Id. Captures of Lepidoptera at Ardrishaig 1 .— A few hours with the net on 6th August produced Camptogi-cunma bilineata and Eubolia mensuraria among Pteris aquilina _about 100 feet above the sea, while on 20th August, Hypsipetes elutata was common among alders, where one specimen of Cidaria immanata occurred, and Larentia pedinitaria, all five not pre- viously recorded from Sub-province 32, though doubtless common enough when looked for. — H. Jenner Fust, jun., Hill Court, Falfield, Gloucester, 22nd October, 1873. Syrphidse of the Dee District.— During the last two years I have taken the following Syrphida? in this district ; the greater number have- been captured within ten miles of Aberdeen : — Baccha elongata, Fb. Bal- later ; Ascia podagrica, Fb. ; and A. floralis, Mg., common; Syrphus pyrastri, L. ; S. glaudus, L. (two of each) ; -5". ribesii, L. ; and S. vitripennis, Mg. , very common ; S. corolla:, L. ; S. luniger, Mg. ; S. arcttatus, Fin. ; and S. ductus, Fallen, Scotston ; Syrphus ciiictellus, Zett. Banchoiy ; S. balteatus, Dg., common; S. puudulatus, Verrall, Scotston ; S. compositarum, Verrall ; S. laternarius, Midi. Culter ; S. viftiger, Zett. , Scotston ; Platychirus vianicatus, Mg. ; P. albimanns, F. ; P. peltatus and P. dypeatus, Mg. , common ; P. scutatus, Mg. ; P. scambus, Lett. ; P. angttstatus, Zett. ; and P. lati/uanus, Whl., not so common; Cheilosia cestracea, L., common;. C. flaz'imana, Mg. , one specimen ; C. grossa, Fin. Rubislaw ; C. diton's, Mg. , common ; C. antiqua, Mg. , Ballater ; C. vernalis, Fin. , Aberdeen ;. Leucozona lucorum, L., single specimens from Rothiemay and Stonehaven; Rhingia camptstris, Mg. , common ; Volucella bombylans, L. , Muchalls, one specimen; V. pellucens, rather common; V. inflata, F., not so fre- quent ; Sericomyia borealis, Fin. , common ; S. lappona, L. , Aberdeen and Stonehaven; Ardophila mussitans, F., Strathdon ; Eristalis tenax, L. ; E~ intricarius, L. ; E. arbustorum, L. ; and E. pratoru/n, Stg. , common ; E.. 204 T/ie Scottish Naturalist. ncmorum, L. ; and E. porticola, Dg., not so common; E. rupium, F., Strathdon ; Helophilus pendulus, L., common; H. ti neat us, F. , Scotston Moor ; Xylota lenta, Mg. , Ballater ; Syritta pipiens, L. , common ; Ortho- neura Jegans, Mg., Muchalls ; O. nobilis, Fin., Aberdeen; Chrysogaster splendida, Mg., frequent; C. metallina, Fin. ; and C. viduata, L., common; Pipiza bimaculata, Mg., Rubislaw; Chrysotoxum sylvanuii, Mg. , Scotston Moor. I may also mention, though not among the Syrphidcc, Conops quad- rifasciata Dg., one from Scotston. In this list I have mentioned the place of capture when I have not taken the species in any other locality ; and those which I have given as common, I have noticed to be so ; others may be quite as common, as I believe many are, but either I have not come across them, or their numbers may have been small during these seasons, for, as with Lepidoptera, I think the numbers of many species vary much in different years, for in several cases, as Ascia podagrica, A. Jioralis, Rhingia campestris, and Chrysomia metallina, I have taken great numbers this year, on the same ground that I searched last season without seeing more than one or two specimens, or perhaps not one. — W. A. Vice, Aberdeen. Coleoptera in Orkney.— During a visit to Orkney in the autumn of 1873 I observed the following beetles : — Nebria borealis, near Orphir, in the same locality where I found it, for the first time in Scotland, in 1849. Chrysomela fastuosa in profusion on Galeopsis tetrahit var. bifida (a plant which I have not seen mentioned as the food plant ; in the south it feeds on Lamium album). Chrysomela sanguinolenta was scarcely out ; a few specimens got by searching its food plant, Plantago maritima. — J. Bos well Sy.me, Balmuto, Kirkcaldy. Melolontha vulgaris.— A specimen of this, taken at Kinghorn, was brought to me in May last. All the other Scottish cockchafers I have seen were ill. hippocastani, so I imagine M. vulgaris is rare in Scotland. — Id. [M. vulgaris occurs in Perthshire, but much less commonly than M. Iiippo- castani, which abounds in some places, as at Dunkeld. I have seen Jll. vul- garis commonly in Kirkcudbrightshire. — Editor.] Occurrence of the Little Bustard (Otis tetrax. Lin.) in Aberdeen- shire.— On the 13th November a female of the above species was shot by J. B. Munson, Esq., on the estate of Fingask, Old Meldrum. This is the fourth on record for Scotland, one having been killed at Montrose in De- cember 1833, one at St. Andrews 6th March, 1840, and one at Elgin 8th February, 1861. Owing to the rarity of the bird, I thought it well to take- drawings of the internal structure in situ, and also measurements internal and external, the results of which, with the Editor's permission, I may lay before the readers of the Naturalist at another time. — George Sim, Aber- deen. Variety of Rook (Corvus frugileg-us).— I have had recently sent me from a friend in Perthshire a curious variety of the Common Rook (Corvus frugiltgus). It is of a light brown colour, the bill and feet being of exactly the same shade as the feathers. It was shot near Alyth on the 7th July, and is evidently a bird of this year. White and pied varieties are compara- tively common, but we have never observed any record of the brown shade having been obtained in Scotland or elsewhere.— J AMES LUMSDEN, jun., Arden House, Alexandria, 3rd November, 1873. The Scottish Naturalist. 205 Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).— A very fine specimen (a female) of this bird was shot on the Tweed, in front of Floors Castle, on the 24th of May last, It was 23^ inches in length, 5 feet 5 inches from tip to tip of wings, and weighed 3^ lb. — Andrew Brotherston, Kelso. Variety of Hedge-Sparrow. — I had lately a very peculiarly coloured Hedge- Sparrow (which was found dead at Bowhill, September 16, 1873), The under parts were white, with a few spots on the breast, and all the upper side (except the tail, which was of the usual colour, ) was light coloured. — Id. A Spotted Crake was shot at Greenknowe, on Oct. 18, 1873. — Id, A LIST OP THE SCOTTISH LAND AND FKESH-WATER MOLLUSOA, WITH HINTS ON COLLECTING. By F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. ( Continued from p. 269. ) Pupa cylindracea Da Costa. — A very common species on rocks, walls, in moss, &c.j in the lowlands, but not so common in the higher districts. P. ringens Jeffreys ; (anglica Fer.). — This must be considered a very local and often scarce species, though it occurs in several places between Ross-shire and Kirkcudbrightshire. In my ex- perience this species frequents damp ground beside little streams, where it may be found among decaying leaves, &c. Vertigo antivertigo Drap. — Is said to occur from the Moray Frith southwards, in marshy places. I do not think that it is universally distributed, though common where it does occur, as, e.g., in a marshy place near Perth, where by lifting dead leaves I once found many specimens. V. pygmcea Drap. — This is said to be also -widely distributed, but I have never found it. Like the last, it is said to be fond of wet places, and a good way to find it is to place a log of wood on the wet grass at night, and examine it in the morning. In East Lothian it has been found at an elevation of 1200 feet. I do not remember at present of any record of V. alpestris Aid. having been found in Scotland, but as it is chiefly found in the north of England, in Britain, it should occur on some of the hills of the south of Scotland. V. substriata Jeffreys — Is, I believe, generally considered rather a scarce species, but in northern Scotland at least it 206 The Scottish Naturalist. seems the most widely spread and commonest of the genus. It has been found as far north as Ross-shire, and is specially com- mon in the highland valleys, where by sweeping the heather, ferns, &c, with a butterfly net, a number of specimens may be easily obtained, the majority of these, however, being immature; in fact mature specimens seem to be rare. It may also be found under stones and among decaying ferns. V. cdentula Drap. — This is a local and rather scarce species, though widely distributed. I have generally found it on the sides of big stones, among wet grass, and sometimes among decaying fern leaves. V. minuta Stw. — From personal experience I can say nothing regarding this very small and rare species. It has been found at Balmerino in Fife, and on Salisbury Crags, and is said to occur under stones in damp shady places on hills. Possibly it has, from its small size and probably local habits, escaped notice in other localities. Caryehium minimum Mull.— This beautiful little shell is by no means rare, though possibly, from its small size, overlooked. It may occasionally be found on or under stones, but more commonly under moss in damp shady places. The easiest way to obtain it in abundance, however, is by sifting decaying fern-fonds in the manner already mentioned. It is found throughout Scotland. Melampus bidentatus Mont. — " Under stones that lie close to the ground between tide-marks on many parts of our coast from Shetland to Sark." — Jeffreys B. C. v. 109. Var. alba equally diffused. I know nothing personally of the habits of this or of the two next species. M. myosotis Drap. — " Abundantly on mud flats and salt marshes in all estuaries." Var. ringens, in the crevices of rocks on the open sea coast, near high-water mark. (I.e. 107.) Otina otis Turt. — Rocks between tide-marks, Arran. (I.e. 1 1 1.) Planorbis albus Mull. — A common and widely-distributed species, inhabiting weedy ponds and slow streams. I have found it at an elevation of 1000 feet, but it is not a common highland species. P. glaber Jeffreys. — Rare and local, on water plants in ponds and marshes. Jeffreys says, "from Unst to Penzance, but not generally diffused." I have not met with it myself. P. naut ileus L. — Said to occur throughout, in ponds and ditches. 1 have only met with it near Perth, where it is rare. The Scottish Naturalist. 207 P. carinatus Mull. — Pond in Royal Botanic Garden, Edin- burgh, into which it has been perhaps introduced. P. complanatus L. — " Lochend, Edinburgh" (Haddin in Trans. Glasgow Nat. Hist. Soc. 1. 251). P. vortex L. — In shallow slow running streams and stagnant water. Widely diffused but not I think common. It occurs near Perth in several places, Aberdeen, Kirkcudbrightshire, &c. P. spirorbis L. — In similar localities, and of like distribution as the last, which it very much resembles. I have not met with it. P. contortus L. — This, though rather local, is in my experi- ence certainly the most abundant species of Planorbis in Scot- land. It inhabits weedy muddy ponds, ditches and marshes. The var. alba is reported from Lerwick. P. nitidus Mull. — In ponds and streams, widely distributed but local. I find a good way to procure shells of this and other small aquatic species, is to take a tin canister full of the mud and decaying plants among which it is found, and on reaching some, turn the contents of the canister into a large basin full of water, and put a piece of muslin over the basin, touching the water ; for several days afterwards the molluscs will be found adhering to the muslin. Physa fontinalis L. — A common species in weedy ponds and ditches. The var. curta is the only form that occurs in Perth- shire, or indeed that I have found anywhere in Scotland. It attains an elevation of at least 1000 feet. P. hypnorum L.— This is a much rarer shell than the last, though said to occur throughout. I have not found it myself, but have seen a Perthshire specimen taken by Mr. James M'Farlane. It inhabits ponds and ditches, and may sometimes be found out of the water. Limima pcregra Mull. — The commonest and most widely diffused of all the fresh water mollusca, inhabiting rivers, ponds, ditches, and marshes in every locality. I have found it at an altitude of 1 700 feet. This species is subject to much variation : the following varieties occur : — Burnetii in " Loch Skene, Dum- fries-shire;" lacustris in mountain lakes and lower localities, as Barean Loch, Colvend, Kirkcudbrightshire ; ovata in ponds, lakes, and canals, attaining a large size ; labiosa, " Appin in Argyle;" picta, "Alva in the Hebrides;" decollata in a cold spring, Glenalmond, Perthshire ; intermedia, Ross-shire ; oblo/tga, Largo, Fife ; sinistrorsa, near Dalmarnoch Bridge on the Clyde. 208 The Scottish Naturalist. L. auricularis L. In ponds, &c. Very rare and local. Pond in Abercorn Park" (Forbes and Hanley, iv. 171); " Monkland Camfl" (Dougall, Trans. Glasgow Nat. His. Soc, I. 192). L. stagnalis L. Ponds and marshes. Very rare and local. Possil Marsh, Glasgow. L. palustris Mull. — Common in muddy ponds and streams from Aberdeenshire south. Several varieties occur. L. truncatula Mull. — A common and widely distributed spe- cies, inhabits muddy ponds and slow running streams, and often found adhering to plants and stones out of the water. L. glabra Miill.— Rare and local. Frankfield Loch, near Glasgow (Dougall, Trans. Glasgow Nat. His. Soc. I. 193). I have rfound it in shallow pools on the Muir of Durdie, near Perth. Almost every specimen in this locality has the three apical segments eroded. ( = var. decollata, B. W., Trans. Perth- shire Soc. Nat. Sc. I.) Ancyhts fluviatilis Miill. — Common and widely distributed, inhabits streams, adhering to stones in the currents. I have found it at an elevation of 2200 feet. A. lacustris L. — Much more local than the last, found as far north as Aberdeenshire, living in ponds and adhering to the stems and leaves of plants, as the water-lily, Iris, &c. I have found it, in Duddingston Loch, on the leaves of Stratiotes, a habit which Linne notices. All the Perthshire specimens ap- pear to belong to the var. albida. Acme lincata Drap. — Rare and local. In damp places under stones, or in moss and dead leaves. From " Lanarkshire to Cornwall" (Jeffrey's B.C. I. 308), " Inverary and Isle of Skye " (Forbes and Hanley, IV. 290). Bythinia tentaculata L. — Local. In canals and slow streams. Frazerburgh, Aberdeenshire, and near Glasgow. I have not met with this in Scotland. Paludina vivipara L. — "Findhorn, Moray Frith" (Rev. Dr. Gordon). , Valvata piscinalis Miill. — Widely distributed and, though local, not uncommon. In ponds, lakes, and gentle streams. V. cristata Miill. — In similar situations, but either over- looked or much rarer than the last, though widely distributed. I have not found it. It is often attached to roots of water- plants. Neritina Jlin'iatilis L. — On stones or among gravel in streams. " From the Orkneys to Cornwall." — Jeffreys. The Scottish Naturalist. 209 Drdsscna polymorpJia Pallas. — Local, in canals, &c. In the Forth and Clyde canal at Edinburgh and Glasgow. Anodonta cygnea L. — In ponds, canals, and slow streams. Local. The only form I have seen in Perthshire is the van i/icrassata, which is found in the Earn. A. anatina L. Unto margaritifcr L. — Common in almost all the rivers. The vars. sinuata and Roissyi occur in Perthshire and elsewhere. This species must be considerably rarer than it was a few years ago, from the immense numbers destroyed by the pearl fishers. Pisidium amnicum Mull. — In lakes and slow streams. Widely distributed. P. pusilhun Gmel. — Said to occur throughout. Often among wet moss. P. uitidum Jen. — In ponds, &c. Throughout, but local. The var. splendens occurs at Lerwick and in West Ross (B. C. I. 25). P. casertanum Poli. — In ponds and streams. Said to occur- throughout. Near Glasgow (Haddin /. c. s.) P. fontinale Drap. — A common and widely-distributed species in ditches, shallow pools, v The Squirrel in Scotland.— Since from time to time notes on the dis- tribution in Scotland of the Squirrel have appeared in our columns, the following extract from Pennant's "Sketch of Caledonian Zoology" in Lightfoot's "Flora Scotica" (written more than one hundred years ago) may be of interest to our readers: — "Scarce in Scotland; a few in the woods of Strathspey." Of the Wild Cat Pennant says, "abounds in all parts of the highlands;" of the Pine-martine, "is found in the pine-forests, and takes possession of the holes made by the woodpeckers"; of the Black Rat, "swarms in Caithness and Ross-shire"; and of the Brown Rat, "introduced here within these 60 years"; of the Common Urchin, or Hedgehog, "not found beyond the Tay : perhaps not beyond the Forth" (!) ; of the Black Eagle, or Ring- tail Eagle (I suppose the Golden Eagle is meant), "in Rannoch, eagles were, a few years ago, so very numerous, that the commissioners of the forfeited estates offered a reward of five shillings for every one that was de- stroyed : in a little time such numbers were brought in, that the Honour- able Board reduced the premium to three shillings and sixpence." iv. A ) NtVAdxi :^^~*&*^*£^ &%ftt£^g£r'- S^ ML ^" ^ imhmmmm --^^^^m Id ^E/ -r£ PHYTOLOGY. list or pungi found within the province of MORAY, CHIEFLY IN THE VICINITY OF FORRES. By the Rev. J. KEITH, M.A. The following list is intended as a contribution towards the filling up of what has hitherto been a total blank in the flora of this district. In pre- paring it I have been more anxious that it should be accurate so far as it goes, than that it should be extensive, and have excluded not a few species which I have observed, but about which I am more or less in doubt. It contains several species which had not been met with previously in this country. Most of these have been determined by the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, whose exceeding kindness in helping beginners has done and is doing so much to promote the study of this difficult and hitherto much neglected department of botany. I am under similar obligations to Mr. Worthington G. Smith of London. To save repetition in the list I may add here that all the species from Gordon Castle were collected and kindly forwarded to me by Mr. John Webster, gardener at the Castle. I. HYMENOMYCETES. I. AGARICUS, L. (i). AMANITA, Pers. Vaginatus, Bull. Woods. Common. Var. albida (A. nivalis, Grev.) I. 2. 3- 4- 5- 6. 7- 8. occurs on Cairngorm. Phalloides, Fr. Woods. Common. Sanquhar, &c. Muscarius, L. Woods. Very common. Excelsus, Fr. Woods. Rare. Dunphail. Strobiliformis, Fr. Borders of woods. Very rare. Found once at Coulmony. Rubescens, P. Woods. Very common. (2). LEPIOTA. Procerus, Scop. Woods and waste places about Forres. Common. Rachodes, Vitt. Rare. This species has occurred regularly for several years in one spot, in Sanquhar wood near Manachie. The Scottish Naturalist. 21 r 9. Acutesquamosus, Weinm. In gardens. Rare. Year after year in Dr. Lines' garden, and twice in Manse garden. 10. Cristatus, Fr. Lawns, meadows, &c. Common. 11. Terrei, B. and Br. Sandy ground near Forres. Very rare. M. Terry, Esq. 12. Granulosus, Batsch. Woods and heaths. Veiy common, a. Cinna- barinus, Fr. (Terrei, B. and Br. ) b. Ferrugineus, Fr. Very rare. Castle-Grant woods, c. Incarnato-albidus, Fr. Common. Forres. d. Subochraceus, Fr. Very common. Forres. (3). ARMILLARIA, Fr. 13. Aurantius, Schseff. Common. Fir- woods at Forres, Grantown, Dun- phail, and Rothiemurchus. Identified by Berkeley. Not yet re- corded from any other district. 14. Melleus, Vahl. On and around stumps. Very common. (4). TRICHOLOMA, Fr. 15. Equestris, L. Fir- woods about Forres. Common. 16. Portentosus, Fr. Common. Fir- woods, Chapelton and New Forres. 1 7. Fucatus, Fr. Fir-woods. Rare. Beside Loch of Blairs. 18. Flavo-brunneus, Fr. Woods. Common. Brodie, Altyre, and San- quhar, &c. 19. Albo-brunneus, Fr. Rare. Fir- woods at Loch of Blairs, &c. 20. Pessundatus, Tr. Fir-woods. Rare. Chapelton, Grantown, and Rothiemurchus. 21. Rutilans, Schaeff. Fir-woods. Very common. 22. Columbetta, Fr. Woods. Rare. Sanquhar, Sluie, and Darnaway. 23. Imbricatus, Fr. Fir-woods. Very common. 24. Vaccinus, P. Fir-woods. Rare. Between Mondole and Cothall. 25. Murinaceus, Bull. Fir-woods. Common. Chapelton, Altyre, &c. 26. Terreus, Schseff. Woods. Common. Greeshop, Rothiemurchus, &c. 27. Saponaceus, Fr. Woods. Rare. Rothiemurchus. 28. Sulfureus, Bull. Woods. Common. Sanquhar, Chapelton, &c. 29. Bufonius, P. Fir-woods. Rare. Clunyhill. 30. Lascivus, Fr. Woods. Rare. Grangehall, Cothall, &c. 31. Gambosus, Fr. Pastures and . roadsides in spring. Common. San- quhar avenue, &c. 32. Grammopodius, Bull. Pastures. Rare. Among bushes at burnside, Sanquhar. 33. Humilis, Fr. On the ground and among grass. Rare. Manse garden, side of the road to Invererne, &c. 34. Sordidus, Fr. On earth, dung, &c. Very rare. On a heap of scrap- ings off the road, Sanquhar. Mistaken at first, as it is very liable to be, for Lepista nuda, Bull. (5). CLITOCYBE, Fr. 35. Nebularis, Batsch. Woods. Very common. 36. Clavipes, Pers. Woods. Common. Sanquhar, Greeshop, &c. 37. Odorus, Bull. Woods. Common. 212 The Scottish Naturalist. 38. Rivulosus, Fr. Rare. Lawn at Bath-house, Nairn. 39. Phyllophilus, Fr. Rare. Among leaves at Dunphail. 40. Candicans, Fr. Woods. Common (both forms). Forres, Dunphail, Rothiemurchus, &c. 41. Dealbatus, P. Mossy pastures and woods. Common. Forres, J3un- phail, Rothiemurchus. 42. Fumosus, P. var. polius, Fr. Rare. At roadside, Rothiemurchus. 43. Maximus, Fr. Meadows and woods. Common. Altyre, Mondole, Sanquhar. 44. Infundibuliformis, Schaeff. Common. Sanquhar &c. 45. Geotropus, Bull. Rare. Riverside at railway bridge and at Logie. 46. Flaccidus, Sow. Woods. Common. Sanquhar, Chapelton, and Brodie, &c. 47. Cyathiformis, Fr. Meadows and woods. Common. 48. Brumalis, Fr. Woods, late in autumn. Very common. 49. Metachrous, Fr. Woods. Common. Sanquhar, Brodie, Chapelton. 50. Fragrans, Sow. Woods. Common. 51. Bellus, P. Fir-woods. Rare. Darnaway. 52. Laccatus, Scop. Woods, &c. Very common. (6). PLEUROTUS, Fr. 53. Corticatus, Fr. Very rare. On a decayed ash tree near manse of Dyke. 54. Salignus, Fr. Rare. On trees between the Heronry and Cothall. 55. Serotinus, Schrad. Very rare. For several years in succession on an ash stump, Sanquhar, and once on decayed birch sticks, lying on the ground at Dunphail. 56. Mitis, P. Common. On dead larch in Altyre woods, &c. 57. Porrigens, P. Rare. In fir woods ; Brodie, Rafford, Dallas, Rothie- murchus. 58. Septicus, P. Very rare. On a pile in ditch from gas house. 59. Atrocceruleus, Fr. Veiy rare. On decayed birch sticks at Dunphail. Identified by Berkeley. 60. Striatulus, Fr. Very rare. On fir sticks in wood near Scurrie-pool bridge. (7). COLLYBIA, Fr. 61. Radicatus Relh. Rare. Sanquhar and Chapelton woods. 62. Maculatus, A. and S. Common. Chapelton, &c. 63. Velutipes, Curt. On whin and broom roots, &c. Very common. 64. Butyraceus, Bull. Woods. Very common. 65. Stipitarius, Fr. Rare. Roadside near Manachie. 66. Confluens, P. Common, Altyre woods, &c. 67. Conigenus, P. On fir cones. Common. 68. Cirrhatus, Schum. Very rare. On blackened fungi and on the ground in various woods around Forres and at Grantown. 69. Tuberosus, Bull. Rare. On blackened fungi, in various places near Forres. 70. Tenacellus, P. Common. On spruce -fir cones in Altyre woods. 71. Dryophilus, Bull. Woods. Very common. The Scottish Naturalist. 213 (8). MYCENA, Fr. 72. Elegans, P. Sanquhar woods. Rare. 73. Rubromarginatus, Fr. On pine wood. Common. Apparently rare about Forres ; frequent at Rothiemurchus. 74. Rosellus, Fr. Sanquhar woods, &c. Common. 75. Purus, P. Woods. Very common. 76. Iris, Berk. On fir sticks. Common. Plentiful at Rothiemurchus. 77. Adonis, Bull. Woods. Rare. Dunphail. 78. Flavo-albus, Fr. Common. On a grassy spot by the roadside behind Drumduan. Common at Rothiemurchus in woods and meadows. 79. Lacteus, P. On masses of fir leaves in woods at Rothiemurchus. Common. 80. Rugosus, Fr. On stumps at Rothiemurchus, Cothall, and Sanquhar. Common, 81. Galericulatus, Scop. On trunks. Very common. 82. Polygrammus, Bull. On trunks. Common. Sanquhar, &c. 82,. Parabolicus, A. and S. On a fir post lying on the ground near Forres. Rare. 84. Atro-albus, Bull. Among moss in woods at Dunphail. Rare. 85. Dissiliens, Fr. On trunks. Common. Chapelton, &c. 86. Alcalinus, Fr. On trunks. Common. Sanquhar, &c. 87. Metatus, Fr. Among moss at Dunphail. Rare. Identified by Ber keley. Not previously recorded as British. 88. Vitilis, Fr. Among mossy grass in Greeshop wood. Rare. 89. Haematopus, Pers. On a decayed stump at Rothiemurchus. Rare. (The gills were decidedly red-edged, as Berkeley describes them, and not as Fries says, acie omnino concolores ). 90. Galopus, Schrad. Among leaves under trees and bushes at Cothall. Rare. •91. Epipterygius, Scop. Among mossy grass, &c, in woods. Very common. 92. Pelliculosus, Fr. On the ground in wood at Bridge of Findhorn. Rare. 93. Vulgaris, P. In pine woods among moss. Common. Greeshop wood, &c. 94. Stylobates, P. On sticks. Rare. Altyre woods. 95. Corticola, Schum. Among moss on trees. Rare. Noticed twice in Sanquhar woods. 96. Capillaris, Schum. On dead leaves. Rare. Dunphail. (9). OMPHALIA, Fr. 97. Sphagnicola, B. On sphagnum. Rare. Burgie. 98. Muralis, Sow. On turf walls. Common. 99. Umbelliferus, L. In swamps, exposed pastures, &c. Common. Sanquhar, &c. The alpine variety occurs on the Knock of Brae- moray. 100. Rufulus, B. and Br. Roadside behind Drumduan. Rare, j 01. Campanella, Batsch. In fir- woods. Rare. Noticed two successive 214 The Scottish Naturalist. years at the same spot in Greeshop "wood. Var. Badipus- Rothiemurclius. 102. Fibula, Bull. Among moss. Common. Sanquhar woods. Var. Swartzii, Plentiful in Greeshop wood. 103. Integrellus, P. On decayed sticks, etc. Rare. On a prostrate willow tree in Greeshop wood, and again among moss on the trunk of a tree at Dunphail. Verified by Berkeley. (10). VOLARIA, Fr. 104. Speciosus, Fr. Dunghills, roadsides, etc. Rare. In the neighbour- hood of Forres, and besides Loch-an-Eilan, Rothiemurchus. (11). CHAM.EOTA. Sm. No species. (12). PLUTEUS, Fr. 105. Cervinus, Schseff. On stumps. Common. 106. Umbrosus, Pers. At the foot of a gate-post beside Lochan-Eilan, Very rare. 107. Nanus, P. Among saw-dust at Key moss and Loch-an-Eilan. Rare. 108. Petasatus, Fr. On saw -dust. Rare. Sanquhar, Rafford, and Dallas. (13). ENTOLOMA, Fr. 109. Sericellus, Fr. Woods. Rare. Darnaway forest. no. Clypeatus, L. Woods and waste places. Common. Greeshop, Sanquhar, Dunphail, etc. 1 1 1. Rhodopolius, Fr. Woods. Rare Greeshop and Sanquhar. 112. Sericeus, Bull. Meadows. Common. Grassy path in Greeshop wood, etc. 113. Nidorosus, Fr. Woods. Rare. Sanquhar. (14). CLITOPILUS, Fr. 114. Prunulus, Scop. Woods. Very common Var. Orcella. Open places. Very common. (15). CLAUDOPUS, Sm. 115. Variabilis, P. On sticks, etc. Common. (16). LEPTONIA, Fr. 116. Lampropus, Fr. Pastures. Common. Forres, Dunphail, Avie- more. 117. Serrulatus, P. Woods, etc. Common. Greeshop wood, Altyre,. 1 Aviemore. (17). NOLANEA, Fr. 118. Pascuus, P. In pastures. Very common. (18). ECCILIA, Fr. No speck-. The Scottish Naturalist. 215 (19). PHOLIOTA, Fr. 119. Durus, Bolt. In gardens, etc. Common. Sanquhar, Altyre, etc. 120. Precox, P. Gardens and pastures. Very common. 121. Squarrosus, Mull. In masses about roots of trees. Common. 122. Spectabilis, Fr. Fir-wood beyond Davie viaduct. Very rare. 123. Flammans, Fr. On pine trunks. Common. Chapel ton wood, etc. 124. Mutabilis, Schaeff. On stumps. Very common. 125. Marginatus, Batsch. On and around stumps in fir-woods. Common. Rothiemurchus. 126. Mycenoides, Fr. Found only once on mosses and decayed leaves of carices in the bog in Greeshop wood. Rare. (20). HEBELOMA, Fr. 127. Punctatus, Fr. Roadsides in pine woods. Rare. Rothiemurchus. 128. Mesophseus, Pers. Pine woods. Rare. Brodie. 129. Crustuliniformis, Bull. Woods. Common. Altyre, Sanquhar. 130. Fastibilis, Fr. Occasionally about Forres ; frequent at Rothie- murchus. Common. 131. Testaceus, Batsch. Meadow at Sanquhar, and riverside near rail- way bridge. Rare. 132. Longicaudus, P. Woods. Common. Darnaway, Sanquhar, etc. 133. Bongardii, Fr. Rare. Culbin Sands. Mr. Norman. 134. Obscurus, P. On mud in a dried up marsh in Greeshop wood. Very rare. 135. Fibrosus, Sow. In fir-woods. Common. Wood beyond Divie viaduct, etc. 136. Rimosus, Bull. Woods, etc. Very common. 137. Trechisporus, Berk. In woods among ferns. Rare. Clunyhill, etc. 138. Geophyllus, Sow. Woods. Very common. (21). FLAMMULA, Fr. 139. Scambus, Fr. Below heaps of fir branches. Rare. Rothiemurchus. 140. Spumosus, Fr. In fir-woods and on sawdust at Rothiemurchus and at Grantown. Rare. 141. Carbonarius, Fr. On a spot in an old fir-wood, where a fire had been lighted. Very rare. Altyre. 142. Astragalinus, Fr. On pine stumps. Very rare. Rothiemurchus. Verified by W. G. Smith. New to Britain. 143. Alnicola, Fr. var. salicicola. On a decaying willow in the old castle of Loch-an-Eilan. Rare. 144. Hybridus, Fr. On fir stumps in wood beyond Whitrow, and at Rothiemurchus. Rare. 145. Sapineus, Fr. On sawdust at Keymoss, Rafford, Grantown, and Rothiemurchus. Common. (22). CREPIDOTUS, Fr. in part. 146. Mollis, Schaeff. Among sawdust at Scourie, Rafford, and Aviemore, and on a stump in Darnaway Forest. Common. 216 The Scottish Naturalist. (23). NAUCORIA, Fr. 147. Cucumis, P. On little sticks among grass in Sanquhar wood. Very rare. 148. Melinoides, Fr. Lawns, etc. Very common. 149. Pediades, Fr. Roadsides. Common. 150. Semiorbicularis, Bull. Lawns and roadsides. Very common, 151. Conspersus, P. Dyke in the alder wood beside the bridge behind Dalvey Cottage. Rare. (24). GALERA, Fr. 152. Tener, Schseff. Pastures. Very common. 153. Hypnorum, Batsch. Among moss. Very common. (25). TUBARIA, Sm. 154. Inquilinus, Fr. On chips in Greeshop wood. Common. 155. Furfuraceus, P. On chips, etc. Very common. (26). PSALLIOTA, Fr. 156. Arvensis, Schasff. Meadows and sides of fields. Common. 157. Campestris, L. In rich pastures. Common. Berkeley's rufous variety occurs here and there. (27). PILOSACE, Fr. (No species.) (28). STROPHARIA, Fr. 158. /Eruginosus, Curt. Woods, meadows, etc. Common. 159. Albo-cyaneus, Desm. Meadows and fields. Common. Greeshop, etc. 160. Squamosus, Fr. Woods. Rare. Sanquhar, Altyre, etc. 161. Stercorarius, Fr. On dung. Very common. 162. Semiglobatus, Batsch. On dung. Very common. (29). HYPHOLOMA, Fr. 163. Sublateritius, Fr. On old stumps. Very common. 164. Fascicularis, Huds. On old stumps. Very common. 165. Epixanthus, Fr. On fir stumps. Rare. Clunyhill, etc. 166. Dispersus, Fr. On stumps and on the ground in fir-woods. Com- mon. Sanquhar. 167. Lacrymabundus, Fr. On trunks and on the ground. Rare. Forres Church-yard, Rothiemurchus. etc. 168. Velutinus, P. On stumps. Rare. Brodie. 169. Candollianus, Fr. On stumps. Rare. Clunyhill. 1 70. Lanaripes, Cooke. In the stove at Dalvey. Very rare. 171. Appendiculatus, Bull. On dead stumps. Common. Sanquhar, Greeshop, etc. 172. Ilydrophilus, Bull. On sawdust at Loch-an-Eilan. Rare. The Scottish Naturalist. 217 (30). PSILOCYBE, Fr. 1 73. Semilanceatus, Fr. Pastures and roadsides. Very common. 174. Cernuus, MulL On chips, etc. Common. 1 75. Fcenisecii, P. Roadsides and meadows. Very common. (31). PSATHYRA, Fr. 176. Conopilus, P. Between the turnpike road and the river at Water- side. Rare. 1 77. Corrugus, P. Meadow at Sanquhar. Rare. 178. Spadiceo-griseus, Schaeff. On chips. Rare. Break -back. (32). DECONICA, Sm. 1 79. Bullaceus, Bull. On horse-dung at Rothiemurchus. Rare. (33). PAN.EOLUS, Fr. 180. Separates, L. On dung. Common. 181. Fimiputris, Bull. On dung and rich pastures. Very common. 182. Retirugis, Batsch. On dung. Very common. 183. Campanulatus, L. On rich ground. Common. 184. Papilionaceus, Bull. On rich ground. Common. (34). PSATHYRELLA, Fr. 185. Gracilis, Fr. Railway station at Dunphail. Rare. 186. Disseminata, P. About stumps of trees. Common. 2. COPRINUS, Fr. 187. Comatus, Fr. Roadsides, etc. Rare. Darnaway, Cothall, Grange- hall. 188. Atramentarius, Fr. About old stumps and rich ground. Common. 189. Fimetarius, Fr. On dung heaps. Common. 190. Tomentosus, Fr. On dung and rich pastures. Rare. Sanquhar. 191. Niveus, Fr. On horse-dung. Common. 192. Micaceus, Fr. About old stumps. Common. 193. Hendersonii, Fr. On horse-dung along with A. bullaceus at Rothiemurchus. Very rare. 194. Lagopus, Fr. On rich ground. Rare. Waterford. 195. Radiatus, Fr. On dung. Rare. Sanquhar. 196. Ephemeras, Fr. On dung heaps. Common. 197. Plicatilis, Fr. Pastures and roadsides. Very common. (To be continued. ) Poa sudetica.— I saw a bank at Newtondon covered with this grass, and Mr. A. Kelly, Lauder, sent me a specimen from Blackadder Woods, where he says it is abundant.— A. Brotherstox, Kelso. [From Mr. Brother- ston's investigations, I think Poa sadetica must be considered an indigenous species, and not an introduced one only. — Editor.] 218 The Scottish Naturalist. , DESCRIPTION OF A SCOTTISH FUNGUS NEW TO SCIENCE. By F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. Vibrissea Margarita n. sp. Simplex, capite orbicularis awan- tiaco-miniaceo, margine atro-hispido ; stipite cj'lindraceo, atro- hirsuto cum fibrillis articulatis, interne albido-cinereo. Long. 2-6 lin. Habitat. — On dead sticks of heather in a pool of water on Mor Shrbn (Morrone) Braemar, at an altitude of 2200 feet. Septem- ber and October, 1873. The stems are simple, varying from 2 lines to ^ an inch in height, " springing from complicated threads," and covered with black jointed hairs or fibres ; at the junction with the head the stem is less hairy and paler in colour; internally it is solid and greyish-white. The head is flattened obicular (sometimes concave in the middle) and of a beautiful orange-vermillion in colour ; the margin has a fringe of close appressed hair of the same character as those on the stem ; underneath, the head is paler in colour at the junction with the stem. This species, (which was submitted to the Rev. J. M. Berkeley, whose opinion — given with his wonted kindness — is that it appears to be new) is readily distinguished from its ally V. truncorum by the hairy stems and differently coloured heads. Onobrychis sativa as a Forfarshire Plant.— A paragraph appeared in the newspapers some time ago, giving an account of the discovery of this plant, near the Dundee and Arbroath Railway, by some botanists from Dundee in July last. It stated that there was no record of any Scottish localities for it given by Hooker, &c, and that full particulars of the find- ing of it would be given in the forthcoming second edition of Gardiner's " Flora of Forfarshire. " Though not a matter of much consequence, seeing the plant is looked on as an introduced species to the north of Norfolk (if not also to the south), still it may be as well, as a matter of accuracy, to state that the plant is not quite new to Scotland. Those acquainted with the works of Mr. H. C. Watson will be aware that it is recorded from the counties of Edinburgh and Moray ; and further, there are specimens of it in my herbarium, collected in and upon the border of a cutting of the Dundee and Arbroath Railway, by the Rev. J. Fergusson, New Titsligo, in August, 1866, and sent by him to me in September of the same year. — JOHN ROY, Aberdeen. GEOLOGY, TKAP BOOKS. By F. R. S M I T H. TO one who has spent a dozen of years among the cretaceous deposits of Cambridgeshire, visiting, vampire- like, the tombs of the dead — of our ancestral dead! — Dinosaurus, Ichthyosaurus, Plesiosaurus, and their contemporaries ; and pur- loining therefrom, now a spinal column, now a fragmentary skull, and now a caudal appendage, a neighbourhood of bare-faced traps, among which are scattered some beds of presumed non- fossiliferous Old Red Sandstone, must of necessity supply very poor comfort to his old predilections. Such is his reduced state, that he is highly excited, if he find that a boulder has shifted in the river bed, or if he happen on a new species of trap. This latter material has been his great consolation. Bare-faced as is this trap, and uninviting to the palaeontologist, it cannot be said to be wholly without interest. Indeed there are some few points about it, that may afford "fresh fields and pastures new" in the poorest districts. There are always its age, position, structure, composition, &c, and a host of minor facts and appearances upon which the speculative and sanguine mind may theorize and assert with advantage eminently to itself. Kinnoull and MoncreirTe hills form a northern limit to a mass of volcanic rocks that extend south to Edinburgh, where they display their features with great dignity. Dupplin is situated on the north end of this trap district, four miles below Perth. A little south of Dupplin Castle is a small felstone quarry, locally called whin-stone, that exhibits the cannon-ball pheno- mena. These balls are of all sizes, and show in their decay concentric lamination. The interstices between the balls are filled with disintegrated trap, in the form of a ferruginous earth. Somewhat less than a mile to the north of the Castle, a cutting has been made through a trap dyke, or rather ridge, that extends .2 20 The Scottish Naturalist. for some long distance westwards from Moncreiffe Hill, and is a filled-up fissure that probably resulted from the Perth volcanic phenomena. The structure of this is cuboidal prismatic — that is, the general appearance is that of a mass of irregular cubes piled up in the wildest possible manner, presenting on a small scale most picturesque cliffs. The cube forms are in no wise attached to each other, the filling-up material being decayed trap. This structure gives us an idea of how easily volcanic masses that are scattered over the country were removed. One of these, that lay at the bottom of a rising-ground, presented to my admiring eyes most beautiful glacial marks, when I was heartlessly informed that it had "humbugged the plough for many years before it was raised." I have noticed that cuboidal masses sometimes become spherical as their coats wear off. It is, to say the least, curious that volcanic rocks should assume a great variety of aspects, combined as they are with great sim- plicity of composition, about nine chemical substances forming the whole. The felspathic and hornblend families produce from their union nearly all the other varieties. Hornblend seems to be but augite slowly cooled. Changes are wrought among these rocks as easily as changes upon bells. Even the rate of cooling and pressure are of the first importance. If mica is added to a crystalline felstone, or quartz to a crystalline greenstone, either becomes a granite. From the debris of the Moncreiffe Hill tunnel, I procured crystalline felstone, greenstone, and trap- pean ash or tuff, forming a breccia of angular pieces, embedded in a fine-grained base, and other nameless varieties probably representing all the species to be found between Samson's Ribs on the one hand and Staffa on the other. These traps are ■certainly " roches hors de serie" Some of these pyrogenous rocks have cooled quickly near the surface of the earth ; such are generally cellular or scoriaceous, having been easily expanded by the pent-up gases. Others cooled slowly deep in the earth, or on the floor of the ocean, under great pressure. These are more dense and crystalline. Several of the serial strata present joint planes (limestone for instance), often running at right angles to the lines of deposition. In volcanic rocks, in order to form cubes, we must have three sits of joints, one crossing the other two at right angles. In prismatic columnar structures, the joint planes appear to have begun at the top, where first cooled, and to have struck down- wards. A block Avill often break with a smooth surface, or as The Scottish Naturalist. 221 it is called, a conchoidal fracture. The production of joints in rocks is said to result from the condensation of their mass from an aqueous or igneous expansion. But (I now quote Professor Phillips) the symmetry of their arrangement can only be referred to some kind of crystallic action, and the parallelism of the great joints over large tracts of country seems the effect either of electrical currents controlling that action, or of peculiar, per- haps undulatory, movements affecting large parts of the crust, of the globe. I need hardly quote Fingal's Cave or the Giant's Causeway. Professor Faraday divided all bodies into two great classes, those which when placed between the poles of a magnet pointed in a straight line in consequence of their attrac- tion assuming an axial position, and those which are re- pelled by each pole so that they point at right angles to the line joining the poles, that is, in an equatorial direction. This is the relation between magnetism and crystallization, the one class of bodies being magnetic and the other dia- magnetic. A certain line in crystals that tends to place itself parallel to the magnetic axis was called by Faraday the magno- crystallic axis. The Professor also spoke of a force which regu- lates the motion of crystals as magneto-crystallic ; the action is thus described — "The line or axis of the magno-crystallic force tends to place itself parallel or at a tangent to the magnetic curve, or to the line of magnetic force passing through the plane where the crystal is separated." Galvanism is a force that may aid in shaping or modifying forms. Chemical affinity and electricity — two very nearly related forces — as also cohesion, are constantly employed in the formation of these barefaced traps. How much there is then to be learned about these indigenous materials. Subtle forces are now being laid hold of that will ere long lead on to great generalizations. These volcanic rocks are the parents of all other materials on the globe ; the whole of them being for the most part combinations of silicic acid with iron, alumina and magnesia, potash and lime, and soda. It is very wonderful that the vast variety of strata have been formed out of these. In the Earn valley below Dupplin many "fortification" agates are found. These have been formed in cavities by the infiltration of silicic acid in a state of solution. Indeed, quartz is silica, and amethyst, cairngorm, jasper, onyx, agate,, catseye, cornelian, bloodstone, opal, chalcedony, flint, cherb, 222 The Scottish Naturalist. and other stones are mere varieties of the same chemical material, stained by the presence of iron, magnesia, &c. The peculiar "weathering" of trap is due not to any propensity that it has for assuming odd forms, the forms were assumed on its solidification. The plane surfaces are the first to disintegrate, being exposed to the percolation of water. "Sand" or "earth- pipes " are sometimes seen in positions that have been exposed to the solvent power of rain. VAKIOUS NOTES. We have much pleasure in informing our readers that the Rev. J. Fergusson, New Pitsligo, and Mr. John Roy, Aberdeen, are preparing a " Guide to the Botany of the North-East of Scotland," which is intended to include the district between the Tay and the Spey. It will contain full in- formation of the localities, local names, etc. , both of flowering plants and cryptogams. It is also intended to give descriptions of species found in the district, when they are not described in British books. It is proposed to publish it by subscription, and we understand that it will probably be ready in the course of 1875. We have received the programmes of an International Botanical Con- gress, and of an International Horticultural Exhibition, which are to take place at Florence under the auspices of the " Societe Royale Toscane d' Horticulture " between the nth and 25th of May, 1874, and under the Presidency of Professor Parlatore. Some twenty-two themes are proposed for discussion at the Congress. Among them we especially notice one on the possibility of establishing a rational distinction between the groups known by the names of species, race, variety ; another on the character and origin of island floras ; and another on the character and origin of. alpine floras, and particularly on the causes which limit their ex- tension. At the Exhibition a large number of gold, silver, and bronze medals are offered as prizes. From what we hear, a concourse of the most distinguished botanists and horticulturists in Europe may be expected, and Ave should advise any of our readers who meditate a visit to Italy next spring to visit Florence during the Congress, to which any botanist will be admitted by ticket (which may be had from the President for the asking before March 1st). Italian will be the official language, but any member can use at all times his mother-tongue if he prefers to do so. Botanical ex- cursions in the neighbourhood of Florence, and to Pisa, etc., are also planned, and we have no doubt that any foreign botanist who presents himself will have "a good time of it." We have also received a valuable contribution on the subject of Zoological Nomenclature, by Dr. Sharp. We hope to be able in next number to notice this pamphlet at greater length. "Monograph of the Collembola and Thysanura," by Sir J. The Scottish Naturalist. 223 Lubbock, Bart. — This constitutes the volume for 1871 published by the Ray Society, and is a good example of the class of works which that Society should confine itself to publishing, instead of wasting its means in issuing re- prints of old books and translations of German works (since every naturalist can, or should be able to, read German nowadays). Should the Society con- tinue to publish volumes similar to the one before us (and we are glad to see that such is its intention), we have no doubt of its prosperity, and have no hesitation in recommending our readers to become subscribers. * In the present work we have descriptions of all the known species of Collembola and Thysanura (in other words Poduridcc and Lepismidcc), besides anatomical and other details and remarks on the evolution of the Insecta. The 78 plates (of which 31 are coloured), which make this volume mag- nificently illustrated, are devoted to figuring nearly 54 species, and to giving anatomical details, and representations of the curious scales with which many of the species are adorned. Dr. Moore of Glasnevin has made a valuable addition to the works on British Cryptogams, in form of a Synopsis of the Irish Mosses. It is a reprint from the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, and will prove ex- tremely useful not only to the Irish botanist, but to every bryologist. THE MAGAZINES. [Under this heading we purpose noticing from time to time, some of the chief articles, of interest to the naturalist in Scotland, contained in the various scientific journals. It must be remembered that in doing so we only make a selection, and that our space will not permit us even to men- tion many articles of high importance.] In the Entomologist's Monthly Magazine Mr C. G. Barrett continues his revisal of the British Tortrices — a work for which all collectors of these insects should be grateful. Mr J. Scott gives description of certain new British species of Homoptera, of which there are probably many new ones still to be found in Scotland. Mr Birchall in describing the Irish form of Melitcca aurinia (artemis) considers that some specimens received from Mr. Chapman, and taken at Dunoon, belong to the alpine var. merope. [See Scottish Naturalist, I., page 167. The ordinary Scottish form does not differ greatly from the northern English. Mr. Birchall tells me that the Dunoon specimens occurred at about 400 feet elevation only. — Editor Scottish A r aturalist.~\ Mr. E. G. Meek contributes a paper on the habits of the British species of Sesia, which will probably prove useful. Mr. Champion notices the Coleoptera taken by him in Braemar. [We hope to give some day a complete list of all the insects taken in Braemar. — Editor Scottish Naturalist.] Mr. Buckler describes the larva of Crambus pinetellus, * Subscriptions 21s. per annum. For particulars apply to the Rev. T. "Wilt- shire, 25 Granville Park, Lewisham, London, S.E., from whom also members can obtain (at a reduced rate) copies of the works already published by the Society. 224 The Scottish Naturalist. which feeds on grasses near the root. Mr. M'Lachlan gives a note of Wallengren's determinations of the Trichoptera of Zetterstedt's Insecta Lapponica. The Rev. T. A. Marshall recommends carbolic acid as a pre- servative of insects from mites, Psoci, etc. The drawers and boxes should be washed with a weak solution, which leaves no stain. The sheets of card -board on which Coleoptera, etc., are to be gummed, should be medicated in like manner. In the Journal of Botany from May to December, 1873, we find the following: — "Additions to the British Lichen Flora" by the Rev. J. M. Crombie, including many Scottish species. "Recent addition to our Moss Flora, Part VI." by Dr. Braithwaite, in which the author discusses the Ortho- trichacea:. Of the Orthotrkhece full descriptions and Lindberg's conspectus of the European species are given. The generic name Ulota is replaced by the prior Weissia Ehrhart (1779), the Weissia of Hedwig (1782), an utterly different genus, being replaced by Simophyllnm Lindberg. ' ' On the distri- bution of plants during the post-glacial period" by A. Nathorst. Dr. Trimen gives a description and synomymy of the two forms of Rumex obtusifolius L. — Friesii Gren. and Godr., the common British form, and sylvestris Wallr. lately found beside the Thames. By some authors these are considered distinct species. The great difference lies in the fruit, and figures are given showing the distinction. R. sylvestris should be looked for in Scotland — it occurs in Sweden. Baron von Mueller calls attention to the probability of the occurrence of Chenolea hirsuta, a plant extremely like Sutvda ?)iaritima, with which it grows. When the pubescence of the Chenolea has become lost, the horse-shoe-shaped embryo affords a good distinction — the embryo of Siuvda being circinate. ' ' On some Lycopodiaceous plants from the Old Red Sandstone of the North of Scotland," by W. Carruthers, F.R.S. (with a plate). "New British Fungi." by W. G. Smith, including five Scottish species. Each number contains a list of the articles in the botanical journals, both British and foreign, etc. In Grevillea, the editor (Mr. M. C. Cooke) continues his descriptions of Fungi added to the British list since the publication of his Handbook. These include a few Scottish species. "On the Rarer Lichens of Blair- Athole " by the Rev. M. J. Crombie, includes 65 species, of which 8 are new species, 7 new varieties and forms, and 7 others new to the British list. Mr. Crombie remarks that there is a marked contrast in many respects be- tween the Lichen Flora of the S. W. Grampians (Breadalbane), Central Grampians (Blair- Athole), and N. Grampians (Braemar). "Addition to the Lichen Flora of Great Britain" by Dr. J. Stirton, including six species from Scotland. "New British Hepatica,' " by Dr. Carrington (whose long-looked for work on these plants we trust will soon make its appear- ance), including one Scottish species. There are besides several excellent articles on structural and physiological botany, and each number has usually a plate and list of recent cryptogamic literature. In Nature two articles on the geology of the "Southern Uplands of Scot- land" by Professor Ilarkncss, are noteworthy. INSECTA SCOTICA, THE LEPIDOPTERA OF SCOTLAND- ( Continued from p. 184. ) Edited by F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. CIRRCEDIA Gn. xerampelina Hb. Not common. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay o o o o o West. Solway Clyde o o o Lat. 54°4o"-56°3o". Range in Europe. Britain, France, Belgium, S.W. Germany, Austria. Type. Occidento- central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance— Imago. August, September. Larva. April- June. Food-plant. Ash (especially the buds). EUPERIA Gn. paleacea Esp. (fulvago L. was another species). Not common. Nemoral. Distribution — East. o o Tay g Moray 000 West, o o o o o Lat. 56°2o"-57°4o". Range in Europe. Central and northern. Type. Centro-septentrional. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. August. Larva. May, June. Food-plant. Birch and oak. TETHEA Ochsen. SUBTUSA F. Not common. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed o Tay o o o o o West, o o o o o 226 The Scottish Naturalist. Lat. 55°2o"-56°3o". Range in Europe. Central (to S. Sweden). Type. Central. Type in Britain. English. Time of Appearance — Imago. July, August. Larva. April, May. Food- plant. Poplar. COSMIA Ochsen. trapezina L. Common in the lowlands ; rare in the high- lands. Nemoral. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde g West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-57°4o". Range in Europe. Central (to S. Sweden, &c.) Type. Central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. July, August. Larva. May, June. Food-plant. Oak, birch, etc. NOCTUID^J. NOCTUA L. GLAREOSA Esp. Not uncommon. Nemoral and ericetal. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray Suther- land o o West. Solway Clyde g West-Ross o Lat. 54°4o"-58°4o". Range in Europe. Britain, W. Ger- many, Belgium, France, Bavaria, &c. Type. Occidento- central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. August, September. Larva. May, June. Food-plant. Broom, dock, etc. depuncta L. Local. Nemoral. Distribution — East. o o Tay g Moray o o o West. Solway o o o o Lat. 54°5o"-58°4o". Range in Europe. Britain, central and south Germany and France, Alps, &c. Type. Oc- cidento-central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. July- September. Larva. Sep- tember-May. Food-plant. Low plants. umbrosa Hb. Not uncommon. Nemoral. Distribution — East. g Forth Tay Dee Moray o o o West. Solway Clyde g go The Scottish Naturalist. 227 Lat. 54°4o"-57°4o''. Range in Europe. Britain, Belgium, central and north France, W. and N.W. Germany, &c. Type. Occidento-central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. July, August. Larva. August- May. Food-plant. Low plants. RUBI View. Not uncommon. Nemoral. Ascends to 1200 ft. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray 000 West. Solway Clyde Argyle § o Lat. 54°5o"-57°4o". Range in Europe. Central (excluding Sweden). Type. Central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. In the south double-brooded, June (end), July ; and August (end) : in the north single-brooded, June-August (beginning). Larva. September-May (June, July). Food-plant. Low plants. Northern specimens differ from southern English ones, in being rather larger, and the {brewings with a clearer less clouded ground colour. festiva Hb. Not uncommon in the lowlands ; abundant in the highlands. Nemoral. Ascends to 1600 ft. Distribution — East. Tweed Forth Tay Dee Moray g Orkney o West. Solway Clyde Argyle West-Ross g Lat. 54°5o"-58°2o". Range in Europe. Central (excluding Sweden). Type. Central. Type in Britain. British. Time of Appearance — Imago. June-August. Larva. September- May. Food-plant. Low plants. Ab. conflua Tr. Common in the highlands. Nemoral. Distribution — East. g g Tay Dee Moray g g g West. Solway Clyde Argyle g g Lat. 54°5o"-57°4o". Range in Europe. Northern and al- pine. Type. Boreal. Type in Britain. Scottish. Time of Appearance — Imago. June-August. Larva. May-Sep- tember. Food-plant. Low plants, "preferring SUene acaulis." Many authors consider that festiva and conflua are good species, distinct from each other. Dr. Staudinger says of conflua "perhaps a northern and alpine variety of /estiva, or a Darwinian species. " Mr. Buckler tells me, that the only difference between the larvae of festiva and conflua is