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[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 1.
        1. ORANGE-TAILED CLEARWING.
  2, 3, 5. _ZYGAENA ACHILLEAE_.
  4, 6, 8. BRINDLED BEAUTY, VARIETY; 7. CATERPILLAR OF DO.

THE MOTHS

OF THE

BRITISH ISLES

BY

RICHARD SOUTH, F.E.S.

AUTHOR OF "THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES" EDITOR OF "THE
ENTOMOLOGIST," ETC.

SECOND SERIES

COMPRISING

_THE FAMILIES NOCTUIDAE TO HEPIALIDAE_

WITH ACCURATELY COLOURED FIGURES OF EVERY SPECIES AND MANY VARIETIES ALSO
DRAWINGS OF EGGS, CATERPILLARS, CHRYSALIDS AND FOOD-PLANTS

LONDON

FREDERICK WARNE & CO.

AND NEW YORK

1909

(_All rights reserved_)

       *       *       *       *       *

{v}

PREFACE.

In the present and previous series of "The Moths of the British Isles,"
over 750 species have been portrayed on the plates and described in the
text--a number that includes all those insects formerly grouped under the
now obsolete term "Macro-Lepidoptera." The task of dealing with so many
species in two volumes has necessarily imposed brevity in their treatment;
but it is hoped that nothing has been omitted that could be legitimately
regarded as falling within the scope of volumes especially designed for the
votaries of Nature Study.

To have comprised in this scheme the large contingent of our moths known as
"Micro-Lepidoptera" would have reduced further the space available for
those species which experience shows appeal to the majority of nature
students in a way that the minuter forms may not do. Even then, only a few
general remarks on each group would have been possible, with, perhaps, a
portrait or two of representative species. Such a course seemed hardly
likely to prove of practical utility. The "Small Fry," as they have been
called, exceedingly interesting though they may be to a limited number of
students, have therefore been left for separate treatment at some more
convenient season.

Both classification and nomenclature are always under revision, and we are
probably a long way from hearing the last word concerning either. These
are, however, matters that {vi} cannot be ignored even in a popular work;
consequently I have ventured to adopt sundry changes in arrangement and in
names which, although not departing from the old style in any very large
way, still approach pretty closely to the new.

I have again to tender my sincere thanks to Mr. Robert Adkin, F.E.S., for
kindly lending specimens of rare species and varieties for figuring; and
also to Mr. B. Adkin, Mr. G. T. Porritt, F.E.S., and Mr. A. J. Scollick,
F.E.S. I desire also to gratefully acknowledge the loan of further
beautiful coloured drawings by Mr. Alfred Sich, F.E.S. These figures have
been most accurately reproduced in black and white by Mr. Horace Knight, to
whom I am greatly indebted for his able assistance in connection with the
numerous drawings of ova, larvae, and pupae. In some cases the preserved
skin of a caterpillar had to serve as a model, and where this occurs the
fact is mentioned. A few figures of larvae have been copied from Dr. G.
Hofmann's _Die Raupen der Schmetterlinge Europas_, 2nd edit., by Professor
Dr. Arnold Spuler. All such reproductions are duly noted in the text.

Mr. Knight is also responsible for the coloured drawings for Plates 1, 13,
36, 61, 96, 98, 100, 104, 134, and 148; the figures on which, except that
of _Zygaena filipendulae ab. chrysanthemi_, are from specimens.

"A Forester," Mr. H. Main, F.E.S., and Mr. W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S., were
good enough to furnish prints of some of their excellent photographs
depicting life-history details of moths and caterpillars in repose, as met
with in nature.

  RICHARD SOUTH.

       *       *       *       *       * {1}

THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES.

NOCTUIDAE.

TRIFINAE (_continued_).

THE HEART MOTH (_Dicycla oo_).

A male specimen of the ordinary form of this moth is shown on Plate 2, Fig.
1. Ab. _renago_, Haworth has the space between the central shade and the
submarginal line more or less suffused with dusky or reddish grey. An
intermediate form (Fig. 2) has a transverse band of darker colour between
the second and submarginal lines of the fore wings (ab. _ferruginago_,
Hubn.). The ground colour varies from a whitish or straw-yellow to reddish
yellow (ab. _rufescens_, Tutt), and the markings are more distinct in some
specimens than in others.

The caterpillar, which feeds from April to early June on the foliage of the
oak, is black above and brownish beneath; there are three white lines on
the back, the central one widest and more or less interrupted; the stripe
along the black-outlined reddish spiracles is yellowish-white; head, and
plate on first ring of the body, black and shining.

The moth appears about the end of June or early July, and has been noted,
in good condition, as late as August 17. It seems to be of very local
occurrence in England, but some of {2} its known haunts nearest to London
are Bromley in Kent, Richmond Park and Norbury in Surrey. At Palmer's
Green, Middlesex, a specimen was found on an oak trunk, July 27, 1902, and
a female example came to light in West London in 1906. In 1888 it was
plentiful at sugar in the Bromley district. The New Forest in Hampshire is
a noted locality for the species, but although it may abound there in some
years, in other years it is scarce or entirely absent. It is rather more
constant in Epping, Romford, and some other of the Essex woodlands, and
occurs also in Berkshire, Huntingdonshire, Northamptonshire,
Gloucestershire, and Devon. Odd specimens have been recorded from
Tarrington, Herefordshire; St. Albans, Hertfordshire; and from Tuddenham,
Suffolk. The var. _renago_, and its modifications, has been chiefly
obtained in Essex and Huntingdonshire, but it has been found also in the
Reading district, and elsewhere.

THE LUNAR-SPOTTED PINION (_Calymnia pyralina_).

There are two colour forms of this species; var. _corusca_, Esp., is rather
brighter in colour than the female specimen shown on Plate 2, Fig. 3, which
approaches more nearly the duller coloration of the type as described by
Vieweg. The latter is perhaps the least frequent in England generally, but
it occurs sparingly in Middlesex.

The caterpillar is green, with whitish warts emitting fine hairs, and has
three lines along the back, the central one white and stripe-like; a yellow
stripe low down along the sides is edged above with black. It feeds in
April and May on elm, oak, apple, plum, etc., among the leaves of which it
hides by day, and may be dislodged therefrom by jarring the boughs. (Plate
3, Fig. 2, after Hofmann.)

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 2.
     1. HEART MOTH.
  4, 5. LESSER-SPOTTED PINION.
     2.   "    "    VAR. RENAGO.
  6, 7. WHITE-SPOTTED PINION.
     3. LUNAR-SPOTTED PINION.
  8-11. DUN-BAR.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 3.
  1. DINGY SHEARS: _caterpillar_.
  2. LUNAR-SPOTTED PINION: _caterpillar_.
  3. WHITE-SPOTTED PINION: _caterpillar_.

{3} The moth is out from about mid-July to mid-August. On some nights it
will come freely to sugar and on others it seems more partial to honeydew.
It is obtained most frequently perhaps in Berkshire, Middlesex, Surrey, and
Hampshire, but it is also known to occur in Devon, Dorset, Sussex, Essex,
Suffolk, Cambs., Hunts, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire,
Herefordshire, and South Wales. A specimen has been taken at a gas lamp in
Chester.

Abroad, the range extends to Japan.

THE LESSER-SPOTTED PINION (_Calymnia affinis_).

This species varies in the ground colour of the forewings from reddish
(typical) to greyish brown (var. _suffusa_, Tutt). A pale ochreous-brown
form has been named _ochrea_, Tutt. The cross markings and stigmata are
sometimes all well defined, but often the latter are hardly traceable, the
cross lines only distinct on the front margin, and the outer one frequently
is conspicuously widened. One example of each sex is shown on Plate 2,
Figs. 4 [male] and 5 [female].

The caterpillar, which feeds on elm from April to June, is of a pale green,
inclining to whitish green above, the raised dots white; there are three
white lines on the back, the central one broader and clearer white than the
others; the lines along the area of the black spiracles are whitish; head
green and glossy, legs black, pro-legs greenish marked with reddish. It
feeds at night, and conceals itself between leaves during the day.

The moth appears in July and August, is very partial to sugar and
"honeydew," and has been taken at light. It lurks among the foliage of
trees and bushes in the daytime, and may occasionally be dislodged
therefrom when the boughs are jarred. Although its range extends northwards
into Yorkshire, where it is local and scarce, the species seems to be
chiefly obtained in the eastern and southern counties of England. No doubt
it flourishes best where the elm (_Ulmus campestris_) is most plentiful. In
Wales it has been noted from Glamorganshire and Flint. {4} Kane states that
it is very rare in Ireland, and I fail to find any record from Scotland.

The range abroad extends to Japan.

THE WHITE-SPOTTED PINION (_Calymnia diffinis_).

This pretty species is shown on Plate 2, Figs. 6 [male] and 7 [female]. Its
colour and marking are little prone to variation. Sometimes the ground
colour has less red and rather more purple in its composition, and in some
specimens the white marks on the front margin are larger than in others.

The caterpillar is pale green, with three whitish lines along the back; the
central of these is rather yellowish, agreeing in tint with the usual
raised dots, and the outer ones are edged above with bluish green; head,
brownish, inclining to black below. It feeds at night, in April, May, and
early June, on the common elm, and rests during the day on the undersides
of the foliage or between leaves. (Plate 3, Fig. 3.)

The moth is out in July and August, and is obtained at sugar or at light,
in almost all parts of England where its favourite tree grows freely. It
seems to be more local in the Midlands, and appears to be but little known
in the northern counties, although a specimen was taken at sugar in
Hazleden Dene, Durham, in the autumn of 1898.

THE DUN-BAR (_Calymnia trapezina_).

On Plate 2 will be found portraits of four specimens of this variable
species. Figs. 8 and 9 represent a male and a female of the more ordinary
forms. Specimens of the typical whitish or greyish buff colour vary in the
matter of cross lines, which are well defined in the type, but absent in
ab. _pallida_, Tutt. Some examples have a reddish central band, and in
others the band is blackish or black; the latter are referable to ab.
_badiofasciata_, {5} Teich. Ab. _ochrea_, Tutt, is of a reddish-tinged
ochreous colour with clearly defined cross lines; and ab. _rufa_, Tutt, is
red with distinct cross lines. Perhaps the rarest form of all is ab.
_nigra_, Tutt, which in ground colour is deep blackish grey, with the cross
lines faint.

The caterpillar is green with black, glossy, raised dots, each encircled
with white; there are three whitish lines along the back, the central one
rather wider than the other two; a pale yellowish line along the area of
the black spiracles; head, green, tinged with dark brown or black about the
jaws. It feeds, from April to June, on the foliage of elm, oak, sallow, and
other trees and shrubs; also, be it noted, on other caterpillars. The
larvae hunter should therefore get to know this cannibal on sight, so that
he may exclude it from the common receptacle.

The moth, which frequents woods and woody country generally, is out in July
and August.

The species appears to be common throughout England and Wales, the south of
Scotland, and more or less frequent northwards up to Moray. It is widely
spread in Ireland.

ANGLE-STRIPED SALLOW (_Cosmia paleacea_).

From the typical pale yellowish ochre, the fore wings range in tint to a
deeper buff, inclining to orange. The transverse lines are brown, or
sometimes reddish, but are not always distinct, especially in the male. The
stigmata are not infrequently obscure, but the blackish spot of the
reniform is generally present. In some examples, chiefly of the female sex,
there is an angulated dark shade crossing the central area, and some dark
clouds or dashes on the outer area. (Plate 4, Fig. 1 [male].)

The caterpillar is pale dingy green, dusted with whitish, and yellow
between the rings; three white lines along the back, and a double white
line along the region of the purplish-edged white spiracles; head, pale
yellow, the jaws black, and a small red {6} spot on each side above them.
(Adapted from Porritt.) It feeds, from April to June, on the foliage of
birch and aspen, and may be found in the daytime between the lower leaves.

The moth flies in August and September, and at night will visit the sugar
patch and also heather blossom. It has but few fixed localities in England,
and these are chiefly in Nottinghamshire (Sherwood Forest), and Yorkshire
(woods near Doncaster, Huddersfield, and Sheffield). There are, however,
records of its occurrence in the south of England. Stainton obtained one at
Lewisham in 1846, and Barrett notes one at Highgate in 1870. One or two
specimens have occurred in Essex, Somersetshire, and Gloucestershire. From
its headquarters in Notts and Yorks. it seems to find its way occasionally
into some of the adjoining and other counties. Forsythe states that he bred
the moth from larvae obtained from oak at Methop, Lancs., and it has been
reared from a caterpillar taken in North Shropshire. It has occurred on
Cannock Chase, Staffs., and rarely in Worcestershire.

From Porritt's _List of the Lepidoptera of Yorkshire_ we learn that the
occurrence of this species in Yorkshire was not noted until 1880
(Doncaster), but it seems to have since extended its range in the county,
as in 1900 it was found in the Huddersfield district, and a few specimens
occurred near York in 1903. As stated, it has been bred at Methop, Lancs.,
and, according to Barrett, it is not scarce in Cumberland. Southwards from
its Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire headquarters it has been noted, more or
less rarely, in Staffordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire,
and Somerset; and on the east side in Lincoln, Norfolk, Essex, and Kent. In
Scotland it appears to be not uncommon in Moray, and it is occasionally
recorded from Inverness and Perth. The range abroad extends to Amurland and
to North America.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 4.
     1. ANGLE-STRIPED SALLOW.
  2, 3. THE SUSPECTED.
  4, 5. DINGY SHEARS.
     6. THE OLIVE.
     7. DOUBLE KIDNEY.
     8. CENTRE-BARRED SALLOW.
     9. CENTRE-BARRED SALLOW, VAR. UNICOLOR.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 5.
  1, 1a. BEADED CHESTNUT: _eggs and caterpillar_.
      2. RED-LINE QUAKER: _caterpillar_.
  3, 3a. THE BRICK: _eggs and caterpillar_.

{7}

THE SUSPECTED (_Dyschorista suspecta_).

Of this species (Plate 4, Figs. 2 and 3) there are two groups of
forms--plain and variegated. To the first belongs the type with
reddish-brown fore wings; a dark modification of this form is ab.
_nigrescens_, Tutt, which has the fore wings blackish red; a brighter red
form is ab. _rufa_, Tutt. Of the variegated sections three forms have been
named, but the most important of these is var. _congener_, Hubn., with the
inner and the outer marginal areas of the reddish fore wings ochreous; two
other modifications have the ground colour redder or dark purplish
inclining to blackish.

The caterpillar, which feeds on birch and sallow in April and May, is
purplish brown above, and obscure greenish beneath; there are three lines
along the back, the central one white and distinct, the others less defined
but noticeable on the black plate on ring nearest the head; on each side of
the central line are blackish marks; head, ochreous brown, streaked with
black.

The moth flies in July and August, and is partial to sugar and to the
flowers of heather and ragwort. Its chief British quarters appear to be in
Yorkshire, in which county it was first noted in 1841; thence it extends
into Lancashire, Cumberland, and Durham, but is local and scarce in the
latter county. Southwards it is found in the counties of Cheshire (locally
not uncommon on moors and mosses), Derby, Nottingham, Stafford, Shropshire,
Warwick, Gloucester (rarely); more locally in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and
Kent (once at West Wickham). In 1896 it occurred in numbers in the New
Forest, Hants, and I believe that a solitary specimen was secured in
Hayling Island in 1901. In Scotland it occurs up to Inverness and Aberdeen;
and Kane states that in Ireland it is doubtfully recorded from Londonderry,
but that he has seen lovely forms of the species from Killarney. It also
occurs in Co. Wicklow. The range abroad extends to Siberia, Amurland, and
Mongolia. {8}

THE DINGY SHEARS (_Dyschorista fissipuncta_).

In its typical form this species (Plate 4, Fig. 4) has the fore wings pale
greyish brown, but occasionally they assume a reddish tinge. Var.
_corticea_, Esp., is of the latter colour, and has the black edges of the
claviform extended to beyond the middle of the wing. In another form the
fore wings are dark grey brown (Fig. 5), leading up to var. _nigrescens_,
Tutt, with blackish fore wings and the hind wings darker than usual.
Besides the forms just mentioned, I have a bred specimen from Canterbury in
which the fore wings are of a pale whity brown, with very faint markings,
and the hind wings are almost white; it is rather below the average size,
and possibly is an abnormal aberration. This species is the _ypsilon_ of
Borkhausen, and the _upsilon_ of other authors.

The caterpillar is brown, sometimes inclining to reddish marked with black
above, and the under surface is paler; there are three pale lines along the
back, and one low down along each side; head, pale brown freckled with
darker brown. It feeds in April and May on willows, chiefly the
narrow-leaved kind, and also, although less frequently perhaps, on poplar.
These caterpillars may often be found in the daytime under loose bark of
the willow, or lurking among grass roots or _debris_ around the trunk.
(Fig. 1 on Plate 3 is from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich.)

The moth is out from late June through July. It is a constant visitor to
the sugar patch, and will put in an appearance even when other species
refuse to be drawn thereto. It appears to be pretty well distributed over
England, and in the southern half at least is not uncommon, wherever there
are old-established willows. In the northern counties it seems to be much
less frequent, but it is recorded as common or plentiful in one or two
Cheshire localities, and is said to be taken by all the Newcastle {9}
collectors. In Scotland it has been noted in only a few localities. Abroad,
the range extends to Amurland.



_Mesogona acetosellae_, Fabricius.--Mr. R. Adkin has a specimen of this
Central and South European species. It was taken at sugar on the evening of
October 26th, 1895, by Mr. T. Salvage, in his garden at Arlington, Sussex
(_Entomologist_, xxviii. p. 316).

THE DOUBLE KIDNEY (_Plastenis retusa_).

This olive-brown species, shown on Plate 4, Fig. 7, has a reddish-tinged
form--ab. _gracilis_, Haw.--but otherwise there is little to be noted in
the way of variation. The caterpillar is pale green with three whitish
lines on the back, and a narrower and more irregular whitish line low down
along the sides; head, yellowish green, or dark brown. Sometimes the body
has a yellowish tinge at each end. It feeds on the foliage of sallow and
willow, from April to June, drawing together the terminal leaves of a shoot
as a retreat.

The moth is on the wing in July and August, and is more frequently
attracted at night to the aphis secretion known as "honeydew" than to the
sugar patch, although it does not ignore the latter altogether, and
occasionally enters the illuminated moth trap. Barrett states that he has
found it at the flowers of figwort (_Scrophularia aquatica_). Apparently a
local species, but found more or less frequently in most of the southern
and eastern counties of England, and through the Midlands to Cheshire,
Lancashire, and Yorkshire; it is, however, rarely seen in the three
last-named counties.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

THE OLIVE (_Plastenis subtusa_).

This moth is shown on Plate 4, Fig. 6. It is somewhat similar in general
appearance to the last mentioned, but the {10} colour of the fore wings is
greyer; the cross lines are not parallel, and the outer margins of these
wings are less irregular. The caterpillar is greenish, with black dots, and
white lines along the back and sides; the head and plate on the first ring
of the body black. It feeds, on poplar and aspen, in April and May. By day
these caterpillars may be found spun up between two leaves or in a folded
leaf. The moth is out in July and August, but is rarely noticed in the
daytime, although at night, when it becomes active, it may be obtained,
sometimes not altogether uncommonly, at honeydew, or in much fewer numbers
at sugar or light. The best way to obtain the species is to search for the
caterpillars, which are not at all difficult to rear. Most of them,
however, prefer the higher foliage of well-grown aspen or poplar, where
they may be seen but not readily secured; but I have generally found as
many as I wanted within reach.

The species seems to have a wide distribution throughout England, and
Scotland up to Moray, its occurrence in any locality depending on the
presence of the poplar or aspen. The range abroad extends to Eastern
Siberia.

THE CENTRE-BARRED SALLOW (_Cirrhoedia_ (_Atethmia_) _xerampelina_).

The typical form of this pretty species has the fore wings yellow, with a
purplish-red central band. The band, which fills up the space between the
first and second lines, is rarely carried through to the front margins of
the wing, but usually is only fragmentary above the reniform stigma, which
forms part of it; it also varies in the intensity of the purple tint. In
most British specimens the band varies as indicated above, but the general
colour of the fore wings is orange-yellow (Plate 4, Fig. 8)--ab.
_centrago_, Haw.--the hind marginal band agreeing in colour with that of
the central band. Or the fore wings may assume the colour of Fig. 9, var.
_unicolor_, Staud., but this form is rare in Britain, although it is known
to occur in the Isle of Man, and has been recorded from Ripon, Skipworth,
and York, also from Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Notts, Lincoln, and
Gloucestershire. The caterpillar is brownish, inclining to greyish above
and to greenish grey beneath, freckled with darker brown; of the three
whitish lines along the back, the central one is widest, but is only really
distinct on the middle part of each ring; the lines are margined with
black, the edging of the central one irregular, but of the others more
complete; the spiracles are whitish, and the area above them is dark
grey-brown enclosing paler spaces on each ring; head, shining grey-brown
freckled with blackish. It feeds, in April, May, and June, on ash, and
until the leaves expand it is content with the buds. After dark it may be
beaten from saplings in the hedgerow, as well as from full-grown trees. By
day it hides among moss or litter, or in the crevices of bark, and at dark
may be found crawling up the trunks of ash trees.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 6.
      1. ORANGE UPPER-WING: _caterpillar_.
      2. DOTTED CHESTNUT: _caterpillar_.
      3. PINK-BARRED SALLOW: _eggs, natural size and enlarged_.
  4, 4a. SALLOW: _eggs, natural size and enlarged, and caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 7.
    1-4. LUNAR UNDERWING.
   5, 6. RED-LINE QUAKER.
   7, 8. YELLOW-LINE QUAKER.
  9, 10. THE BRICK.

{11} The moths are out in August and September, and in the late afternoon
may be seen, newly emerged from the chrysalis, on ash trunks, or on twigs
and herbage immediately around the tree stems. When on the wing at night it
is attracted by light, especially electric, and by sugar. Now that the
habits of the species are better known than formerly, it has been
ascertained to occur in most English counties. In Scotland it is widely
distributed up to Argyll and Perthshire; it has been recorded from several
parts of Wales, and in Ireland is found in counties Antrim, Tyrone,
Fermanagh, Down, Armagh, Louth, Westmeath, Wicklow, Sligo, Galway,
Tipperary, and Cork.

THE LUNAR UNDERWING (_Omphaloscelis_ (_Anchocelis_) _lunosa_).

In the general colour of the fore wings, this species, of which four
figures will be found on Plate 7, ranges from pale ochreous {12} brown to
dark blackish grey. The typical form (_lunosa_, Haworth) has the ground
colour pale, or bright, reddish (Figs. 1 and 3); the markings are well
defined, and the wing rays are sometimes pale ochreous, or whitish. Four
modifications of this form have been named; one of these has pale veins,
but the general colour is red brown (ab. _brunnea_, Tutt); in another (Fig.
2) the colour is ochreous brown, the veins pale, and the other markings
distinct (ab. _humilis_, Humph. and Westw.). Of the greyish forms, var.
_agrotoides_, Guenee, is the darkest (Fig. 4).

The caterpillar is brownish, inclining to greenish beneath; there are three
whitish lines along the back, the outer edged below with blackish; a thin
whitish line along the sides is shaded above with blackish. It feeds on
meadow grass (_Poa annua_), and other kinds of grass, from October to May.
The moth appears in September and October, sometimes at the end of August.
It is partial to light and to sugar, and where the latter is smeared over
the foliage of trees and bushes it seems better attended by this, and other
autumnal moths, than when painted on tree-trunks in the usual manner.

The species seems to be pretty generally distributed throughout Southern
and Western England, and in some seasons it is very common. Eastward and
through the Midlands it is perhaps less frequent; in the northern counties
it is scarce on the east, but locally common on the west. It occurs in
Wales; also in Scotland up to Perthshire. According to Kane, it is widely
distributed in Ireland, but most common on the coast.

Abroad, it appears to be confined to France and Spain, although it has been
recorded from North-west Africa.

THE RED-LINE QUAKER (_Amathes_ (_Orthosia_) _lota_).

In its typical form this species is of a leaden-grey coloration on the fore
wings, but these wings sometimes have a reddish {13} tinge (ab. _rufa_,
Tutt). In others the ground colour is blackish (ab. _suffusa_, Tutt), and a
rarer form (ab. _pallida_, Tutt) has the fore wings whitish grey with a
distinct black reniform stigma, and red submarginal line. (Plate 7, Figs.
5, 6.)

The caterpillar is ochreous brown, sometimes tinged with reddish or
purplish brown on the sides; of three whitish lines along the back, the
central one is composed of spots, and the outer ones are not well defined,
except on the dark first and last rings; the line along the sides is
reddish. Head, glossy, pale reddish brown, marked with darker brown. It
feeds on willow and sallow, and may be found among the foliage from April
to June, and especially the topmost leaves of a twig, which it spins
together with silk to form a retreat during the day. (Plate 5, Fig. 2.)

The moth comes freely to sugar in September and October, sometimes even
later. It may be found pretty freely also at ivy bloom, and at the flowers
of _Tritoma_. Although apparently commoner in the south, it is generally
distributed throughout England, Wales, and Scotland up to Perthshire and
Aberdeen. In Ireland it is widely distributed, but local.

THE YELLOW-LINE QUAKER (_Amathes_ (_Orthosia_) _macilenta_).

The typical coloration of this species (Plate 7, Figs. 7 and 8) is pale
ochreous brown, inclining to reddish in some specimens; the lower part of
the reniform stigma black. Sometimes, the black spot is absent (ab.
_obsoleta_, Tutt). Another form has the ground colour pale yellowish brown,
and this, with the black lower portion of the reniform present, is ab.
_straminea_, Tutt, while specimens of the same tint, but minus the black
spot, are referable to ab. _obsoleta-straminea_ of the same author.

The caterpillar is reddish brown with white dots, and three white lines on
the back; the line along the spiracles is whitish {14} with a dusky edge
above. Head, ochreous brown; plate on first ring blackish lined with white.
It feeds on beech, oak, and heather. When approaching full growth it
probably feeds on low-growing plants, and it may be found from April to
June.

The moth flies in September and October, sometimes in November. Decaying
apples seem to have a stronger attractive influence at times than either
sugar or ivy bloom. Except that it appears to be local or scarce in the
Midlands, the species occurs, in many parts commonly, throughout England,
Wales, and Scotland to Moray. In Ireland it is generally distributed and
abundant in some localities.

THE BRICK (_Amathes_ (_Orthosia_) _circellaris_).

Yellow or ochreous is the typical coloration, but the most frequent form of
this common species in Britain is ab. _ferruginea_, Hubn., which is
ochreous tinged with rust colour. Sometimes, the fore wings are more or
less suffused with blackish, and with the markings black, such specimens
are referable to _macilenta_ as figured by Hubner, Noct., Fig. 688. The
more usual form is shown on Plate 7, Figs. 9, 10.

At the time it is freshly laid, the egg (Plate 5, Fig. 3a) is yellowish,
but changes in about a week to purplish with a more or less distinct pearly
sheen.

The caterpillar is brown inclining to yellowish, the head is reddish, and
the plate on first ring blackish; there are three pale lines along the
back, the central one more or less interrupted by dusky V-shaped marks, the
others with an interrupted edging above; the stripe along the region of the
blackish spiracles is yellowish grey. It lives on wych-elm and ash, eating
the flowers, seeds, and leaves, but has a decided preference for the first
two. It may be beaten in May and early June, sometimes in numbers, from the
seeds (Plate 5, Fig. 3).

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 8.
  1. CONFORMIST: _caterpillar_.
  2. EARLY GREY: _caterpillar_.
  3. RED SWORD-GRASS: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 9.
  1, 2. FLOUNCED RUSTIC.
   3-6. BEADED CHESTNUT.
   7-9. BROWN-SPOT PINION.

{15}

The moth is out from late August well on into October, and is to be found,
wherever its favourite trees are established, throughout the British Isles.

THE FLOUNCED RUSTIC (_Amathes_ (_Orthosia_) _helvola_).

On Plate 9 is shown a male specimen of the typical form (Fig. 1). In ab.
_ochrea_, Tutt, the general colour of the fore wings is ochreous with a
greenish tinge, and so it differs from the type, in which the ground colour
is reddish. In another ochreous form the cross bands are of a purplish tint
(ab. _punica_, Borkhausen), and in ab. _rufina_, Hubner, the bands are also
purplish, but the ground colour is of a somewhat brighter red than in the
type. Ab. _unicolor_, Tutt, is dull reddish with indistinct cross markings,
and seems to be a modification of the almost unicolorous form of a bright
red colour, ab. _rufa_, Tutt. (Fig. 2.)

The full-grown caterpillar feeds, in April and May, on the foliage of the
oak, the elm, and some other trees; also on sallow, hawthorn, and,
according to Barrett, on bilberry and heather. In general colour it is
brownish, often tinged with red, and more or less flecked with dark brown;
a fine whitish line along the middle of the back is only clearly traceable
on the front rings, but there is a very distinct white stripe along the
region of the black spiracles. In an earlier stage it is green with three
whitish lines on the back, and another on the sides.

The moth is out in September and October, rather earlier in Scotland.
Though much commoner in some districts than in others, this species is
found in woodlands throughout the greater part of England, Wales, and the
mainland of Scotland. In Ireland it appears to be rare, and has only been
recorded, chiefly in single specimens, from Waterford, Wicklow, Galway,
Armagh, and Derry. {16}

THE BEADED CHESTNUT (_Amathes_ (_Orthosia_) _lychnidis_).

The name of this variable species (Plate 9, Figs. 3-6), long known as
_pistacina_, is now recognised as the _lychnidis_ of Schiffermiller, so, as
the latter name has page priority over the former, it has to be adopted.
Fig. 3 on the plate represents a well-marked reddish specimen of the
typical form. A great many forms have been named, but only a few of the
more distinct of these can be referred to here. Fig. 4 shows the greyish
ochreous aberration known as _serrina_, Fab. Ab. _ferrea_, Haworth (Fig. 5)
has almost uniform reddish fore wings, and ab. _venosa_, Haworth has the
fore wings greyish brown with the veins whitish.

When newly laid the egg (Plate 5, Fig. 1a) is yellowish, but changes to
olive-brown. The caterpillar (Plate 5, Fig. 1) is green inclining to
yellowish, freckled with greyish, and dotted with whitish; there are three
fine whitish lines along the back, and a broad white stripe along the
sides. It is found from March to June, and feeds on grasses, dandelion,
groundsel, buttercup, and a variety of low plants; it will also eat sallow.

The moth is out from September to November, and is often abundant at sugar
and ivy bloom, and not uncommon on gas lamps or around electric lights.
Generally distributed and plentiful over the greater part of England and
Wales, but from Yorkshire northwards and through Scotland to Perthshire it
is very local, and apparently not at all frequent. In Ireland it is widely
spread and common.

THE BROWN-SPOT PINION (_Amathes_ (_Orthosia_) _litura_).

On Plate 9 are shown specimens from Scotland (Figs. 8 [male], 9 [female]).
The male, which has the basal area of the fore wings pale, is referable to
ab. _borealis_, Sparre-Schneider, whilst the female is more nearly typical.
In England the majority of the {17} specimens belong to ab. _rufa_, Tutt,
which is reddish in the coloration of fore wing (Fig. 7). Sometimes the
basal area in this colour form is pale also.

The caterpillar is green, sometimes tinged with olive and freckled with
darker green; there are three dark-edged pale-green lines along the back;
the under surface is tinged with yellowish, and is separated from the green
colour of the upper surface by a whitish stripe, edged above with black;
head, brownish, with darker freckles. It occurs in April and May, when it
feeds on bramble, rose, oak, sallow, and some low-growing plants.

The moth is found in September and October throughout England, and Scotland
up to Moray.

THE ORANGE SALLOW (_Cirrhia_ (_Xanthia_) _citrago_).

The ground colour of the fore wings is generally yellow, but in some
districts the specimens exhibit a tendency towards orange-red. The latter
tint is very decided in var. _aurantiago_, Tutt. There is but little
variation in marking, but the central cross line is broader in some
specimens than in others. (Plate 10, Fig. 1.)

The caterpillar is dark olive-grey above, with white dots, and obscure
greenish beneath; of the three whitish lines along the back, the central
one is rather wider than the other two, which are edged above with black;
along the region of the spiracles the colour is whitish grey. Head, brown,
shining, and darker on the mouth; a black mark on ring of body next the
head. (Adapted from Porritt.) It feeds on lime (_Tilia vulgaris_) in April
and May, and conceals itself between two spun-together leaves during the
daytime. In such retreats I have frequently detected them by simply
standing under the branches and looking upwards and outwards from the
trunk. When nearly full grown they more often descend the tree, and hide by
day {18} among the undergrowth, etc., at the base of the trunk, whence they
return to their feeding quarters by crawling up the tree at dusk.

The moth is out in August and September, and although it does not seem to
care much about the collector's sugar when spread on tree trunks in the
usual way, it seems to accept it freely enough when daubed on the foliage.
The leaves of the lime are, however, generally well coated with a sweet
substance proceeding from _Aphides_, and commonly known as honeydew. This
in itself is very attractive to the moths. The species seems to be widely
distributed over England, and will perhaps be found in most districts where
limes flourish. In Wales it has occurred in Flintshire, Denbighshire, and
Carnarvon. McArthur obtained a specimen in the Isle of Lewis in 1887, and
Renton records it as found in Roxburghshire. Little is known of it from
Ireland, but it has been noted from Wicklow and Galway.

THE BARRED SALLOW (_Ochria_ (_Xanthia_) _aurago_).

The ground colour of the fore wings, which in the type is pale yellow,
ranges through various shades of yellow to deep orange. The basal and outer
marginal bands are pale purplish, in the type, but in the more orange forms
the bands are rather more reddish purple. In ab. _fucata_, Esper, the
purplish colour of the bands spreads over the orange central area, and in
ab. _unicolor_, Tutt, the orange invades the basal and outer marginal
regions, so that the bands are pretty well obliterated, and the fore wings
assume a more or less uniform orange coloration. The latter form is
uncommon, but a rarer one in this country is ab. _lutea_, Tutt, which has
the fore wings almost entirely orange-yellow. (Plate 10, Figs. 2 and 3, the
latter inclining to ab. _unicolor_.)

The caterpillar is reddish brown with pale dots, and with {19} three
whitish lines along the back; a pale stripe along the sides. Head, pale
brown, shining. May be found from April to June on beech, or on maple where
this occurs around beech woods. At first it feeds on the buds, but later on
the leaves; for protection during the day it spins together two of the
leaves, and so forms a suitable resting place. Sycamore, it may be
mentioned, is acceptable to this caterpillar when reared in captivity.

The moth is out in September and early October, and is chiefly found in the
neighbourhood of beech woods, especially those in chalky districts in
Oxford and adjoining counties, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk,
Norfolk, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Wilts, Somerset, Dorset, and Devon. It also
occurs in the counties of Hereford, Worcester, and Cheshire; it has been
found in Yorkshire since 1890 in several localities, including Barnsley,
Doncaster, Huddersfield, and Rotherham. At least one specimen has been
recorded from Pembrokeshire, and others from Flint and Denbighshire, in
Wales.

THE PINK-BARRED SALLOW (_Xanthia lutea_ (_flavago_)).

In some examples of this species (Plate 10, Figs. 4, 5) the oblique band of
the fore wings is purplish, and in others red or reddish; the former are
typical, and the latter are referable to ab. _ochreago_, Borkhausen. Often
the band is incomplete, and sometimes it is only indicated by three more or
less regular series of reddish dots (ab. _togata_, Esper). I have one
example of this form from the Isle of Hoy, and another specimen from the
same locality is somewhat similar, but the spots are not so well separated,
and are purplish in colour.

The eggs (Plate 6, Fig. 3) are yellowish when laid, but become purplish
later, and the ribs then appear whitish.

The caterpillar when young lives on catkins of the sallow, and when these
fall it feeds on low-growing plants, but it will {20} eat the leaves of
sallow and the seeds of wych-elm. It may be found from March to June.

The moth appears in September and October. It is widely distributed, and
often common at the sugar patch, over the whole of England, Wales, Scotland
up to Moray, and Ireland.

The range abroad extends to Amurland, Japan, Kamtschatka, and North
America.

THE SALLOW (_Xanthia fulvago_).

A typical male and female of this species are shown on Plate 10, Figs. 7,
8; Fig. 6 on the same plate represents ab. _flavescens_, Esper. Sometimes
the fore wings are orange-tinged, and such examples having the typical
markings well defined are referable to ab. _aurantia_, Tutt. In _cerago_,
Hubner, the markings are fainter than in the type, and the orange-yellow
modification of this form has been named _imperfecta_, Tutt.

The caterpillar is brown above with a tinge of red or purple, and freckled
with darker; there are three pale lines along the back, but only the
central one is distinct, and this is more or less interrupted by clusters
of darker freckles; there is a darker stripe composed of freckles on the
sides, and below this is a pale brownish stripe; head, brown, plate on the
first ring of the body blackish with pale lines upon it. It feeds when
young in sallow catkins, and later on low-growing plants, also leaves of
sallow and seeds of wych-elm. Early stages are figured on Plate 6. The moth
is out in September and early October. It is widely distributed, and
generally common, throughout England and Wales, Scotland to Moray, and
Ireland. Its range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

NOTE.--It may be stated here that the present species, together with
_aurago_, _lutea_, _fulvago_, _gilvago_, and _ocellaris_, are referred to
_Cosmia_, Ochs. and Treit., by Hampson (_Cat. Lep. Phal._ vi. 497).

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 10.
      1. ORANGE SALLOW.
    6-8. THE SALLOW.
   2, 3. BARRED SALLOW.
  9, 10. DUSKY-LEMON SALLOW.
   4, 5. PINK-BARRED SALLOW.
     11. PALE-LEMON SALLOW.
     12. ORANGE UPPER-WING.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 11.
    1, 2. RED-HEADED CHESTNUT MOTH.
    7-10. DARK CHESTNUT.
     3-6. CHESTNUT MOTH.
  11, 12. DOTTED CHESTNUT.

{21}

THE DUSKY-LEMON SALLOW (_Mellinia_ (_Xanthia_) _gilvago_).

Two examples of this species are shown on Plate 10, Figs. 9 and 10. The
purplish-brown mottling or clouding and greyish suffusion of the fore wings
is much denser in some specimens than in others. Often the suffusion is
quite absent, and the purplish brown is only seen as spots. Again, in an
almost unicolorous form the ground colour is of a pale orange tint, the
cross markings and outlines of the reniform are as in the type, and the
series of blackish points on the submarginal line, usually present in the
type, are more conspicuous, owing to absence of the other usual dark
markings; this seems to be the _palleago_ of Hubner, which has been
considered a distinct species; I think, however, that it is only a form of
_gilvago_. The earliest recorded British specimen of this form was taken at
Brighton in 1856, and it and others captured in the same district were then
thought to be examples of _M. ocellaris_, but their true identity was
established by Doubleday in 1859. Very few specimens of this form have been
reported from other parts of England, but I have recently seen one that was
taken at light in the Canterbury district, Kent, on October 3, 1907. In its
typical form this species has an extensive range in England, spreading from
Yorkshire to Surrey and Sussex. The earliest known British specimens were
captured in the neighbourhood of Doncaster over sixty years ago, but its
occurrence in Surrey seems not to have been noted until comparatively
recent times.

The caterpillar is pinkish grey-brown, with three paler lines and a series
of purplish diamonds along the back; the sides are mottled with purplish
brown above the black spiracles, and striped with ochreous grey below them.
According to Buckler, whose description is here adapted, the four pale
raised dots circled with dark brown, placed within the dark marks on the
back of each ring, serve to distinguish this caterpillar from its {22}
allies. It feeds on the seeds of wych-elm, and may be beaten or jarred from
the branches in April and May. The moth is out in the autumn.

THE PALE-LEMON SALLOW (_Mellinia_ (_Xanthia_) _ocellaris_).

Although sparsely marked yellowish examples of the last species have been
mistaken for the present one, the true _M. ocellaris_ was not known to
occur in Britain until 1893, when three specimens were taken at Wimbledon
and Twickenham. In 1894 a specimen was recorded from Bognor in Sussex, and
another in West Dulwich. The following year one specimen was taken at
Richmond, Surrey, and one at Ipswich, Suffolk. Three specimens were
obtained at sugar in 1899, and five others in 1900, in a locality in North
Kent. Odd specimens have also been noted as follows:--Suffolk, Beccles
(1898), Woodbridge (1899); West Norfolk (1904 and 1906); Cambridge (1907).
The caterpillar, which is ochreous grey with black dots, feeds on poplar,
and is stated by one continental author to live in the buds and catkins
when young, and afterwards on low plants. So far, it has not been detected
in England.

A German specimen of the moth is depicted on Plate 10, Fig. 11. From the
last species this one is easily separated by the more pointed fore wings,
by the white dot at lower end of the reniform stigma, and by the different
shaped cross lines.

The moth has been taken at sugar or light in September and October.

THE ORANGE UPPER-WING (_Xantholeuca_ (_Hoporina_) _croceago_).

This species is shown in its typical form on Plate 10, Fig. 12.
Occasionally a dull reddish-brown form (ab. _latericolor_, Raynor) occurs,
of which I some years ago reared several examples, {23} from eggs laid by a
female taken at sallow in Darenth Wood, Kent.

The caterpillar (Plate 6, Fig. 1) is pale ochreous brown, inclining to
orange, finely freckled with brown, and with brown V-marks on the back of
rings 4 to 11; the line along the middle of the back is pale yellow, and
there are two pale yellow spots on ring 11; head, pale brown, freckled with
darker brown, and sometimes rosy tinged. It feeds on oak, and may be found
in May and June.

The moth flies in September and October, and then visits ivy bloom and
sugar at night; after hibernation it comes to sallow bloom. It has been
found during the winter between dry leaves on oak twigs in the hedgerows.
Females taken late in the spring and enclosed in a chip box will probably
deposit a good supply of eggs; caterpillars hatching from them are not
difficult to rear.

The species does not appear to have been noticed in the eastern or northern
counties of England, but it occurs from Worcester southwards to Somerset,
Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall. From Herefordshire it spreads into Wales.
North of London it is found in Hertfordshire, Middlesex, and to the south
in Kent, Surrey, Sussex, and Hampshire.

It is represented in Japan by _sericea_, Butler, which is considered a
distinct species by some authors.

THE RED-HEADED CHESTNUT (_Orrhodia_ (_Conistra_) _erythrocephala_).

The portraits of this species on Plate 11 are from Austrian specimens. Fig.
1 is typical and Fig. 2 is ab. _glabra_, Hubner.

A specimen was captured at Marlow, Bucks, in October, 1859, by Mr. A. H.
Clarke, who presented it to the British Museum in 1903; but perhaps the
earliest-known British specimen was one taken near Brighton in 1847.
Between the {24} last-named Sussex locality and Eastbourne in one
direction, and Lewes in the other, one or more specimens of the type or of
ab. _glabra_ have occurred from time to time, but there are no records from
the county for a number of years now. The species has also been noted from
Hampshire (New Forest and Bournemouth), Somerset, Devon, Kent (Darenth),
and Hertfordshire (St. Albans). The most recent records refer to two
captures at Bournemouth in 1902.

THE CHESTNUT (_Orrhodia_ (_Conistra_) _vaccinii_).

Figure 3 on Plate 11 represents this species in its typical form, which is
of a dark chestnut colour, and almost without markings. The brighter red
modification of this form has been named ab. _rufa_, Tutt; while another
assuming the blacker hue of _O. ligula_ has been described as ab.
_unicolor_, Tutt. In some of the redder forms the cross lines are dark and
conspicuous, thus approaching ab. _spadicea_, Hubner, which has distinct
black lines as seen in Fig. 6. It should be noted that the figure just
referred to is from a German specimen, as I was unable to obtain a suitable
British example of the form. Another far more frequent form of this
variable species is ab. _mixta_, Staud. (Fig. 4), in which the ground
colour is ochreous, more or less tinged with red; the more yellow-coloured
examples of this form have been separated under the name _ochrea_, Tutt.
Figure 5 shows a form that is rather less common than either of those just
adverted to; the specimen is one of a short series from Kent that I have
labelled ab. _suffusa_, Tutt; as will be noticed, the band on the outer
area is in strong contrast to the rest of the fore wings. Apart from the
above and other named forms, there is considerable aberration in the
markings, and more especially as regards the stigmata. The lower extremity
of the reniform is usually black or blackish, but it may be very faint or
entirely absent, and as a contrast {25} to this, the orbicular sometimes
has a blackish dot at its lower end.

The caterpillar feeds, in May and June, on oak, elm, etc., and also upon
low-growing plants. It is reddish brown above, and greenish beneath,
sometimes the upper surface is tinged with green also; the back is freckled
with pale brown, and the three lines along it are faintly paler, the raised
dots are whitish; head, glossy pale brown, freckled with reddish-brown, and
lined with darker brown.

The moth occurs at sugar, ivy bloom, etc., in the autumn and early winter,
also at sallow catkins in the spring, in probably almost all wooded
localities throughout the British Isles.

Its range abroad extends to Japan.

THE DARK CHESTNUT (_Orrhodia_ (_Conistra_) _ligula_).

Four examples of this species are shown on Plate 11. The typical form has a
white band on the outer area of the fore wings (Fig. 7); sometimes this
band is ochreous (ab. _subnigra_, Haworth), and a modification of this, in
which the outlines of the stigmata and the veins are pale, is var.
_ochrea_, Tutt. Ab. _polita_, Hubner (Fig. 9), has a whitish-grey
submarginal band and greyish cross lines, and ab. _spadicea_, Haworth (Fig.
10), is a dark form without any distinct markings. This species has long
been incorrectly known as _spadicea_, Hubner, which, as noted above, is a
form of _vaccinii_, L. Staudinger, probably to prevent confusion, deposed
_spadicea_, Haworth, and set up _subspadicea_ in its place.

Fig. 8 represents a specimen from North Kent that somewhat suggests ab.
_suffusa_, Tutt, of the previous species. On comparing the outer marginal
contour of the fore wings of these closely allied species, it will be noted
that in all forms of _ligula_ the margin below the tip is always slightly
concave, thus giving {26} the wings a decidedly pointed tip, a character
which will serve to distinguish _ligula_ from _vaccinii_ in nearly every
instance.

The caterpillar is reddish brown, freckled with paler; the three pale lines
along the back are distinctly white on the plate on ring 1, the outer lines
edged below with brownish; spiracles outlined in black, and the stripe
along them is reddish ochreous. It feeds in spring and early summer, at
first on oak, sallow, and hawthorn, and afterwards on low-growing weeds.

The moth flies in October and November, and as it lives through the winter
is seen at sugar on any mild night, but it does not seem to turn up at the
sallow catkins in the spring. The species is rather less generally
distributed than the last, but it is not uncommon in the southern and
eastern counties, and is found throughout England to the Tyne. Recorded
from very few localities in Ireland, and apparently not noticed in
Scotland.

THE DOTTED CHESTNUT (_Orrhodia_ (_Dasycampa_) _rubiginea_).

A pair of typical specimens are represented on Plate 11, Figs. 11 and 12. A
form of the species occurring in Somersetshire has the fore wings reddish
brown, and the usual black dots are largely absent (ab. _unicolor_, Tutt).

The caterpillar (Plate 6, Fig. 2) is purplish brown freckled with blackish;
there are three obscure paler lines along the back from ring 3, and a
central series of black spots; the head is black, and the fine hairs of the
body are yellowish brown. It feeds, in May and June, on apple, plum,
dandelion, etc. The fact has been noted that, if supplied with apple until
about half grown, and afterwards with dandelion, it attains full size more
quickly than when kept to one kind of food only.

The moth appears in October and November, retires during the cold weather,
and comes forth again in the spring. When {27} reared in confinement, it
emerges from the chrysalis about a month earlier. Ivy bloom, ripe yew
berries, and also sugar attract it in the autumn, and in the spring it
visits the blossoms of sallow, damson, and sloe. There are several records
of its having been taken at light, perhaps the latest of these being that
of a specimen captured at Exeter on April 11, 1906.

Except in Devonshire, where it is of more regular occurrence, the species
is far from common in England, but is taken in, or has been recorded from,
the counties of Dorset, Wilts, Gloucester, Hereford, Monmouth (S. Wales),
Hants and Isle of Wight, Sussex, Surrey, Berks, Bucks, and Cambridge. In
Ireland it is noted from Dublin, King's County, Kerry, Wicklow, and Galway.

It is represented in Japan by the larger ab. _fornax_, Butler.

THE SATELLITE (_Eupsilia_ (_Scopelosoma_) _satellitia_).

An example of each sex of this species is shown on Plate 12, together with
a less common form. Although specimens vary in the amount of red in the
colour of the fore wings, there is more striking aberration in the colour
of the lunular marks representing the reniform stigma; these are frequently
white, but may be yellow (typical), or reddish orange in either sex. The
dull brownish specimen (Fig. 3) is from Yorkshire, and appears to be
referable to var. _brunnea_, Lampa.

The caterpillar is dark brown, with indistinct paler lines on the back; the
line along the spiracles is white or whitish, but often reduced to a series
of spots on rings 1, 2, 5, and 11. Head, ochreous-brown, darker about the
mouth. It feeds, in May and June, on the leaves of oak, beech, elm, and
other trees, also on low plants; and has a keen appetite, it is said, for
other caterpillars when the opportunity offers.

The moth is out in September, and may be seen at ivy bloom or sugar during
that month, and also in October and November {28} if the weather is
favourable; it is early on the wing again in the spring.

Although apparently uncommon in some few parts, the species seems to be
generally distributed and plentiful throughout England, Wales, Scotland up
to Ross (recorded from Stromma, Orkney), and Ireland.

In Japan, a greyish form with larger spots (ab. _tripuncta_, Butler)
occurs.

THE TAWNY PINION (_Lithophane_ (_Xylina_) _semibrunnea_).

An example of this species is represented on Plate 12, Fig. 4. The black
streak from above the middle of the inner margin towards the hind margin
should be noted, as this character distinguishes _semibrunnea_ from dark
forms of the following species--_L. socia._

The caterpillar is yellowish green, with a broad creamy stripe along the
middle of the back, and two indistinct fine lines on each side; below the
black-outlined white spiracles is a yellow stripe. Head, bluish green,
freckled with darker green. It feeds on ash in May and June.

The moth appears on the wing, and may be seen at ivy bloom and sugar, from
September to November, and is sometimes captured at sallow, after
hibernation, in March or April.

It is on record that two specimens taken in November were kept in
confinement, and three other captives were added in February. All continued
to live until June, and two were still alive on the 23rd of that month.

Although this species is found more or less regularly in most of the
English counties south of Worcester on the west, and Huntingdon on the
east, it is always very local, and never plentiful. It has been reported
from Carmarthenshire in South Wales; and Kane states that in Ireland it has
been taken in Galway and Kerry.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 12.
   1-3. THE SATELLITE.
     6. GREY SHOULDER-KNOT.
     4. TAWNY PINION.
     7. EARLY GREY.
     5. PALE PINION.
  8, 9. GOLDEN-ROD BRINDLE.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 13.
  1, 2. THE CONFORMIST.
     3. THE NONCONFORMIST.
  4, 5. THE CUDWEED.

{29}

THE PALE PINION (_Lithophane_ (_Xylina_) _socia_).

The pale ochreous-brown insect shown on Plate 12, Fig. 5, is without the
dark, sometimes blackish suffusion on the inner area which is
characteristic of the type of this species. Var. _rufescens_, Tutt, is a
reddish form.

The caterpillar is pale green with three white lines, the central one broad
and stripe-like; the line along the spiracles is yellow. Head, pale green,
variegated with white. (Adapted from Porritt.)

The moth comes to ivy bloom, sugar, etc., in September and October, and
even later if the weather is mild. After hibernation it reappears as early
as February, and visits the sallows as soon as the catkins open.

Although it seems to be absent from the eastern counties, except
Cambridge--where, however, it is scarce--this species is found in most of
the other counties mentioned for the last species. It is generally more
plentiful, especially in the west. Occasionally specimens have been taken
in Cumberland, and single examples have been recorded from the Liverpool
and Hartlepool districts. It seems to be not uncommon in South Wales, and
has been reported from Capel Curig, in Carnarvonshire. As regards Ireland,
Kane says that there are few Irish localities where this species is not
found.

THE CONFORMIST (_Graptolitha_ (_Xylina_) _furcifera_).

The typical form of this species has the fore wings of a pale slaty grey
colour; this, however, does not seem to occur in Britain. Our form, var.
_suffusa_, Tutt (shown on Plate 13, Figs. 1 and 2), is much darker grey
with blackish mottling, a yellowish mark at the base and a reddish cloud in
the reniform stigma; the outer area is more or less tinged with violet, and
this tint sometimes spreads over the whole of the fore wings; {30} the
inner margin is tinged with reddish orange at the base, or along the basal
half, and there are some clouds of the same colour on the black submarginal
line. This is _conformis_ of British authors.

The caterpillar (drawn from a skin, Plate 8, Fig. 1) is olive brown, tinged
with green above, and paler brown, tinged with pink beneath; the dots are
yellowish in black circles, and there is a dark olive-brown mark on ring 1;
there are three yellow lines along the back, the central one interrupted by
darker brown freckles, clustered so as to form a series of diamond-shaped
patches, and the others are edged above with dark olive. It feeds on alder,
from April to June.

The moth is out in September and October, and, after hibernation, in March
and April. Ivy bloom and sugar attract it in the autumn, and it has been
taken at sallow catkins as well as at sugar in the spring.

Since 1861, when its occurrence in Wales was first announced, it has been
found more or less regularly in Glamorganshire, South Wales, or the
adjoining English county of Monmouth. The latest record is that by Mr. P.
J. Barraud, who took a male specimen at sallow bloom in the Wye Valley on
March 31, 1907. The capture of a specimen at sugar, near Brighton,
September 13, 1898, has been reported. One specimen has been recorded from
Yorks., another from Westmoreland; and in 1902, two from near Lancaster.
Wales, however, appears to be the home of this species in the British
Isles.

THE NONCONFORMIST (_Graptolitha_ (_Xylina_) _lamda_).

The example of this species shown on Plate 13, Fig. 3, is of the typical
form, and hails from the Continent. Of the six specimens observed in
England the majority have been recorded as _zinckenii_, Treitschke, a form
having the fore wings more variegated with white. Another form, ab.
_somniculosa_, Hering, {31} has most of the typical markings, especially on
the outer area, absent.

The earliest occurrence of this species in Britain appears to have been
that of a specimen on the trunk of a poplar tree in the northern environs
of London, October, 1865. Then on September 30, 1866, one was detected on
the bole of a willow tree in a locality not indicated more definitely than
"near New Cross"; another specimen was taken in the same year in the
Guildford district, at sugar. On October 3, 1870, a fourth was found on the
reverse side of a tree that had been sugared, at Dartford, Kent; and a
specimen, labelled Erith, September, 1875, was in the collection of the
late Mr. Bond. Lastly, a specimen came to sugar at Copdock, Ipswich, in
late September, 1895.

The range of this species abroad extends through Scandinavia, Belgium,
North Germany, and North Russia, to East Siberia, and Amurland. It is found
in North America, where it is known as _thaxteri_, Grote.

THE GREY SHOULDER-KNOT (_Graptolitha_ (_Xylina_) _ornithopus_).

The moth, of which a portrait will be found on Plate 12, Fig. 6, emerges
from the chrysalis in the autumn, and may then be found at night on ivy
bloom or at the sugar patch; and in the daytime it may frequently be seen
on tree trunks, palings, etc. After hibernation, it is again seen in the
spring, on fences, pales, etc., and visits the sallow catkins at night.
Females of this species, and other hibernating kinds, taken in the spring
generally deposit fertile eggs pretty freely; often such specimens are not
in the best condition, but one female, if she has not already parted with
most of her eggs, will as a rule deposit quite as many as the collector is
likely to need.

The caterpillar is of a blue-green colour with whitish freckles; {32} three
broken whitish lines along the back; head, green, with a paler mark on each
cheek. It is to be found in May and early June on the leaves of oak.

The species is widely distributed throughout England and Wales, but is more
frequently met with in the south than in the north. It is found in
Scotland, but only rarely, and the same remark applies to Ireland
generally, although the species is not uncommon in some parts of Wicklow,
Cork, and Kerry.

Its range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

THE GOLDEN-ROD BRINDLE (_Lithomoia solidaginis_).

On Plate 12, Fig. 8 represents a Lancashire specimen, whilst Fig. 9 is
taken from an Aberdeen example. The first, having the central area suffused
with brown, is more nearly typical, and the other varies in the direction
of ab. _virgata_, Tutt, in which form the central shade is black. Other
named forms are--ab. _cinerascens_, Staud. = _pallida_, Tutt (pale
ashy-grey, central shade almost or quite obsolete), ab. _suffusa_, Tutt
(similar to _virgata_, but the basal area also black or blackish).

The caterpillar is brown, with a purplish or violet tinge, and freckled
with grey; an indistinct line along the middle of the back and a creamy
stripe along the sides, the latter is edged above with black; head, shining
reddish-brown, freckled with darker brown. It feeds on bilberry, bearberry
(_Arctostaphylos uva-ursi_), heather, sallow, birch, and hawthorn, and is
to be found from May to July.

The moth is out in August and September, and in its woodland and moorland
haunts is to be seen sitting about on the dead stems of bracken, charred
twigs and stems of heather, or on birch trunks, rocks, walls, etc. When
thus resting, however, they very closely resemble twisted birch bark,
grouse droppings, and other common objects occurring in the haunts of the
species, so that its detection is not easy at first. {33}

In England this species is found from Shropshire and Staffordshire
northwards to Cumberland; thence through Scotland to Aberdeen and
Sutherland. In Wales it has been obtained commonly near Rhos in the north.

Abroad its range spreads to Amurland; and it occurs in North America, where
it is known as _germana_, Morrison.

THE EARLY GREY (_Xylocampa areola_).

A typical specimen of this widely distributed and, at least in the southern
half of England, rather common species, is shown on Plate 12, Fig. 7. A
dark form has been named ab. _suffusa_, Tutt, and one with the fore wings
of the typical grey colour, but with a pinkish flush, is ab. _rosea_, Tutt.

The caterpillar (figured from a skin, on Plate 8, Fig. 2) is
yellowish-brown, with a fine pale central line along the back, often only
distinct on rings 1, 11, and 12, and always obscured by dark brown patches
on 7 and 8; a blackish line low down along the sides. The body tapers
towards each end, and especially so towards the small head. It lives upon
honey-suckle, and feeds on the leaves at night, during May and June, or
sometimes later.

[Illustration: FIG. 1.

EARLY GREY AT REST.

(Photo by W. J. Lucas.)]

The moth appears in March and April, and, in the daytime, is often met with
at rest on posts, fences, and the trunks of trees; also upon stone walls,
but seemingly less frequently, probably owing to the moth being then less
easy to detect. At night it flies around sallow bushes and sometimes
settles on the catkins, but is always on the alert. {34}

THE SWORD-GRASS (_Calocampa exoleta_).

Except that the pale grey brown fore wings are more clouded with blackish
in some specimens than in others, there is little of importance to note.
Usually there are two black wedges pointing inwards from the indistinct
submarginal line, but occasionally one, or more rarely both, may be absent.
(Plate 14, Figs. 3 [male] and 4 [female].)

The caterpillar is green, with two series of white spotted black marks, the
line below these is yellow, and that lower down on the side is bright red;
the spots between the lines are white, encircled with black. From April to
May it feeds, often in the sunshine, as well as at night, on restharrow,
thistles, stonecrop, groundsel, dock, in fact on almost all low-growing
plants, as well as the foliage of some trees. The caterpillars of this and
the next species are exceedingly pretty creatures, and are sure to attract
attention whenever met with. Dr. Chapman notes that the caterpillar will
feed on stale leaves.

The moth emerges in the autumn, and seems to be on the wing until quite
late in the year, and is seen again as early as March, and thence on until
May. One male and two females captured at sugar, March 12 and 13, were
placed in a glass cylinder with various food plants, and a sprig of sallow
catkins, moistened occasionally with syrup, afforded nourishment for the
moths every evening. On April 13, two batches of eggs were noted on nettle,
but these were not fertile. On April 15 and 20 pairing took place; and by
May 3 over three thousand eggs had been deposited. On May 13 the two
females, being still alive, were set at liberty (Goodwin).

Although it certainly appears to be less frequently seen in the south than
northwards, the species is known to occur pretty well all over England and
Wales. In Scotland, where it is generally commoner than in England, except
perhaps in the {35} northern counties of the latter, its range extends to
the Orkneys.

Abroad, it is found throughout Europe (except the most northern parts);
Asia to Japan; and the Canaries.

THE RED SWORD-GRASS (_Calocampa vetusta_).

In this species the ground colour of the fore wings varies from whity brown
to ochreous brown with a slight reddish tinge. A greyish shade spreads from
the base along the median vein to below the reniform stigma in the paler
and more typical specimens; the inner area is dark brown, but widely broken
below the reniform by the grey suffusion. The specimens figured on Plate 14
(Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female]) are from Sligo, Ireland, and are referable to
var. _brunnea_, Tutt. The inner area in this form is red-brown, or
inclining to blackish brown.

The caterpillar is green, with three yellow lines along the back, and a
reddish orange stripe along the area of the spiracles; a series of
black-circled white dots on each side of the central line; in the form
figured (from a skin) on Plate 8, Fig. 3, the lines on the back are white,
and the spaces between them black, dotted with white; the stripe along the
reddish spiracles also white, edged above with black; head, shining light
reddish brown. It feeds, from May to July, on various low herbage, such as
dock, persicaria, knotgrass, etc., also sedges and yellow flag.

The moth appears in September and October, and again in March and April,
but seems to have been noted at various times both earlier and later.
Mathew records that a female captured at sugar on June 11, deposited 36
eggs during the following week. These were laid in a chip box, and the
caterpillars hatched out on June 24, fed up quickly on knotgrass, attained
full growth by July 24, and pupated about that date. {36} One moth emerged
September 29, and five others, including three cripples, later.

This species is most frequent in Ireland and Scotland, being distributed
throughout the latter country to Orkney and Shetland. It has been noted
from almost every part of England, but does not seem to be plentiful
generally in the country.

The distribution abroad ranges to East Siberia and to North America.

THE MULLEIN (_Cucullia verbasci_).

Two specimens, representing both sexes, of this species are shown on Plate
15, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female]. Sometimes the darker colour on the marginal
areas, especially the inner, inclines to blackish; while in some specimens
the whole of the fore wings is suffused with brownish.

The caterpillar is white with a greenish tinge, each ring of the body is
banded with yellow, has four black spots on the back, and some black dots
and lines on the sides; the head is yellowish, dotted with black. It may be
found in June and July quite exposed on mullein (_Verbascum thapsus_, and
_V. pulverulentum_); also figwort (_Scrophularia nodosa_, and _S.
aquatica_). Barrett states that it has been noted on _Buddlaea globosa_, an
American plant sometimes grown in gardens. These caterpillars are certainly
attacked by parasitical flies, but do not seem to be quite so frequently
"stung" as those of some other species of the "Sharks." The caterpillar
figured on Plate 18, Fig. 1, was obtained at Box Hill by Mr. Norman Riley.

The moth is out in late April and in May, and, except an occasional capture
at light, is rarely seen in the open. The caterpillars are probably
obtainable in most English and Welsh counties, especially the southern ones
of both countries, wherever there is an abundance of its food plants.
Except that McArthur found the species in the Isle of Lewis, in 1901, there
is no record from Scotland. In Ireland it has been recorded from Dublin by
Birchall; and in 1901 three moths were taken at Timoleague, Co. Cork, and
caterpillars later on were plentiful in the district.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 14.
  1, 2. RED SWORD-GRASS, _male and female_.
  3, 4. THE SWORD-GRASS,    "   "    "

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 15.
  1, 2. THE MULLEIN MOTH.
  4, 5. THE STRIPED LYCHNIS.
     3. THE WATER BETONY.
     6. THE STARWORT.

{37}

THE WATER BETONY (_Cucullia scrophulariae_).

A good deal of confusion exists both in Britain and on the Continent as to
the identity of the _Cucullia_ figured and described by Capieux in 1789,
and by most authors since that time. I have received over twenty specimens
from Austria, Germany, and other parts of Europe, sent to me as
_scrophulariae_. As I have been unable to separate the majority of these
specimens from _C. lychnitis_, and the others from _C. verbasci_, Mr. F. N.
Pierce has been good enough to examine the genitalia of six of the males,
and of these he reports four are _C. lychnitis_, and two are _C. verbasci_.

In England we certainly have a _Cucullia_ sometimes appearing in the moth
state rather later than _C. verbasci_ and always earlier than _C.
lychnitis;_ the caterpillar producing it feeds on _Scrophularia nodosa_ in
July. It is, however, very local, and is found chiefly in North Kent, and
occasionally in the Eastern Counties. Mr. Pierce finds that the male
genitalia of a North Kent _scrophulariae_ sent to him do not differ from
these parts in _C. verbasci_, but Dr. Chapman informs me that he detects a
slight difference in one that he examined.

It must be admitted that the identity of the North Kent and East Anglian
_Cucullia_ with the _scrophulariae_ of Capieux is very doubtful, but we
evidently shall not be greatly opposed to Continental methods if we
continue to allow April and May moths resulting from Scrophularia nodosa
caterpillars to do duty for _C. scrophulariae_. I have therefore figured as
this species a specimen that was reared, with others, in April and May,
1877, from larvae obtained in the Dartford marshes. (Plate 15, Fig. 3.)
{38}

The caterpillar is of a whitish-grey colour; along the middle of the back
is a series of broad deep yellow triangles pointing backwards, each edged
on both sides by large confluent deep black spots, usually forming a
somewhat C-shaped marking, which encloses another yellow spot, and below is
followed by several black spots; behind all these, on each segment, is a
deep green transverse spotless band. The forms of the black markings,
composed of united spots, vary in the degree of union of these spots; each
anterior spot is confluent with the posterior one below it, but does not
unite transversely with the others; in one variety they resemble tadpole
forms united by the tails, in another these tails are as thick as the spots
and form blotched curves; and in still another they are so thick and
confluent as to include some of the side spots, thus completely edging two
sides of the yellow triangle with a blotched black border. (Adapted from
Buckler.)

THE STRIPED LYCHNIS (_Cucullia lychnitis_).

An example of each sex of this species is shown on Plate 15, Figs. 4 and 5.
The general colour of the fore wings is paler, and the streaks along the
front and inner margins are darker than in _C. verbasci_; and the outer
margins of the wings are less jagged.

The caterpillar (figured on Plate 18, Fig. 2, from a photo by Mr. H. Main)
is greenish white or yellow; the rings are cross banded with yellow and
spotted with black; usually the spots are united as in the figure,
sometimes they are smaller and well separated, and occasionally all but
those low down along the sides are absent. Coupled with decrease in size
and number of the black spots, there is variation in the width of the
yellow bands. _Verbascum nigrum_ is the more usual food plant in Britain,
but it will also eat _V. lychnitis_. It feeds, in July and August, on the
flowers and unripe seed capsules in preference to the foliage. {39}

Between sixty and seventy years ago, the late Mr. Samuel Stevens obtained
the caterpillars on mullein growing in a chalk pit at Arundel in Sussex,
and this seems to be the earliest notice of the species occurring in
Britain. It is now known also to inhabit Hampshire, Surrey, and
Oxfordshire; has been reported from Norfolk, Suffolk, and Gloucestershire.

THE STAR-WORT (_Cucullia asteris_).

The silvery-grey fore wings of this moth (Plate 15, Fig. 6) are broadly
suffused with reddish brown along the front margin, and more narrowly with
purplish brown inclining to blackish along the inner margin; the latter is
separated from a purplish brown blotch at the outer angle by a whitish
edged black curved mark.

The caterpillar (figured on Plate 18, Fig. 3, from a photo by Mr. Main) is
green with a black-edged yellow stripe along the back, and another along
the white spiracles; between these stripes are two pale greenish lines;
head, green, sprinkled with blackish. In another form the body is suffused
with reddish, inclining to purplish on the back; yellow markings pretty
much as in the green form. It feeds chiefly on golden-rod (_Solidago
virgaurea_) and sea star-wort (_Aster tripolium_), showing a decided
preference for the flowers, but will eat the foliage of the plants
mentioned. In confinement it can be reared on garden asters and Michaelmas
daisy. It may be obtained on its food plants from July well into September.

The moth emerges in June and July as a rule, sometimes in early August, but
has been known to come from the chrysalis during September up to the 23rd
of that month. The species is found often abundantly in the caterpillar
state in the seaboard counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, Sussex,
Hants, and Dorset. In Surrey it has occurred at Haslemere, and in {40} the
Croydon district (?); and it has been recorded from Herefordshire and North
Lancashire.

The range abroad extends to East Siberia, Amurland, and Japan.

THE SHARK (_Cucullia umbratica_).

On the fore wings of this greyish species (Plate 16, Figs. 5 [male] and 6
[female]) there is some variation in the short black streaks on the basal
and outer areas, and in the dots around the stigma; the front margin is
sometimes brownish tinged. The hind wings of the female are always darker
than those of the male.

The caterpillar feeds on plants of the sowthistle (_Sonchus_) kind, also on
garden lettuce and the wild species. It may be found in August and early
September, but, as it feeds only at night, it should be searched for in the
daytime on the undersides of the lower leaves. In general colour it is
ochreous inclining to greyish, with an intricate raised pattern in blackish
on the upper surface; the head is black, and there is a yellow spotted
sooty brown plate on the first ring of the body.

The moth is to be seen in June and July, sitting on the upper parts of
palings, and other kinds of wooden fencing; also on tent pegs, etc.; but it
is not easy to detect even when its whereabouts is indicated. At night it
visits flowers of campion, sweet william, honeysuckle, etc.

Widely distributed throughout the British Isles to the Orkneys, but
seemingly more plentiful and regular in occurrence in the south of England
than in the north.

THE CHAMOMILE SHARK (_Cucullia chamomillae_).

Although somewhat similar to the last species, this moth may be
distinguished by the more brownish tinge of its grey fore wings. The hind
wings are also brown-grey in both sexes, but darkest in the female. {41}

Sometimes the central area of the fore wings is clouded with blackish from
the front to the inner margin; such specimens are referable to ab.
_chrysanthemi_, Hubn. (Plate 16, Figs. 1 typical, 2 ab.)

The caterpillar, which may be found in the summer months, is greenish white
with zigzag olive markings, the lines on the back meeting in the middle of
each ring, where there is a small pinkish blotch; head, pale yellowish,
striped with brown on the face. It feeds on wild chamomile (_Matricaria_),
stinking mayweed (_Anthemis_), and _Pyrethrum_ (Plate 18, Fig. 1). The Rev.
Miles Moss, writing his experience of this species at Rossall, near
Fleetwood, Lancashire, notes that until half-grown the caterpillars live
exposed, and are then found lying in a half-circle on the crowns of
unexpanded flower heads. At this time they are green with dark and also
white markings. He adds that caterpillars measuring about an inch in length
when collected, were preparing for pupation a week later.

The moth is out in April and May, and has been captured even in July. When
chrysalids are kept indoors, but not dry, the moths sometimes emerge in
March, and occasionally in the earlier months of the year. A habit more or
less general among the species of this genus is to remain in the chrysalis
state for two or more winters; the present species has been known to emerge
during March of the first, second, and third years following that in which
the caterpillars were found.

Widely distributed over England and Wales, but apparently most frequent in
the seaboard counties. In Scotland it occurs up to Perthshire, and it is
found on various parts of the Irish coast.

THE CUDWEED (_Cucullia gnaphalii_).

Portraits of two specimens of this very local species, kindly lent by Mr.
R. Adkin, will be found on Plate 13, Figs. 4 and 5. {42} The general
coloration is usually silvery grey, but occasionally it inclines to
yellowish. The moth has rarely been noted by day, and only one specimen
seems to have been captured on the wing. Even caterpillars are by no means
common in their best-known localities, and of those obtained after much
labour a large proportion may frequently prove to have been the victims of
parasitic flies.

The caterpillar is green, inclining to olive green, thickly freckled with
pale yellow atoms; a purplish-brown stripe along the middle of the back and
two faint purplish lines along the sides; a pale yellow line along the
region of the black-edged spiracles, which are set in purplish-brown
blotches. (Adapted from Buckler.)

Its food plant is golden-rod (_Solidago_) and it feeds at night and hides
by day, low down on the stems or under the leaves: July to September. In
confinement the caterpillars will eat garden aster and Michaelmas daisy.

The British haunts of the species are chiefly in Kent (Sevenoaks, Tunbridge
Wells, etc.), and Sussex (Tilgate Forest, etc.); but according to Barrett
it is also known from Hampshire, Surrey, and Essex. Abroad, the range
extends through Central Europe to Southern Scandinavia, Livonia, Southern
Russia, the Altai Mountains, Italy, and Armenia; but the species is nowhere
plentiful.

It may be mentioned here that a very closely allied, and on the Continent
common, species--_C. xeranthemi_, Boisduval--might easily be mistaken for
_C. gnaphalii_.

THE WORMWOOD (_Cucullia absinthii_).

This moth is shown on Plate 16, Fig. 4. The fore wings are usually tinged
with purplish over the greyish ground colour; black dots on the stigmata
give to each of these marks some resemblance to the figure 8. {43}

The caterpillar, which feeds on the flowers and seeds of wormwood
(_Artemisia absinthium_) and will eat mugwort (_A. vulgaris_), is best
found on sunny days. It is yellowish green, suffused with purplish grey on
the back of each ring; there are three pale green lines along the back, and
an ochreous grey plate on ring 1. To be found in August and early
September, but on dull days it must be sought for among the lower leaves,
or on the ground. When resting among the flowers it so closely harmonises
with them that it might easily escape detection.

The moth is out in July.

The species is perhaps most abundant on the South Devonshire coast, but its
range extends into Cornwall, and eastward to the Isle of Portland and the
Isle of Wight; it is not uncommon along the coasts of North Devon (Lee and
Croyde), Somerset (Minehead), and South Wales. It has also been recorded
from North Wales, and from parts of the Suffolk coast. In Ireland, a
specimen was taken in a garden at Cromlyn, Westmeath, in 1873, and more
recently two specimens of the moth, and also some caterpillars, were
obtained at Timoleague, Cork.

_Cucullia artemisiae (abrotani)_.

This species, of which a Continental example is represented on Plate 16,
Fig. 3, is apparently exceedingly rare in this country, and most probably
is not a native.

In the collection of the late Dr. Mason, which was dispersed at Stevens' in
1905, there were three specimens, each of which had seemingly been included
among series of _C. absinthii_ purchased at three separate sales. A fourth
specimen, also mixed with _C. absinthii_, was in the collection of the late
Rev. H. Burney. Two other specimens have been reported from Devonshire,
where, it is said, they were found sitting on a fence. {44}

The caterpillar feeds, in August and September, on wormwood and other kinds
of _Artemisia_. It is green with red raised spots, a white line along the
middle of the back, and a yellow stripe low down along the sides; head,
brown inclining to blackish above. The moth is out in June and July.

THE BEAUTIFUL YELLOW UNDERWING (_Anarta myrtilli_).

In its typical form (Plate 17, Figs. 1, 2) this species has the fore wings
purplish brown or blackish brown, whilst in var. _rufescens_, Tutt, the
general colour of the fore wings is reddish inclining to crimson, and the
white markings are clearly defined. In some dark specimens the markings are
more or less obscure, and in others only the central white dot is distinct.

The caterpillar is green, dotted and marked with white; there are three
rows of yellowish bars along the back, those forming the outer series
slightly curved. It is to be found on ling (_Calluna vulgaris_), also on
heath (_Erica_), from July to October, but it seems to be more frequently
obtained in early autumn. Occasionally it has been found in the spring.
Hawthorn has been mentioned as a food-plant (Plate 20, Fig. 1).

The moth has been taken in each month from April to August, but it is
perhaps most plentiful from May to July. The species occurs on heath and
moorlands throughout the British Isles, but so far it has not been recorded
from the Shetlands. It flies on sunny days and is very active on the wing,
but when the sun is obscured, or towards evening, it may be found at rest
on the heather sprays, usually at their tips.

THE SMALL DARK YELLOW UNDERWING (_Anarta cordigera_).

The pretty moth represented on Plate 17, Fig. 7, is only found in the
British Isles, on the mountains of Scotland, chiefly in Perthshire and
Aberdeenshire. Sometimes the basal area of the fore wings is suffused with
black, and to a lesser extent the outer area also (var. _aethiops_, Hoffm.
= _suffusa_, Tutt); on the other hand, typical examples have both basal and
outer areas silvery grey, and the central area black. A form, which I have
not seen, is described as having the black central area broken by an ashy
cross band passing between the stigmata (var. _variegata_, Tutt).

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 16.
  1, 2. CHAMOMILE SHARK.
     4. THE WORMWOOD.
     3. _CUCULLIA ARTEMISIAE_.
  5, 6. THE SHARK.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 17.
    1, 2. BEAUTIFUL YELLOW UNDERWING.
    3, 4. SMALL YELLOW UNDERWING.
    5, 6. BROAD-BORDERED WHITE UNDERWING.
       7. SMALL DARK YELLOW UNDERWING.
    8, 9. THE PEASE BLOSSOM.
  10, 11. BORDERED SALLOW.

{45} The caterpillar is reddish brown, with three white lines along the
back, and a reddish-freckled ochreous stripe low down on the sides.
Sometimes the general colour is blackish. It feeds on bearberry
(_Arctostaphylos_) in June and July; also said to eat _Vaccinium
uliginosum_; in confinement it will thrive on _Arbutus unedo_, commonly
known as the "strawberry tree."

The moth is out in May, when it flies in the sunshine, and in dull weather
sits about on the rocks, stones, lichen, etc. Mr. Cockayne notes that at
Rannoch he met with it from May 17 in numbers, but always in isolated spots
where bearberry was plentiful. Here the moths were either feeding on the
flowers or settled on the ground. He further remarks that this species
occurs at the comparatively low elevation of 800 to 900 feet, whereas the
next species ascends to 2000 feet.

The distribution abroad extends to Amurland and Labrador.

THE BROAD-BORDERED WHITE UNDERWING (_Anarta melanopa_).

This species has the ground colour of the fore wings greyish in the type
and brownish in var. _wistromi_, Lampa. Specimens with the fore wings more
or less typical, but with the normally white area of hind wings dark
greyish, are referable to ab. _rupestralis._ I remember seeing a specimen
of the last-named form in the collection of the late Mr. S. Stevens, but I
believe that it is very rare in the British Isles. In all forms there is
variation in the stigmata, and in the orbicular especially. (Plate 17,
Figs. 5 [male] and 6 [female].) {46}

The caterpillar is of a purplish pink colour, with a black-edged
ochreous-brown line along the middle of the back, broken up by
reddish-brown triangles; the stripe along the region of the black spiracles
is yellowish white flecked with red; the sides of the body above the stripe
are flecked with reddish, and above them is a yellowish-white line and some
black marks. Head, brownish, freckled with darker. It feeds at night, in
July, on bilberry (_Vaccinium myrtillus_), cowberry (_V. vitis-idaea_), and
can also be reared on strawberry tree, sallow, knotgrass, etc. In the
daytime it must be searched for under the leaves.

The moth is out in May and the early part of June, and is most active in
the sunshine, but flies on dull days when the weather is warm. It seems
confined to the higher level of the mountains, and its habits are similar
to those of the last species, but its range extends to the Shetland Isles.
The species was not recognised as British until about 1830, and the same
remark applies to _A. cordigera._

THE SMALL YELLOW UNDERWING (_Heliaca tenebrata_).

The fore wings are a little more reddish in some specimens than in others,
and occasionally the yellow of the hind wings is much reduced in area by
the expansion of the black border, or it may be suffused with blackish.
(Plate 17, Figs. 3 and 4.)

The caterpillar is green, with three lines along the back, the central one
dark green and the others whitish, bordered below with dark green; the
stripe low down along the sides is yellowish white, edged above with dark
green. It feeds, in June and July, on mouse-ear chickweed (_Cerastium_),
devouring the blossom and seeds, when young boring into the unripe capsule.

The moth flies on sunny days in May and early June, and is more or less
common in grass-bordered lanes, hay meadows, etc., in most counties
throughout the southern part of England. {47} In the midland counties it
appears to be far more local, thence to Durham (its northern limit in
England) it is generally scarce. It has been recorded from Pembrokeshire
and Flintshire, in Wales. A specimen has been reported from Robroyston,
near Glasgow, in Scotland. As the species has been obtained in Kerry and
Sligo, the probability is that it occurs in other parts of Ireland.

THE PEASE-BLOSSOM (_Chariclea delphinii_).

The beautifully tinted moth represented by Figs. 8 and 9 on Plate 17 was
known as British to Haworth (1802), but it had been figured by Wilkes in
1773, and by Moses Harris in 1775. In 1829 Stephens remarked that there
were then but few native specimens in British cabinets, among which were
examples from the Windsor district "caught about fifteen years since, in
June." He adds, the interest and value of these, and older specimens, was
lessened by "the execrable practice of introducing Continental insects into
collections." Stainton (1857) refers to the Windsor specimens only, and
Newman (1869) ignores the species altogether. In 1902 two specimens were
presented to the British Museum by Mr. J. F. Bennett, and are now in the
National Collection of British Lepidoptera. These were obtained at Brighton
in 1876 by the donor's father, but whether captured or reared is not known.

THE BORDERED SALLOW (_Pyrrhia umbra_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 17, Figs. 10, 11) in its typical form
are yellow inclining to orange, with the outer area more or less tinted
with purplish. In a paler form, ab. _marginata_, Fab., the fore wings are
without the orange tint, and the outer area is rather greyish brown. {48}

The caterpillar (Plate 20, Fig. 4) is grey or greenish, speckled with
white, and with raised black dots; there are three lines along the back,
the central one white edged, broader and darker than the outer ones, which
are sometimes white; a white-edged pale yellow stripe low down along the
sides. In some examples the general colour is pinkish brown.

It feeds on restharrow (_Ononis_) in July and August, but can be reared on
knotgrass, and has been known to thrive on the green pods of the scarlet
runner bean (_Phaseolus vulgaris_). The moth flies at dusk in June,
sometimes earlier or later. It visits the flowers of various plants,
especially those of _Silene_ and _Lychnis_; also comes to the sugar patch
and may be attracted by light. Although not generally common, it seems to
be widely distributed over England and Wales, but is most frequent in the
seaboard counties, and this is more particularly the case in the north. In
Scotland it appears to occur from Berwick northwards to Moray, and in
Ireland it has been noted from several of the littoral counties, chiefly
southern, but also from Sligo.

The range abroad extends to the North-west Himalayas, Amurland, Corea, and
Japan; the species also occurs in North America from the Atlantic to the
Rocky Mountains.

THE MARBLED CLOVER (_Heliothis dipsacea_).

The ground colour of this species (Plate 19, Figs. 1, 2) ranges from
yellowish to ochreous with a greyish, or olive, tinge; the central band
including the reniform stigma is olive, or reddish brown, terminating on
the inner margin in a cloud extending towards the hind margin; submarginal
line preceded by a shade-like band similar in colour to the central one,
but often only well defined on costal and inner margins; the whitish area
of the hind wings is sometimes much reduced. The darker specimens are
typical of the species, whilst those with the paler ground colour and
brighter cross bands are referable to var. _maritima_, Grasl.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 18.
      1. MULLEIN: _caterpillar_.
      2. STRIPED LYCHNIS: _caterpillar_.
  3, 3a. STARWORT: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.
      4. CHAMOMILE SHARK: _chrysalis and cocoon_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 19.
  1, 2. MARBLED CLOVER.
     3. SPOTTED CLOVER.
  4, 5. BORDERED STRAW.
   6-8. SCARCE BORDERED STRAW.
     9. PALE SHOULDER.
    10. THE FOUR-SPOTTED.

{49} The caterpillar varies in colour, green of various shades, pinkish, or
purplish brown; three lines along the back, the central one with dark
edges, and the outer ones whitish, with dark lower edge; the line low down
along the sides is often whitish; but this, and also the other white lines,
may be replaced by greenish or yellowish. It feeds on various low-growing
plants such as restharrow, scabious, toadflax, white campion, bladder
campion, clover, etc., preferring the flowers and seeds. It has been found
from July to September. Sometimes it has been reared on the pods of the
scarlet-runner bean.

The moth, which is out in June and July, dashes about rapidly in the
daytime, and as it is partial to the flowers of the bugloss, or those of
clover, etc., it may be netted when feasting on the blossoms. It occurs in
meadows, on heaths, and on sandhills by the sea, in most of the southern
and eastern counties of England, but is only rarely seen northwards, and
has not been recorded from other parts of the British Isles.

Distribution abroad: the whole Palaearctic region less the extreme north;
also represented in North America by _phlogophagus_, Grote and Robinson.

THE SPOTTED CLOVER MOTH (_Heliothis scutosa_).

The very distinct-looking moth shown on Plate 19, Fig. 3, is exceedingly
rare in Britain, only about eleven specimens being authenticated. The
earliest-known British specimen was captured in a locality near Dalston, in
Cumberland, July, 1835. The next record is of three examples near
Skinburnness, also in Cumberland. Then, in 1875, one occurred in Norfolk,
at the Cromer lighthouse, and this was followed by another in 1876. In 1877
one was captured as it flew over clover at Weston-super-Mare. On September
19, 1878, a specimen was netted at {50} the flowers of ragwort on the shore
of Lough Swilly, near Buncrana, Ireland, and one is recorded as taken near
Aberdeen, Scotland, in July of that year. The late Dr. Mason had a specimen
said to have been taken at Attleborough, in Norfolk, June, 1880. The latest
recorded capture is that of a specimen taken by Mr. F. Capel Hanbury in a
clover field near Dartmouth, South Devon, September 4, 1900.

The range abroad extends through Central and Southern Europe eastward to
North India, North China; and southwards to North-west Africa. It occurs
also in the Western United States of America.

THE BORDERED STRAW (_Heliothis peltigera_).

Two examples of this species are shown on Plate 19, Figs. 4, 5. The fore
wings are pale ochreous brown, with a more or less reddish tinge; the cross
lines are not always distinct, but there is generally a dark dot on the
costal end of the first line, and a large olive-brown spot between the
second and submarginal lines; following the submarginal line is a pale band
of variable width, but always with a black dot (sometimes double) towards
its lower end. Very pale specimens are referable to ab. _pallida_,
Cockerell.

The caterpillar (Plate 20, Fig. 3, figured from a coloured drawing by Mr.
A. Sich) is green, with three darker green or reddish stripes along the
back; the stripe along the area of the spiracles is dark green, edged below
with white, but when the other stripes are reddish this is also marked with
that colour. Several other forms have been described, and the caterpillar
seems to be a most variable one. It feeds, from June to August, and again
in September and October, on many kinds of low-growing herbage, such as
restharrow (_Ononis_), clover (_Trifolium_), _Matricaria inodora_, etc.;
also on furze or gorse (_Ulex_), and thorn apple (_Datura_). The blossoms
and unripe {51} seeds are preferred in almost all cases, and flowers of the
garden marigold will be found useful when these caterpillars are reared in
confinement.

From eggs deposited by a female moth taken at Deal in the evening of June
17, 1904, the caterpillars hatched out in due course, fed up on wild
convolvulus, pupated at the end of July, and the moths emerged during the
last week of August and the first week of September. In another case, moths
were developed in about forty-seven days from eggs laid in mid-July. In
1907 six caterpillars were found in South Devon during the second week in
August, and one of these attained the moth state on September 3. Previous
to 1906, which was a notable one for the species, the moth seems not to
have been observed earlier than June, but in the year mentioned several
were taken at the flowers of valerian during May, at Torquay. Caterpillars
were plentiful on restharrow in the same district during June and July, and
an example, presumably, of a second generation was captured at bramble
blossom on August 11. In the same year and on the 15th of the month just
noted, a specimen was reared from a caterpillar found on _Ononis_, July 18,
and another specimen captured, August 24, as it flew in the sunshine on a
slope of the South Downs. In Clarendon Wood, near Salisbury, Wilts, one
example was taken at sugar, September 2, 1906. The species seems to be of
fairly regular occurrence in Devonshire and Cornwall, but it has also been
observed, more or less rarely, in many other English counties, chiefly
those on the coast; in Pembrokeshire and Glamorganshire, South Wales; a few
specimens have occurred in Co. Cork, and one in Co. Wicklow, Ireland. All
that appears to be known of this species in Scotland is that one specimen
has been recorded from Markton, Ayrshire.

Abroad, its distribution is extensive, ranging from Africa, the Canaries,
and Madeira to Central and Southern Europe, and through Asia to India. {52}

THE SCARCE BORDERED STRAW (_Heliothis armigera_).

This species (Plate 19, Figs. 6-8) has an almost universal distribution. It
is found in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Australia. As regards the
British Isles, it was first recorded by Mr. Edleston, who noted a specimen
taken at Salford, Lancashire, by Mr. John Thomas, in September, 1840. This
specimen, also one captured at Mickleham, Surrey, and others "taken in
various localities," are referred to in the _Entomologist's Annual_ for
1855. The following year one was reported from Exeter and one from the Isle
of Wight. The summer of 1859 was a hot one (as were the two previous
summers), and the species was recorded from the following localities:
Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Edmonton, Isle of Wight, Ramsgate, Torquay,
Weston-super-Mare, Worthing, and other places. Apart from the captures on
the Devonshire coast, chiefly at Torquay, where the moth seems to occur
pretty nearly every year, the records since 1859 are: 1866 (Scarborough);
1871 (Wakefield); 1876 (Hartlepool, and Kentish Coast); 1877 and 1881
(Gloucester); 1890 (Chatham); 1895 (Tunbridge Wells); 1901 (Isle of Wight);
1902 (Chester and Harwich); 1903 (Lewes). In all cases only single
specimens. The species has been noted once in South Wales, and twice in
North Wales; several specimens were secured in 1898 near Berwick-on-Tweed,
and odd specimens have been recorded from Ireland.

The caterpillar is variable in colour; in one form it is green with a
yellowish stripe along the sides, and in another the colour is purplish
brown. The form figured (Plate 20, Fig. 2) is pinkish brown with a
black-edged whitish line along the back, and a pinkish freckled and
brownish edged yellowish stripe along the sides; the raised dots are white
as a rule, but sometimes in the darker forms they are blackish. In some
examples of the green form the dots and lines are black. {53}

In 1869 two specimens of the moth were reared from caterpillars imported
with tomatoes from Spain; twenty-three years later Mr. Arkle referred to
the arrival here of _H. armigera_ in the larval state with consignments of
tomatoes, from Valencia, landed at Liverpool in the months of June and
July. The late Mr. Tugwell reared larvae, from eggs deposited by a captured
female moth, on scarlet geranium; and there is a record of the finding of
caterpillars on such plants, in the autumn of 1876, in the Isle of Wight.
Specimens of the moth found at large in Britain occur in the autumn.

In the United States of America, where it is known as the "Cotton Boll
worm," "Corn-ear worm," and "Tomato fruit worm," this caterpillar is
chiefly destructive to corn crops, as of the five generations stated to
occur during the year in the States three occur in cornfields. It also
attacks beans, tobacco, pumpkins, melons, oranges, garden flowering-plants,
and many kinds of wild plants. The British nurserymen and farmers are
perhaps to be congratulated on the fact that this moth is only an
accidental visitor and not a native.

THE PALE SHOULDER (_Acontia_ (_Tarache_) _lucida_, var. _albicollis_).

Only eight specimens of this species seem to have been noted in Britain,
and all these are apparently referable to the summer form, var.
_albicollis_, Fabricius. (Plate 19, Fig. 9.) Stephens, who figured it as
_solaris_, Wien Verz. (Haustellata iii., Plate 29, Fig. 3), states that the
specimen was in Marsham's collection, but that nothing farther was known
about it. He, however, mentions two other specimens "taken within the
Metropolitan area about ten years ago [that would be 1820] and four others
near Dover above six years ago." Dale fixes the date of Dover captures as
June, 1825. On August 25, 1859, a specimen was taken in a clover field at
Brighton. {54}

The species has an extensive range abroad, being found in Southern Europe
and North-west Africa to Madeira and the Canaries; also in Central Europe,
through Western and Central Asia to North India and East Siberia.

THE FOUR-SPOTTED (_Acontia_ (_Tarache_) _luctuosa_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 19, Fig. 10) are sometimes finely
powdered with white, but more often the outer marginal area is distinctly
flecked with white. The conspicuous central spot is usually white, but
occasionally it has a pinkish ochreous tinge; very rarely it is reduced to
a narrow streak with a short spur from its outer edge. The white band on
the hind wings is sometimes narrowed and contracted below the middle.

The eggs are shown on Plate 23, Fig. 2. They were, when laid on June 17,
whity brown marked with reddish brown.

The caterpillar is ochreous greyish inclining to reddish or brownish; three
dark-edged stripes along the back, a dark-brown line along the black
spiracles, with two finer wavy lines above it; lower down there is a broad
stripe of reddish brown; head marked with four lines of black dots. It
feeds, at night, during June, July, and August (later in some seasons), on
the small bindweed (_Convolvulus arvensis_), and although it will eat the
leaves when nearly full grown it prefers the flowers and seeds in its
infancy.

The moth appears in May and June, and a second generation in August and
September. In the sunshine it is active on the wing, but in dull weather it
hides under herbage, in clover fields, chalky slopes, and rough places
where its food plant occurs.

The female will often lay her eggs in a chip-box when she is thus secured
after capture; the caterpillars are not difficult to rear if flower buds of
the bindweed can be obtained to start them upon.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 20.
  1. BEAUTIFUL YELLOW UNDERWING: _caterpillars_.
  2. SCARCE-BORDERED STRAW: _caterpillar_.
  3. BORDERED STRAW: _caterpillar_.
  4. BORDERED SALLOW: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 21.
    1, 2. PURPLE MARBLED.
       3. SMALL MARBLED.
       4. SILVER-BARRED.
       5. SILVER HOOK.
       6. _THALPOCHARES PAULA_.
       7. MARBLED WHITE-SPOT.
       8. STRAW DOT.
       9. ROSY MARBLED.
  10, 11. SMALL PURPLE BARRED.
      12. SPOTTED SULPHUR.

{55}

The species is especially common in the south-west of England, chiefly on
the coast, but it seems to occur in most suitable localities in nearly all
the southern counties, and its range extends to Gloucestershire on the west
and to Norfolk on the east. About seventy-five years ago Stephens used to
obtain specimens on a chalky ridge near Hertford, and recently the moth has
been found at Hitchin in North Hertfordshire.

THE PURPLE MARBLED (_Thalpochares ostrina_).

Two Continental specimens of this little moth are shown on Plate 21, Figs.
1 typical, 2 ab. _carthami_. An example of this species was obtained in
June, 1825, in a lane near Bideford, Devonshire, and Stephens refers to
this as the only specimen of the species that up to that time (1830) had
been noted in England. Nothing more was heard of _T. ostrina_ until 1858,
when another Devonshire specimen was taken, this time near Torquay, on June
8, and during the month several others were captured on the coast; two were
also secured in the Isle of Wight, and one in Ayrshire, Scotland. In 1865,
a specimen was recorded as taken in July a few years previously at Pembrey,
South Wales; 1880, one at Dover in September, and one near Swanage; Barrett
mentions specimens taken on the Culver Cliffs, Isle of Wight, in 1859.

It seems unquestionable that examples of this species captured in Britain,
and also of the other two _Thalpochares_ to be presently referred to, are
immigrants, and it is quite conceivable that besides the specimens captured
here, others which have escaped detection may also have arrived with them.

The distribution abroad is extensive, embracing South Europe, Turkey, Asia
Minor, Egypt, North-west Africa, Madeira, and the Canary Isles. It has also
been found in France and Germany, but its occurrence in the latter country
has been even less frequent than in England. {56}

THE SMALL MARBLED (_Thalpochares parva_).

This species, of which a foreign example is represented on Plate 21, Fig.
3, has a similar distribution to that of _T. ostrina_, only it does not
seem to occur in Madeira or the Canaries, and its eastward range extends to
Central and Southern India.

The fore wings are pale reddish ochreous; first line, oblique, dusky,
slightly waved on lower half, bordered inwardly with brownish and outwardly
with white; second line, dusky and irregular.

The earliest specimen noted in Britain was captured at Teignmouth, South
Devon, in July, 1844; another was said to have been captured at
Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, but it has been suggested that this specimen
might probably be referable to _T. ostrina._ Mr. E. Bankes has a specimen,
taken by himself on a salt marsh in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, June 8,
1892. This seems to be all that is definitely known of this species in
Britain, but others have been noted from the Isle of Wight and the Isle of
Man.

_Thalpochares paula._

The fore wings are white, clouded with pale brownish grey beyond the almost
straight and rather oblique first line, and also beyond the angulated
second line.

Of this species (Plate 21, Fig. 6) a specimen, now in the collection of Mr.
E. R. Bankes, was taken at Freshwater, Isle of Wight, in June, 1872. Two
other specimens, one of which seems to have been captured by a boy who was
collecting on the south coast, were recorded in 1873; these insects were at
that time in the collection of the Rev. H. Burney, and had been caught
several years earlier.

The range abroad extends through Europe and Asia to South Siberia. The
specimen figured is from Dresden. {57}

THE MARBLED WHITE SPOT (_Hapalotis_ (_Erastria_) _fasciana_).

The ground colour of the fore wings of this species (Plate 21, Fig. 7) is
brownish grey, more or less clouded and sometimes suffused with blackish;
the white patch on the outer marginal area is, in some examples, much
obscured by dark-grey markings, and in occasional specimens the only trace
of white on this part of the wing is a thin edging to the second line (ab.
_albilinea_, Haworth).

The caterpillar is pale yellowish, with a greenish, sometimes red, tinged
line along the middle of the back, and a brown one on each side; a reddish
line under the black spiracles; head, brownish; the raised dots of the body
are dusky edged with reddish. It feeds from July to September. A reddish
form of this caterpillar has been noted. Buckler, from whose description
the above has been condensed, states that the food-plant is blue
moor-grass, or purple melic-grass (_Molinia caerulea_), and this is
confirmed by Bignell, who remarks that in Devonshire he easily finds the
caterpillars "feeding about half way up the blades" of this grass.

The moth is out in June and July, or in forward seasons in late May. It is
partial to pine and larch trunks as a resting place during the day, and is
local and more or less frequent in most of the southern counties, from Kent
to Cornwall, through Somerset and Gloucester (extending into Oxford), to
Hereford and Worcester, on the west, and from Essex to Norfolk on the east.
A specimen was taken at light in Chester in June, 1901.

The range abroad extends to Japan.

THE SILVER BARRED (_Bankia_ (_Erastria_) _argentula_).

In its typical form this species (Plate 21, Fig. 4) has the colour of the
fore wings olive brown, but occasionally it is {58} tinged with reddish in
some English, and more generally in Irish, specimens. The silvery oblique
lines, or bands, vary in width, and sometimes there is a distinct spur from
the lower outer edge of the first band.

The caterpillar is yellowish green, with a rather darker green line along
the middle of the back, and a yellow one on each side of it. It feeds on
grasses, such as _Poa aquatica_ and _P. Pratensis_, etc., in July and early
August.

The moth is out in June, and may be found during the day sitting about on
the herbage in its marshy haunts, or flying over the vegetation towards the
evening.

The species is exceedingly local in Britain. In ancient times it occurred
in Norfolk, but in the present day it seems to be confined to
Cambridgeshire, in which county it was first noted rarely in Wicken fen
about thirty years ago, but in 1882 it was found plentifully in Chippenham
fen, and in that locality (which is a private one) the species still
flourishes. In Ireland it is well distributed over co. Kerry, and is
especially abundant on the bogs of Killarney.

The range abroad extends to Amurland, where the brownish form var.
_amurula_, Staud., is found.

THE SILVER HOOK (_Hydrelia_ (_Erastria_) _uncula_).

The usually olive brown central area of the fore wings is sometimes reddish
tinged, and in fresh specimens the whitish front marginal streak is
distinctly rosy; the reniform stigma, which appears to be a spur of the
costal streak, is also white or rosy tinged, and sometimes encloses a
greyish mark. This stigma is the so-called "hook" to which both the English
name and the Latin specific name refer. (Plate 21, Fig. 5.)

The caterpillar feeds in July and early August on sedges (_Carex_) and
coarse grasses. It is green, with three lines along the back, the central
one rather darker green, and the other two whitish; low down along the
sides is a broader yellowish line; the head is green with a yellowish
tinge.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 22.
     1. THE HERALD.
     2. THE DARK SPECTACLE.
     3. THE SPECTACLE.
     4. GOLDEN PLUSIA.
  5, 6. BURNISHED BRASS.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 23.
  1. CHAMOMILE SHARK: _caterpillar_.
  2. THE FOUR-SPOTTED: _eggs_.
  3. STRAW DOT: _caterpillar_.

{59}

The moth is out from late May to early July, sometimes later.

This is also a marsh-loving species, and is generally plentiful in the fens
of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire; in the Southern counties it is
either very local or, owing to its small size, has escaped detection, but
has been noted as occurring in Surrey (Wisley), Kent (Deal), Hants (New
Forest), Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, and Somersetshire; also in Yorkshire
(Askham bog), and in Cumberland. The Welsh counties in which it has been
found are Pembroke, Glamorgan and Carnarvon (Abersoch). It is locally
common in Clydesdale, and has also been reported from Kirkcudbrightshire,
and Perthshire. In Ireland it abounds in the boggy parts of Kerry, and is
more or less frequent in several other parts of Ireland. Near Castle
Bellingham, co. Louth, where it is common, a second brood was observed on
Aug. 1st, 1894.

Its range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

THE ROSY MARBLED (_Erastria venustula_).

Another local species, but a frequenter of drier localities than the last
two. This delicate rosy-flushed whitish moth first became known as a native
of Britain by the capture of a few specimens in Essex. Stephens, writing in
1830, remarks, "I have hitherto seen four examples only--a pair in my own
cabinet; one of the latter taken, I believe, in Epping forest by the late
Mr. Honey, the other by the late Mr. Bentley." No other British specimens
seem to have been recorded until 1845, when the late Mr. H. Doubleday, in
July, noted several of the moths disporting themselves over, or settling
upon, bracken in Epping Forest. For many years Loughton and some other
parts of the forest remained the only known English haunts of the species,
but in 1874 it was found commonly in {60} St. Leonard's Forest, Sussex;
later still, it was discovered in the Brentwood district, Essex. It still
occurs in all these localities, but appears to be now less frequently
noticed in the original one than formerly (Plate 21, Fig. 9).

The caterpillar feeds in July and August on the flowers of cinquefoil
(_Potentilla_), and is said to eat bramble blossoms also. Hellins describes
it as rich brown, with a row of eight dusky-red diamonds down the back,
enclosing the dorsal line of brighter red. The moth is out from the end of
May and in June; it may be put up from herbage during the day, but its
proper time of flight is in the early evening, and then only when the
weather is favourable. If cold or damp the insects will not get on the
wing. (Plate 25, Fig. 3; after Hofmann.)

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

THE STRAW DOT (_Rivula sericealis_).

This pale ochreous species, an example of which is represented on Plate 21,
Fig. 8, varies in the amount of darker shading or suffusion on the outer
marginal area of the fore wing; sometimes this is grey-brown or pale
reddish brown, but often there is no shading whatever, and in such
specimens the ground colour is usually very pale. The dark brown reniform
mark is always present, but the cross lines are more often absent than
present.

The caterpillar is green, with a darker green line along the middle of the
back, and a white stripe on each side of it, the inner edge of each of the
latter irregular; head, greenish grey, and the bristle-bearing raised dots
are shining green with a dusky cap. It feeds on _Brachypodium sylvaticum_,
but seems to accommodate itself to a diet of _Phalaris arundinacea_, and
would perhaps eat other grasses: August to May. (Plate 23, Fig. 3; after
Hofmann.)

The moth is out all through the summer months, and {61} frequents marshes,
damp rides and borders of woods, heaths, and where there is plenty of tall
grass.

The species is widely distributed over England and Wales, although it
appears to be rather scarce in the midlands and northwards. In Ireland it
is generally abundant, but in Scotland it has only been noted from the
south, and is there local and rare.

The distribution abroad includes Amurland, Corea, and Japan.

THE SMALL PURPLE BARRED (_Prothymnia viridaria_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 21, Figs. 10 [male], 11 [female])
range in colour from olive grey to olive brown, and are frequently adorned
with two rosy-red (typical) or purplish bands (_aenea_, Haw.). In some
specimens the bands are of a dusky hue and not very distinct, whilst in
others the wings are of a uniform dingy brown tint (ab. _fusca_, Tutt).

The caterpillar (Plate 25, Fig. 2) is velvety-green above and paler
beneath, yellowish between the rings, with a dark green slender line
bordered by paler lines along the back, and three pale lines along the
sides; below the yellowish spiracles there is a broader pale line becoming
whitish on rings 9-12; head, green mottled with brown (adapted from
Hellins).

It is to be found in August and September on the common milkwort (_Polygala
vulgaris_). On May 31, 1906, I met with the moth in some numbers on a
marshy bit of heath in Surrey, where there was a plentiful growth of
lousewort (_Pedicularis_), but, so far as I know, no _Polygala_. All the
moths were much below the average size, the bands were mainly purple, but
in no case rosy. The moth flies in May and June, and specimens have been
captured both earlier and later. Except that it does not appear to occur in
the extreme north of Scotland, the species seems to be pretty generally
distributed over the British Isles, and is often very common in many parts.

The eastern distribution extends to E. Siberia. {62}

THE SPOTTED SULPHUR (_Emmelia trabealis_).

Although this pretty black and yellow moth (Plate 21, Fig. 12) was noted by
Stephens (1830) as being occasionally captured in Battersea fields, and as
occurring near Margate, and elsewhere in Kent, it was not until 1847 that
the Breck-sand district of Norfolk, adjoining parts of Suffolk, and
Cambridge, became known as being inhabited by The Spotted Sulphur. The
vicinity of Brandon and Tuddenham is especially favoured by the species,
but it occurs in several other parts of the area. Occasionally, specimens
have been captured in various Kentish localities, and between thirty and
forty years ago single examples were taken in Hackney Marshes, Lower
Clapton (August 2), also in Wandsworth (at light, July 26). From these
facts it would appear possible that the species occasionally strays from
its haunts in the eastern counties and sometimes to a considerable
distance. Once, indeed, a specimen was found on a gas lamp at Exeter. On
the other hand, it is quite conceivable that such wanderers may have come
from abroad.

Some specimens are of a paler yellow than others, but there is rather more
noticeable aberration in the number and intensity of the black markings.

The caterpillar is reddish brown, with three darker lines along the back,
the central one pale edged; a pale yellow stripe runs along the region of
the spiracles, and has a fine brownish line running through it from end to
end. Another form is green with white lines. It feeds on the bindweed
(_Convolvulus arvensis_) in July, and has a second brood in September. The
moth, which rests among herbage by day, and flies towards evening, is found
in June, July, and August.

The species is found throughout Central and Southern Europe, its range
extending to Denmark and South Sweden; eastward it occurs in Asia Minor,
Syria, and through Asia to Japan. {63}

GONOPTERINAE.

THE HERALD (_Scoliopteryx libatrix_).

Haworth (1802) gave this attractive species the English name of "Furbelow
Moth," but Harris (1782) had named it Herald Moth (Plate 22, Fig. 1).

In the majority of specimens the purplish, or grey-brown fore wings, are
more or less reddish tinged throughout, but occasionally the outer marginal
area is free of this tint; the orange red marks on the central and basal
areas are brighter in some specimens than in others.

The caterpillar, which feeds on sallow, osier, willow, and probably poplar
(a chrysalis having been found in a curled leaf of black poplar), is a
long, rather thin, greenish creature without any distinct markings, except
that when full grown the front rings have two black spots. It may be found
reposing on the upper leaves of its foodplant, from June to August. (Plate
25, Fig. 1, from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich.)

The moth may be obtained at sugar, ivy-blossom, etc., from August to
October, and it seems that the earliest to emerge are those that first take
up hibernating quarters in barns, outhouses, roofs, belfries, and under
arches. In the spring it reappears, and may be met with even in June. A
specimen was taken at sugar on July 20, 1899, but whether this is to be
regarded as a very late date or an unusually early one, I cannot say.
Generally distributed throughout Great Britain and Ireland, but of the
Scottish Isles only recorded from Shetland. Abroad it ranges through Europe
to North-West Africa, and through Asia to Amurland and Japan; also in
temperate North America.

NOTE.--Stephens (1829) referred this species to the genus _Calyptra_,
Ochs., but in 1831 he adopted _Scoliopteryx_, Germar (1811). _Gonoptera_,
Latr., which has been frequently used, only dates from 1825. {64}

QUADRIFINAE.

THE GOLDEN PLUSIA (_Plusia moneta_).

[Illustration: FIG. 2.

GOLDEN PLUSIA AT REST.

(Photo by H. Main.)]

The British history of the grey tinged pale golden species, shown on Plate
22, Fig. 4, dates back only to 1890. In that year, on July 2, Mr. Christy,
of Watergate, Emsworth, found a specimen in his illuminated moth trap; this
was noted in the _Entomologist_ for August, 1890. From subsequent records
it appears that a specimen had been taken on the same date at a gas lamp
near Reading, by Mr. W. Holland; whilst one was captured, at a light, near
Tunbridge Wells on July 1. The earliest British specimen, however, was one
netted whilst hovering over flowers of _Delphinium_ at Dover, on June 25 of
the same year, but this was not announced until October. Since its arrival
here the species seems to have spread over England at a great rate, and it
has recently been reported from Cheshire. In some southern gardens the
caterpillars abound to such an extent that they are regarded as a plague.
On the continent it is said to feed on sunflower, artichoke, burdock, and
cucumber.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 24.
     1. SCARCE BURNISHED BRASS.
     2. GOLD SPANGLE.
  3, 4. GOLD SPOT.
  5, 6. BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN Y.
  7, 8. PLAIN GOLDEN Y.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 25.
  1. HERALD: _caterpillar_.
  2. SMALL PURPLE-BARRED: _caterpillar_.
  3. ROSY-MARBLED: _caterpillar_.

{65}

The caterpillar is green, dotted with white; a dark line along the back and
a white one along the sides. In the early stage it is black or sooty brown,
and hides itself among the spun together flower buds, or in a turned down
tender leaf. It feeds in May and June, occasionally found in late April,
after hibernation, and a second generation sometimes occurs in July and
August. Monkshood (_Aconitum_) and larkspur (_Delphinium_) are the usual
food plants, and it is curious to note that whilst some observers state
that larkspur alone is eaten, others say that monkshood is the only food.
The moth flies in June and July, and sometimes there is an emergence in
August and September. It visits the blossoms of various garden plants, and
is also attracted by light.

The caterpillar, represented on Plate 27, Fig. 1, was found with others on
larkspur in Mr. Herbert Smith's garden at Wallington, Surrey. The cocoon
and chrysalis is from a photo by Mr. H. Main. Another photo by Mr. Main
shows the young caterpillar constructing its retreat.

According to Duponchel this species occurred in Normandy, Central and
Northern Europe, as far back as 1829. A much paler form inclining to
silvery, var. _esmeralda_, Oberthur, is found in Ussuri, North China, and
other parts of East Asia.

THE BURNISHED BRASS (_Plusia chrysitis_).

Two forms of this metallic-looking species are represented (Plate 22); 5 is
typical and 6 shows the ab. _juncta_, Tutt. Between these are various
intermediate stages leading to the complete division of the central band.
The broken central band is a character of var. _nadeja_, Oberthur, from
Amurland and {66} Japan, but that form has also a more or less complete
series of ochreous-brown dots on the outer area. The metallic colour is
sometimes greenish in all forms.

The caterpillar is pale green, with a darker green line along the middle of
the back, bordered on each side by an irregular white line; an oblique
white streak on the sides of each ring from 4-11; a stripe low down along
the sides is white; head, yellowish tinged. It feeds on stinging nettle,
probably on other plants, and after hibernation attains full growth about
May. In favourable seasons caterpillars also occur in July and August. The
moth is out in June, July, and August, less frequently in September, and
may be found flying along the sides of hedges and ditches, especially where
flowering weeds are plentiful, throughout the British Isles; so far,
however, it has not been recorded from the Hebrides, Orkneys, or Shetlands.

THE SCARCE BURNISHED BRASS (_Plusia chryson_).

The more or less square golden (sometimes green-tinged) patch on the
velvety purplish brown fore wings, distinguish this species (Plate 24, Fig.
1) from any other British _Plusia_.

The caterpillar is green, with a darker line along the middle of the back,
and a fine white line on each side of it; there is a dark green stripe low
down along the sides, edged below with white, and oblique white lines run
from it to the central line on rings 3-11. It feeds on hemp-agrimony
(_Eupatorium cannabinum_), hibernates when small, and completes its growth
in May or early June.

The moth is out in July and August, and is said to be occasionally seen, on
sunny days, flying about, or resting on, the flowers of the hemp-agrimony
and other plants. Night, however, is its more usual time of activity, and
it may also be found at the blossoms of the larval food plant, and at those
of honeysuckle, etc. {67}

The species has been found, chiefly in the past in most of the southern
counties of England from Kent (Deal district) to Cornwall, also in
Gloucestershire, and in South Wales. Chippenham fen in Cambridgeshire is
the most noted locality for it in the present day, and it has been found in
Norfolk and Suffolk. There is even a record of a specimen having been
beaten out of honeysuckle near Preston, Lancs., but this happened nearly
forty years ago.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

THE GOLD SPANGLE (_Plusia bractea_).

The purplish brown fore wings of this moth have a bright solid-looking
golden mark on the upper edge of a velvety, deep brown patch. This metallic
"spangle" varies a little in size and in shape, but not to any noteworthy
extent (Plate 24, Fig. 2).

The caterpillar is bright green, dotted with white, above, and dull darker
green below; there is a fine dark green line along the middle of the back,
some indistinct and irregular white lines followed by a whitish stripe
lower down, along the sides. It seems to feed upon a variety of low-growing
plants, among which are groundsel, dandelion, white dead-nettle (_Lamium
album_), and stinging nettle, also on honeysuckle, from August to May. In a
state of nature, it hibernates when small, and becomes full grown in May or
early June, but when reared from the egg it can be induced, by keeping it
in a warm place, to continue feeding, grow up quickly, pupate, and assume
the winged state in the late autumn. Under such artificial conditions it is
said to eat lettuce and plantain.

Normally, the moth is out in June and July, and has been met with in
August. Like all members of this group it is partial to flowers, and has
been frequently taken at those of the honeysuckle, although all sorts of
blossoms, down to the lowly _Viola cornuta_, have attraction for it. {68}

The species is more especially a denizen of Ireland and Scotland, but it
occurs in most of the northern counties of England, and has been recorded
from Worcestershire and Herefordshire; also from Carmarthenshire in South
Wales.

Abroad, its range extends to Central Asia; and in Amurland and Japan it is
represented by P. excelsa, Kretschmar.

THE GOLD SPOT (_Plusia festucae_).

In this species (Plate 24, Figs. 3 and 4) the fore wings are golden brown,
clouded with purplish brown; sometimes the purplish brown is confined
almost entirely to the broad area. Besides the large central metallic
marks, there are more or less conspicuous patches of metallic colour at the
base of the costa, on the middle of the inner margin, and towards the tips
of the wings. Usually the central spots are clearly apart, but I have one
example from Bishop Auckland, Durham, in which they are only separated one
from the other by a slender brown line.

The caterpillar is green, with a white-edged dark-green line along the
middle of the back, and some slender yellowish lines on each side of it; a
whitish or yellow tinged stripe low down along the sides; head, tinged with
brown.

It feeds on sedge, coarse grasses, bur-reed (_Sparganium ramosum_), and
yellow-flag (_Iris pseudacorus_); also said by Collins to eat water
plantain (_Alisma plantago_): April to June, and in some localities and
seasons, again in July and August. The black chrysalis is enclosed in a
rather long greyish cocoon, spun up on the undersides of the leaves of
sedge or reed; usually placed towards the tip of the leaf, which droops
over and so hides it.

The moth is out in June and July, and in some years there seems to be an
emergence in August and September; this has been more particularly noted in
Cheshire, where Arkle has had moths emerge in June, July, August, and
September. A second flight has been noted in Ireland by Kane and others;
and late examples have also been recorded from Scotland.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 26.
  1, 2. SILVER Y.
     3. NI MOTH.
  4, 5. SCARCE SILVER Y.
  6, 7. MOTHER SHIPTON.
  8, 9. BURNET COMPANION.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 27.
  1, 1a, 1b. GOLDEN PLUSIA: _caterpillars and chrysalis_.
          2. DARK SPECTACLE: _caterpillar_.

{69} Although it has been recorded from some of the southern counties, it
is most frequent in the eastern and northern parts of England, and in South
Wales. Occurs throughout Scotland up to Moray; and in Ireland it is found
in most localities, though not often common, except by the sea in Co.
Kerry, and in Connamara, Co. Galway.

Abroad, it extends to East Siberia, Amurland, and Japan.

THE PLAIN GOLDEN Y (_Plusia iota_).

In typical specimens the metallic mark is V-shaped, with a dot below and a
little to one side (Plate 24, Fig. 8). In ab. _percontationis_, Treit.
(Fig. 7), these spots are united and form a Y-like mark. Sometimes the spot
is absent and the V-mark much reduced, and more rarely the V also
disappears (ab. _inscripta_, Esp.).

The larva is yellowish green, white dotted, with a white-edged darker line
along the middle of the back; a band composed of whitish irregular lines
runs along the sides, and a thin yellow line along the area of the
spiracles. It hatches from the egg in the late summer, hibernates when
quite small, and feeds up in the spring. The food plants comprise the dead
nettles (_Lamium_), woundwort (_Stachys_), mint, stinging nettle,
honeysuckle, hawthorn, etc. There is a record of sixteen larvae which
hibernated among dead leaves of _Lamium album_, resumed feeding on February
18, spun up April 23-25, and produced moths May 27-June 4. Usually the moth
is on the wing in June and July.

The species seems to be pretty widely distributed throughout the British
Isles to the Orkneys; it was not known to occur in the Hebrides until 1901,
when McArthur obtained it in the Isle of Lewis. {70}

THE BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN Y (_Plusia pulchrina_).

This species (Plate 24, Figs. 5 and 6) so closely resembles the last that
it has been considered a variety thereof; there is no question, however,
that it is quite distinct. The fore wings in both species are somewhat
similar in general tints, but the following points of difference
distinguish _pulchrina_--the darker colour is less evenly displayed, and
gives the wings a more mottled or marbled appearance; the cross lines,
especially those on the basal area, are almost invariably golden edged; the
second cross line is more acutely bent inwards above the inner margin, the
reniform has a more or less complete golden outline, and it is placed in a
dark cloud; the golden V-mark and dot below are generally thicker. As a
rule, the fringes of all the wings are more distinctly chequered, but this
feature cannot be relied on alone in separating one species from the other.
In ab. _percontatrix_, Aurivillius (= _juncta_, Tutt), the golden V and dot
are united and so form a Y-mark (Fig. 5).

The caterpillar is green with a broad central white stripe and several
finer white lines along the back; a yellowish-tinted white stripe low down
along the sides; head shining, marked with black on each side of the mouth.
This caterpillar has the bristles rather more in evidence than they are in
the larva of _P. iota_. It feeds on various low-growing plants, such as the
dead nettles, groundsel, etc., also on honeysuckle and bilberry.

The moth occurs in June and July, and is found more or less frequently all
over the British Isles to Orkney, but in England is more plentiful from the
Midlands northwards than in the southern counties.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

THE NI MOTH (_Plusia ni_).

The present species (Plate 26, Fig. 3) bears a strong resemblance to a
small pale specimen of _P. gamma_; but, as {71} will be noted, the silvery
central Y-mark is differently formed. Here it is made up of a curve
somewhat like the letter U, and an oval or round spot, the latter very
close to and sometimes, as in the example figured, united with the former.

The caterpillar, which feeds on cabbage and other Cruciferae, also on
lettuce, tomato, etc., is green, inclining to yellowish green and dotted
with white; three white lines along the back, and a white stripe along the
sides. It is said to be more slender in form than the caterpillar of _P.
gamma_. (Plate 28, Fig. 1.)

The earliest British specimen was taken at flowers of red valerian in a
garden at Exeter, August, 1868. The next year a specimen occurred, also in
a garden, at Penzance. Then followed captures in Dorset, one 1885, and one
(Isle of Portland) 1888. Two caterpillars were found in the Isle of
Portland in 1894, and these produced moths in September of that year. At
least eight moths were secured at Penzance in 1894, and specimens were
subsequently reared from caterpillars found on cabbages in the gardens
around Lynwood. In May, 1896, one example of the moth was taken by Mr.
Percy Richards at Norbiton, Surrey. The last recorded capture appears to be
that by Mr. Finzi of a female specimen at Tenby, South Wales, on June 9,
1906. She deposited a few eggs in the collecting-box, and the caterpillars
that hatched from them were reared on broccoli and lettuce, and produced
moths, July 24-30.

_Plusia ni_ ranges through south-east and southern Europe, to Asia Minor,
North Africa, and the Canaries. In the Isle of Capri it is said to be
almost as common as _P. gamma_. _Brassicae_, Riley (1870), is a well-known
_Plusia_ in America, where it is classed among noxious insects. It is
somewhat larger and browner in colour than European _ni_, but in every
other respect it seems to agree so exactly that it can hardly be considered
specifically distinct. {72}

THE SILVER Y (_Plusia gamma_).

This species, represented by portraits of two specimens on Plate 26, Figs.
1 and 2, varies somewhat in the ground colour of the fore wings, which
ranges from a whitish grey through various tints of grey and brown to
velvety black. The melanic form last referred to is very rare, but I caught
one example of it at Eastbourne in the late summer of 1888, and I saw, but
did not secure, another near Esher in the autumn of 1906; one taken at
Dartmoor in September, 1894, is in Mr. F. J. Hanbury's collection.

Occasionally a purplish red tinge, often present below the silvery Y,
spreads over a larger area of the fore wings. The Y-mark is well defined as
a rule, but now and then specimens are found in which only the tail of the
Y is distinct.

The caterpillar varies in general colour from pale green to a dark olive
green approaching black. In the white dotted paler green forms there are
several transverse whitish lines, some of them wavy, between the yellowish
spiracular line and the dark green line along the middle of the back; head,
marked with black on each cheek. It will eat almost every kind of
low-growing vegetation, either wild or cultivated, and in some years may be
found throughout the summer. Small larvae were recorded as seen at the end
of October, 1901. The blackish chrysalis is enclosed in a whitish cocoon,
often placed under leaves of thistle, burdock, etc.

The moth is seen in the spring and early summer (most probably immigrants),
and again in the autumn, when it is generally more abundant.

This well-known migrating species has been observed in greater or lesser
numbers over the whole of the British Isles. Its distribution abroad
embraces the Palaearctic Region, North Africa, and North America. {73}

THE SCARCE SILVER Y (_Plusia interrogationis_).

Portraits of two examples of this species will be found on Plate 26, Figs.
4 and 5. The metallic central marks on the fore wings vary a good deal in
size and in form, and are sometimes almost absent; these wings have the
general greyish colour more clouded or suffused with blackish in some
specimens than in others. Kane states that Irish specimens, when freshly
emerged, have a tinge of violet purple, and Tutt notes some British
specimens as beautifully tinted with rose colour (ab. _rosea_).

The caterpillar, which feeds on heather (_Calluna_) and bilberry
(_Vaccinium_), is green inclining to blackish on the sides and underparts,
with six white lines along the back; two of which are irregular; the raised
dots are white and the bristles therefrom dark; head, green dashed with
purple, shining. (Fenn.) After hibernation it may be found without much
difficulty in May and June on its food plants, either in the daytime, or by
the aid of a lamp at night. Large numbers fall victims to parasitical
flies. (Plate 28, Fig. 2.) The white cocoons enclosing the black chrysalids
are spun up on or under the twigs of bilberry and heather. The moth is out
in July and August, and may be found on moorlands, in the north of England
from Shropshire (with Radnor) and Staffordshire on the west, and
Lincolnshire on the east, through Scotland to Sutherland, and in all
suitable localities in Ireland.

THE DARK SPECTACLE (_Abrostola triplasia_).

The fore wings of this moth are blackish grey inclining to purplish and
rather shining; the basal area is pale reddish brown, edged by a curved
dark chocolate brown cross line; a reddish grey band on the outer area
clouded with ground colour {74} and edged above the inner margin by a dark
chocolate brown curved line; raised scales on the central area and on the
cross lines. Two oval reddish brown marks on the front of the collar have
some resemblance to a pair of spectacles, hence the English name. (Plate
22, Fig. 2.)

The caterpillar is green, sprinkled with white dots; on rings 4, 5, and 11
are whitish-edged darker marks, and there is a dark line, also
whitish-edged, along the middle of the back between rings 5 and 11; a white
line on the back from ring 4 to the brownish head, and white-edged dark
oblique lines on the sides of rings 6 to 11; the line low down along the
sides is whitish with an ochreous tinge. A purplish brown form also occurs
(Plate 27, Fig. 2), in which the pale markings are ochreous tinged. It is
found from July to September on nettle and hops, the latter more
especially. The earlier caterpillars, in some years, attain the moth state
in August or early September, but the bulk of them remain in the chrysalis
state during the winter, the moth emerging in June or July of the following
year.

The species is not uncommon in most southern English counties, but becomes
less frequent or more local northwards from the Midlands to Cumberland,
Northumberland, and South Scotland. It occurs in Wales, and is widely
spread in Ireland.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

THE SPECTACLE (_Abrostola tripartita_).

This species, known also as _urticae_, Hubner, has the basal and outer
marginal areas of the fore wings whitish grey, finely mottled with darker
grey; the central area is greyish brown, mottled with darker brown. The
spectacle mark in front of the thorax is whitish grey, ringed with black,
and the raised scales on the cross lines and central area of the fore wings
are more distinct in this species (Plate 22, Fig. 3). The {75} caterpillar
is pale green, with white-edged dark-green V-shaped marks along the back,
most in evidence on rings 4-11; two slender whitish lines on each side,
only distinct on rings 1-4; a white stripe low down along the sides, edged
above with dark green and with whitish streaks from it to the white edging
of the marks on the back. Head, green, rather shining, with dusky marks on
each cheek (adapted from Fenn). It feeds in July, at night, on the common
stinging nettle, from the foliage of which it may be beaten out, or, by
searching, found on the undersides of the leaves. In some years there is a
second brood in September.

The moth is out in June, sometimes late May, and, when there is a second
emergence, in August. Occasionally it is seen on fences, etc., but at night
it visits the blossoms of various plants, both wild and cultivated; the
flowers of spur-valerian (_Centranthus ruber_), honeysuckle, and woundwort
(_Stachys_) being especially attractive, as also they are to the Dark
Spectacle, and most of the species of _Plusia_.

Although apparently commoner in some counties than in others, this species
ranges over the British Isles to the Orkneys.

The distribution abroad extends to Amurland.

THE MOTHER SHIPTON (_Euclidia mi_).

The ancient fathers of British Entomology were sometimes happy in their
selection of names in the vernacular for those of our moths that were known
to them at the time, and the present species is a fair example of this.
Moses Harris first dubbed it the Shipton Moth, but afterwards changed the
name to the "Mask Moth." Both names refer to the peculiar shape of the
markings which adorn the fore wings and bear a more or less fanciful
resemblance to a grotesque mask, and even more closely to the profile of an
historical dame yclept {76} Shipton. This character, also supposed to be
like the letter M, hence the specific name _mi_, stands out very distinctly
in the paler specimens, but in some of the darker individuals it is
somewhat obscured. On the hind wings the spots are whitish or yellowish,
and those composing the central series are sometimes united, and form a
band. (Plate 26, Figs. 6 [male], 7 [female].)

The egg is greenish, and the caterpillar is pale ochreous-brown, with
darker brown lines along the back and sides: head, ochreous, with brown
lines. It feeds on clover and grasses, in July, August, and September, and
the chrysalis, which is covered with a whitish powder, is enclosed in a
brownish cocoon spun up in a blade of grass. All the early stages are
figured on Plate 30. The enlarged chrysalis, Fig. 1, is from a photo by Mr.
H. Main. The moth flies in May and June, and is often common in meadows, on
railway banks, and other sloping banks and such-like places where wild
flowers abound. The species is widely distributed over England, Wales, and
South Scotland; also Ireland.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

THE BURNET COMPANION (_Euclidia glyphica_).

The ground colour of the fore wings is purplish brown, sometimes becoming
greyish on the outer area; the space between the dark brown or blackish
cross bands is sometimes filled up with the darker colour. Some specimens
are much greyer than others, and all the examples in a series from the Lake
district that I have seen were distinctly grey, with very dark bands. The
yellow on the hind wings sometimes inclines to orange, and sometimes it is
so pale as to be almost whitish; there is also variation in the amount of
black marking and shading on these wings. (Plate 26, Figs. 8 [male], 9
[female].)

The caterpillar is somewhat similar to that of the last species; it feeds
on clovers and trefoils in July and August, but so far does not seem to
have been noted to eat grasses.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 28.
  1. THE NI MOTH: _caterpillar_.
  2. SCARCE SILVER Y: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 29.
  1. LUNAR DOUBLE STRIPE.
  2. THE ALCHYMIST.
  3. CLIFDEN NONPAREIL.

{77} The moth is on the wing at the end of May and in June, and inhabits
similar kinds of places to those mentioned for the last species, often in
company with it, and also with the Burnet moths. Widely distributed over
the greater part of the British Isles; common in some southern localities.
Its distribution abroad extends to Amurland, and in Japan it is represented
by the larger and paler form _consors_, Butler.



_Leucanitis_ (_Ophiusa_) _stolida_, Fab.--An example of this species, which
is a native of Africa and South Europe, was captured by Mr. J. Jager in the
neighbourhood of Dartmouth, S. Devon. It was in fine condition, and came to
sugar on September 23, 1903.

THE LUNAR DOUBLE STRIPE (_Pseudophia lunaris_).

The portrait of this species on Plate 29, Fig. 1, is taken from a Spanish
example. Exceedingly few British specimens have been recorded. The earliest
seems to be the following: "Among my cabinet specimens there is one example
of _Ophiodes lunaris_, captured at the Lowestoft Light in 1832. I conclude
this is a great rarity, having seen many cabinets without it.--E. Chawner."
_Entom._ vi. p. 147 (1872-73). Presumably this is the same specimen as that
mentioned by Stainton (1857), Newman (1869), and later authors, as taken in
Hants by Captain Chawner. In 1860 one example was obtained at sugar at West
Wickham; and in 1864 Bouchard caught two specimens at Killarney. On June
17, 1873, one came to sugar in Abbots Wood, Sussex; one at Brighton in
June, 1874, and another in Sussex, May, 1875. One specimen came to light in
Norfolk, May, 1878; and one to sugar at Folkestone, May, 1892. In June,
1901, a specimen was secured in Delamere Forest, Cheshire, also at sugar.
Dr. B. White's record of a capture at Perth makes a total of eleven
specimens. {78}

The caterpillar is ochreous brown, sprinkled and lined with reddish brown;
a stripe low down along the sides is reddish orange. It feeds, in July and
August, on the leaves of oak and poplar, but it has not been found in our
Isles.

THE ALCHYMIST (_Catephia alchymista_).

This moth seems to have been known as a British species to Haworth, but he,
and subsequently Stephens (1830), referred it to _Noctua leucomelas_, Linn.
At all events, Stephen's description of the specimen in Haworth's cabinet
bearing this name applies exactly to _C. alchymista_. In the _Ent. Ann._
for 1860 there is a figure of a specimen that was taken at sugar in the
Isle of Wight, September, 1868. Seven years later, one was captured in an
oak wood near Horsham, Sussex (June 4), and another found on the trunk of
an oak tree near Colchester (June 9). In 1882, a specimen was taken at
sugar in a wood near Dover (June), and on June 24, 1888, one came to sugar
at St. Leonards, Sussex. In the last-named year, two other specimens, said
to have been taken in the Isle of Wight, July, 1867, were recorded.

Fig. 2, Plate 29, represents a specimen from Dalmatia.

THE CLIFDEN NONPAREIL (_Catocala fraxini_).

This handsome species (Plate 29, Fig. 3) seems to have been known to quite
the earliest writers on, and delineators of, British moths, and a specimen
in the Dale collection, now in the Hope Museum, Oxford, was obtained in
Dorset in 1740. Stephens (1830) mentions captures in the years 1821, 1827,
and 1828. Since that time the occurrence of the species in the British
Isles, chiefly in single specimens, may be tabulated as follows:
England--London, 1842, 1870, 1872. Kent, 1889, {79} 1893, 1895, 1900.
Sussex, 1838, 1869, 1889, 1895. Isle of Wight, 1866, 1900. North Devon,
1895. Somerset, 1850. Shropshire, 1872. Suffolk, 1868, 1872, 1901, 1905.
Norfolk, 1846, 1872, 1894, 1900. Lincoln, 1872. Yorkshire, five specimens
in all, the most recent in 1896. Lancashire, six specimens, latest 1868.
Cheshire, four specimens, latest 1868. Scotland--1876 (Berwick); 1896
(Aberdeen and Orkney); 1898 (Roxburghshire). Ireland--1845, 1896.

It may be noted that during a period of seven years--1866 to 1872
inclusive--1867 and 1871 were the only years in which a specimen was not
recorded from some part of England.

The caterpillar is pale ochreous, tinged with greenish and freckled with
brown; head, pinkish, inclining to purplish above. It feeds on poplar in
May, June, and July. From eggs (obtained from abroad) the caterpillars
hatched April 27 till May 9, pupated between June 17 and 27, and the moths
emerged July 20 to August 4.

The range abroad extends through Central Europe to Scandinavia, and
eastward to Amurland.

_Catocala electa._

Only two specimens of this moth are known to have occurred in Britain. One
of these was taken at Shoreham, near Brighton, Sussex, September 24, 1875,
and the other at Corfe Castle, Dorsetshire, September 12, 1892. The
specimen shown on Plate 31, Fig. 1, is from Saxony.

In a general way this species is not unlike (_C. nupta_), but the fore
wings are smoother looking, of a softer grey coloration, and the black
cross lines are more irregular; the black markings on the crimson hind
wings are similar, but the inner edge of the marginal border is more even.

This Central European species ranges to Amurland and Corea, and is
represented in Japan by a larger form, _zalmunna_, Butler. {80}

THE RED UNDERWING (_Catocala nupta_).

[Illustration: FIG. 3.

RED UNDERWING AT REST.

Photo by H. Main.]

Both sexes of this species are shown on Plate 31, Figs. 2 and 3. The fore
wings are darker in some specimens than in others, and very rarely, in
connection with a change in the hind wings from red to brownish, there has
been a purplish tinge over all the wings. Specimens with the hind wings of
a brown tint have only so far been noted in the environs of London. In 1892
one was taken at Mitcham (warm brown), another at Wandsworth, 1895, a third
at Chingford, 1896 (dusky black-brown), and a fourth at Brondesbury in
1897. At a meeting of the South London Entomological and Natural History
Society, held on January 10, 1889, a coloured sketch of a specimen with
blue hind wings, taken at Colchester, was exhibited (ab. _caerulescens_,
Cockerell). Sometimes the hind wings are a dingy red, or they may incline
to an orange tint; the central black band usually terminates just beyond
the middle, but there is often a detached blackish cloud on the inner
margin; and I have two specimens in which the band unites with this cloud.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 30.
  MOTHER SHIPTON: _eggs, natural size and enlarged, caterpillar, and
      chrysalis, natural size and enlarged_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 31.
     1. _CATOCALA ELECTA_.
  2, 3. RED UNDERWING.

{81} The eggs which are deposited on bark of poplar trees, as Fig. 2a on
Plate 33, are deep purplish with a whitish bloom, and inclining to
yellowish on the top. The caterpillar (Plate 33, Fig. 2) is whitish-grey
clouded and mottled with darker brown; the head is rather paler grey,
marked with black. It feeds at night on willow and poplar, and, although
rather difficult to detect, may be found in the chinks of the bark from
April to July. The pupa is brownish, thickly powdered with bluish-white,
and is enclosed in a strong, coarse, cocoon, spun up between leaves.

The moth is out in August and September, sometimes later, and in
confinement has emerged in July. It is more abundant in some years than in
others, and is fond of sitting on walls, pales, etc.; occasionally quite
large numbers have been observed at rest on telegraph poles by the
roadside, only one on a pole, as a rule, but sometimes in twos and threes.
Mr. W. J. Lucas, when at Oxford in August, 1900, counted six on one post,
and five on each of two other posts.

The species is found in suitable localities, that is, where poplars and
willows grow, throughout the south and east of England. The only clear
record from Ireland is that of a worn specimen at sugar, September 16,
1906, at Passage West, co. Cork; but Kane mentions two others.

Represented in North India by var. _unicuba_, Walker, and in Amurland by
var. _obscurata_, Oberthur. {82}

THE DARK CRIMSON UNDERWING (_Catocala sponsa_).

The fore wings of this species vary in general colour from ashy grey to an
almost olive brown; the dark clouding is much in evidence in some
specimens, but absent in others; the white or yellow marks in the vicinity
of the white outlined reniform are noticeable features. Hind wings,
crimson, more or less tinged with purple; the upper half of the central
black band is acutely angled on its outer edge, and bluntly so on its inner
edge, thence curved to the inner margin. (Plate 32, Fig. 1.)

The caterpillar is greyish-brown with a greenish tinge, and dusted with
black; paler on the fourth ring and between rings 7 and 8, and 10 and 11;
the hump on ring 8 has an ochreous tip; raised spots, red, bearing black
bristles; head, pale brown, (Fenn.) It feeds on oak in May and June.

The chrysalis is reddish, dusted with purplish grey, enclosed in a rather
open silken cocoon between leaves. (Plate 33, Fig. 1 larva, 1a pupa.) The
moth is out in July and August. Its chief home is the New Forest, Hants,
where it abounds, in some years, and in others is so scarce that few
specimens can be found. It has been taken occasionally in one or other of
the southern English counties adjoining Hants, and has been noted in
Oxfordshire and Suffolk; but such occurrences seem to be exceptional.

THE LIGHT CRIMSON UNDERWING (_Catocala promissa_).

Generally smaller, and the fore wings are usually greyer, than the last
species; the first black cross line is inwardly shaded with blackish; on
the hind wings the central black band is straighter, and the upper half,
although sometimes slightly expanded, is not angled; in some examples the
band does not quite reach the inner margin, and such specimens have been
referred to ab. _mneste_, Hubner. (Plate 32, Fig. 2.) {83}

The caterpillar is of a greenish-tinged greyish coloration, freckled with
darker grey, and with yellowish brown patches on rings 4, 8, and 9. It
feeds, at night, on oak, boring into the buds at first, but afterwards
attacking the foliage: May and June. The moth occurs in oak woods in July
and August, but it does not seem to be met with anywhere in England so
frequently as in the New Forest, Hampshire. Even in that favourite locality
it is seen but rarely in some seasons. It is, or has been, found in several
other southern and eastern counties, but, as a rule, only in a casual way.

THE BLACKNECK (_Toxocampa pastinum_).

In some examples of this species (Plate 32, Fig. 3) the ground colour of
the fore wings, usually pale grey sprinkled with brown, is inclined to
whitish, and but little powdered with brown, except the outer fourth, upon
which there is generally some brown shading. The reniform stigma varies in
shape; in some specimens it is lunular, and in others triangular, with the
apex directed inwards; the orbicular, represented by a black dot, is
occasionally absent; the cross lines are usually traceable, but the central
shade is not often distinct.

The caterpillar is rather long, and tapers slightly from the middle towards
each end. In colour it is greyish, inclining to ochreous on the back, and
dusted with black; there are three reddish lines along the back, the outer
ones edged below with white; the spiracles are black, and the line along
their area is white. It feeds at night on the tufted vetch (_Vicia
cracca_), and after hibernation attains full growth about May, when it
pupates in a cocoon among leaves on the plant, or on the ground. The moth
comes out in June and July, and in its haunts, which are the borders of
woods or the clearings therein, it flutters about at early dusk, when it
can be easily netted. Unlike the species next referred to, it does not seem
to have any great partiality {84} for flowers, but it has been taken at
sugar, and the females are found at night upon the food plant. It is known
to occur in Berkshire and most of the southern counties from Kent to Devon,
and eastward from Essex to Norfolk, Cambs., and Hunts.; has also been
recorded from Yorks., Hereford, and South Wales.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

THE SCARCE BLACKNECK (_Toxocampa craccae_).

This species (Plate 32, Fig. 4) is similar to the last, but the wings are
rather less ample, the tint is slightly more brownish, and the veins are
paler, especially on the outer area. Distinguishing features are the
heavier and deeper black collar, and four blackish dots on the front edge
of the fore wings. Var. _plumbea_, Bankes, the usual form in Cornwall, is
darker than the type, having the fore wings bluish-grey mixed with
chocolate, instead of pale ash-grey mixed with light walnut brown; hind
wings brownish grey, instead of pale greyish brown. The caterpillar, which
in shape is similar to that of the last species, is ochreous brown, with
darker brown lines along the back and sides. It feeds at night on the wood
vetch (_Vicia sylvatica_), but is said to eat other kinds of vetch in
confinement. It may be found resting on stems of the food plant by day, or,
when feeding at night, by the aid of a lantern, but it quickly falls off
when disturbed. The moth flies at dusk in July and August, and has a strong
liking for the flowers of the wood-sage, but visits golden-red and other
flowers also, and will sometimes turn up at the sugar patch. It is not
uncommon in some parts of the rocky coast of North Devon, as near Lynmouth,
where it was first met with by the late Rev. E. Horton in 1861. It has
since been found commonly on the Cornish coast. From what I know of its
habits, I should say that the species would be found all along the North
Devon and Cornish coasts, wherever the food plant occurs; but it does not
seem to inhabit in any other part of Britain. Abroad, its range extends to
East Siberia and Amurland.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 32.
  1. DARK CRIMSON UNDERWING.
  2. LIGHT CRIMSON UNDERWING.
  3. THE BLACK NECK.
  4. SCARCE BLACK NECK.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 33.
  1, 1a. DARK CRIMSON UNDERWING: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.
  2, 2a. RED UNDERWING: _eggs, natural size and enlarged, and caterpillar_.

{85}

HYPENINAE.

THE BEAUTIFUL HOOK-TIP (_Laspeyria flexula_).

Some specimens are browner and others greyer than that shown on Plate 36,
Fig. 1; the pale even lines are generally edged with reddish brown, and the
notch under the tip of the wing is margined with the same colour.

The caterpillar has the first and second pairs of prolegs very short, and
below the brown-ringed spiracles there is a projecting ridge, fringed with
a row of fleshy greenish-white filaments, some of which are forked.
Bluish-green, sometimes tinged with ochreous; raised dots, black at the
tips, on a base of whitish green; along the middle of the back is a series
of darker green spear-points, and beyond this on each side a pale line,
edged above by a fine wavy black line, and below by a darker green line;
the eighth and eleventh rings of the body darker than the others. (Abridged
from description by Buckler.) It feeds on lichens growing upon larch,
spruce, hawthorn, sloe, fruit trees, etc., from September to May. The moth
is out in June, July, and August, and may be beaten from the branches of
trees, and from hedges, but the flushing of a specimen in this way is
always a more or less casual event. It has been taken on several occasions
at street lamps, and also in illuminated moth traps.

In England the species seems to be widely distributed over the southern
counties to Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire; and in the east to Norfolk. It
has also been recorded from Derbyshire (one), and Yorkshire (two).

The range abroad extends to Amurland. {86}

THE WAVED BLACK (_Parascotia fuliginaria_).

In the shape of its wings and general appearance the dingy insect
represented on Plate 36, Fig. 2, would seem to belong to the Geometridae
rather than to the present group, and, indeed, has been mistaken for a dark
form of _Ematurga atomaria_. However, the long, projecting palpi are
evidence of its being a member of this sub-family.

The caterpillar, which is moderately stout, and tapers slightly towards
each end, has only twelve feet. Ground colour, sooty black, with
orange-coloured raised dots, from which arise long recurved hairs. The late
Mr. W. H. Tugwell (from whose description of the larva that given above has
been adapted), in 1884, was shown caterpillars upon a black sooty-looking
fungus (determined by Dr. M. C. Cooke as an effused _Muscedine_), growing
in masses on rotten wood in an old wooden building in Bermondsey, near the
river. He afterwards reared the moths.

The caterpillar hatches from the egg in August, but it is not full grown
until May or June, when it spins a fairly compact cocoon of greyish silk,
which is coated with particles of decayed wood and dried fungus.

The moth is out in June and July, and most of the known British specimens
have been captured in London, or reared from caterpillars found therein.
Stephens (1831) mentions three or four examples taken during the previous
thirty years, and gives as localities--Blackfriars bridge, and Little
Chelsea; Stainton (1859) adds, Fleet Street. Other specimens have been
taken in the City in 1855, 1859, 1862, 1870, 1879, and 1881. One occurred
at Clapham in 1864, and one has been reported from Crome in Worcestershire.
More recent records are--one specimen flying around a sugared post at
Walthamstow, July 29, 1901; eight, chiefly at light, at Camberley, 1904-5;
and lastly, a specimen at St. Katharine's Docks, July, 1906. {87}

THE FAN-FOOT (_Zanclognatha tarsipennalis_).

This species is shown in both sexes on Plate 35, Figs. 1 [male], 2
[female]; it is the _Pyralis tentaculalis_ of Haworth, and also that
author's _tarsicrinatus_, and the _tarsicrinalis_ of Stephens. The general
colour is brownish, sometimes inclining to ochreous, and occasionally with
a greyish cast. The submarginal line starts from the front edge, before the
tip, of the fore wing.

The caterpillar is greyish brown, darker freckled, and dotted with black,
downy; three broken darker lines along the back, the central one broad and
inclining to black, and lower down along the sides is a series of blackish
streaks; head, darker. It feeds in July and August, and hibernates when
nearly or quite full grown. Among various foods that have been mentioned
for it are raspberry, ivy, and knotgrass. Some years ago I had some moths
emerge in the autumn; these resulted from caterpillars that I had reared
from the egg on blackberry, and I remember that they showed a decided
preference for the withered leaves left in the cage for them to pupate
among. (Plate 34, Fig. 2.)

The moth is out in June and July, but individuals of a second generation
seldom occur in the open. Although it occurs in woods, it is far more
frequent in lanes and hedgerows. Common and generally distributed, from
Worcester southwards, and to the east and west; northwards its range
extends to Yorkshire, but it is local and uncommon.

In Scotland it is not scarce in some parts of Ayrshire, and has been
recorded from Kircudbrightshire. Kane mentions it as fairly common in
Ireland.

The range abroad extends to Amurland, Corea, and Japan. {88}

THE SMALL FAN-FOOT (_Zanclognatha grisealis_).

This species (Plate 35, Fig. 3) is somewhat similar to the last in colour,
but it is smaller, and the submarginal line is rather curved, and runs to
the tip of the fore wing. The caterpillar is obscurely greyish, with a
pinkish tinge; three darker lines along the back, the central one broadest,
but not distinct on the first three rings; head, brown, freckled with
darker brown, plate of first ring of the body, blackish brown. It feeds on
oak, and may be beaten from the foliage in August and September. Buckler
states that this species passes the winter in the chrysalis state, and this
has been confirmed by Plum. (Plate 34, Fig. 1; after Hofmann.)

The moths emerge in June and July, and may frequently be dislodged from
trees, hedges, and undergrowth in the daytime. Pretty generally distributed
over the southern half of England, plentiful in many parts, and widely
spread over the northern half of the country. It is not scarce in some
parts of Wales, but seems to be uncommon in Scotland, and has been recorded
from the south only. In Ireland it has a wide range, but does not appear to
be noted as common in any locality.

THE OLIVE CRESCENT (_Zanclognatha_ (_Sophronia_) _emortualis_).

The species depicted on Plate 36, Fig. 8, from a continental specimen, is
exceedingly rare in England, in fact, apart from the specimens mentioned by
early authors, only three authentic British examples appear to be known.
These are--one captured at Brighton, Sussex, in June, 1858; one in June,
1859, in Epping Forest, Essex; and one taken at sugar by the Rev. B. H.
Binks, of Stonor, Henley-on-Thames, in July of the year last mentioned.

Stephens (1834), who gives a very unsatisfactory description {89} of the
species, refers to two specimens, of which one was in his collection, from
Devonshire. Wood's figure (768) of _emortualis_, in the Westwood edition of
the _Index Entomologicus_, does not represent this species, but is far more
like _Herminia derivalis_, Hubner.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland.

THE LESSER BELLE (_Madopa salicalis_).

A portrait of this uncommon British moth will be found on Plate 35, Fig. 4.
The greyish fore wings are crossed by three paler edged reddish-brown
lines, the outer one running to the tip of the wing, and the inner one is
sometimes faint or absent.

The caterpillar is said to feed in July and August on sallow and aspen, and
is described by Hofmann as having only fourteen feet; green, inclining to
greyish, in colour, with black spiracles, and the ring divisions yellowish.
(Plate 39, Fig. 3; after Hofmann.)

The moth is out in May and June, and in its few known localities in England
it is found in moist woods, hiding among grass and varied undergrowth.

Stephens (1834) wrote, "A very rare and local insect: I have specimens
taken many years since in the neighbourhood of Bexley, in which vicinity I
believe my friend Mr. Newman has captured it within these few years; it has
also been found at Charlton." Since that time other localities in Kent have
been mentioned, among which were Darenth Wood and West Wickham; the species
was also noted from Birch wood, Surrey. A specimen was found in a gas lamp
at Dulwich in 1858 by the late Mr. C. G. Barrett, and one was taken in
Shooter's Hill wood, Kent, in June, 1859.

Between 1862 and 1868 specimens were obtained at Haslemere, Surrey, and
near Sevenoaks, Kent. According to Barrett {90} it occurred at Petersfield,
on the borders of Sussex and Hampshire, in 1877.

It has also been recorded from Dunham, Cheshire.

Abroad, its distribution extends to Amurland, Corea, and Japan.

THE DOTTED FAN-FOOT (_Herminia cribrumalis_ (_cribralis_)).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 35, Fig. 5) are whitish tinged with
brown, inclining to purplish on the outer margins; beyond the blackish
central dot there are two series of blackish dots crossing the wings, but
these are not always distinct.

The caterpillar, which feeds on various marsh grasses, _Carex_, _Luzula_,
etc., hatches from the egg in late summer, hibernates when about
half-grown, and feeds up in the spring. It is pale greyish brown with fine
yellowish freckles; there are three lines along the back; the central one
dark, finely edged on each side with pale greyish, the outer ones pale; the
usual dots are dusky and the spiracles are black.

The moth may be found in June and July in fens and marshes, where it hides
among the herbage in the daytime, but is easily seen and netted when it
takes wing at dusk, or sits on the sedges, etc., before or after flight.

It is most frequent in the fens of Cambridge and Norfolk, (Stalham), but
occurs also in Suffolk; Essex (Shoeburyness); Kent (Deal); Surrey (recorded
from marshes near Redhill, Dorking and Guildford); Sussex; Hants (bogs near
Lyndhurst), and, according to Barrett, Somerset.

THE CLAY FAN-FOOT (_Herminia derivalis_).

This local species has the wings pretty much of the same shape as those of
_S. emortualis_, and has been mistaken for that species; but the colour is
ochreous-brown, and the cross lines {91} are dark brown. Its favourite
haunts appear to be woods in Kent and Sussex, and in the last-named county
it is perhaps most frequently met with in Abbots wood, Guestling, and
Lewes. It has also been recorded from Essex (Colchester). (Plate 35, Fig.
6.)

The caterpillar feeds on dead oak leaves, chiefly those that have fallen to
the ground. After hibernation it becomes full grown about June, and is then
brown with a downy appearance; there are three faintly darker lines along
the back, and the usual dots are dusky. (Plate 34, Fig. 3; after Hofmann.)
The moth is out in June and July, and in the daytime may be put up from its
lurking place among herbage in wood clearings, or netted as it flies in the
gloaming. It is also attracted by sugar and light.

The species has been erroneously recorded from Chester and Barmouth (North
Wales); and Mr. Carr informs me that he is not quite sure that a specimen
he recorded from Dawlish, South Devon, was correctly identified. In the
catalogue of Malvern Lepidoptera _H. derivalis_ is stated to be rather
common in that district, but the occurrence of the species in the Midlands
requires confirmation.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland.

THE COMMON FAN-FOOT (_Pechipogon barbalis_).

The fore wings of the species shown on Plate 35, Fig. 7, are greyish brown,
crossed by three darker lines, the outer one almost parallel with the hind
margin, and edged with whitish.

The caterpillar feeds on the dead leaves of oak and birch, and has almost
attained full growth when it retires for the winter. In the spring it has
been known to eat birch catkins. The general colour is reddish ochreous,
with diamond-shaped markings, forming a series along the back and two
series along each side. {92}

The moth, which is out from late May until early July, frequents the more
open parts of woods, and in the daytime may be induced to show itself by
tapping the lower branches of trees or brushing the bushes and undergrowth
as we pass along.

The species is widely distributed over England, from Staffordshire
southwards, but it is apparently most frequently met with in some of the
woods of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex.

The distribution abroad extends to Amurland.

THE BEAUTIFUL SNOUT (_Bomolocha fontis_).

The portraits of this species on Plate 35 show each sex in its most usual
form: Fig. 8 representing the male, and Fig. 9 the female. The outer and
inner areas of the fore wings are generally ashy grey, more or less
brownish tinged, in the male; and the same parts are whitish in the female.
Although some examples of the male have the outer and inner areas whitish,
as in the female, they can be distinguished by their darker hind wings and
the blackish central crescent thereon. A form of the female in which the
large central patch of the fore wings is reddish brown has been named
_rufescens_, Tutt; there may be males also of this form, but I have not
seen any. In both sexes, the brown patch extends nearer to the inner margin
in some specimens than in others, and not infrequently there is a spur from
the lower edge of the patch to this margin.

The caterpillar is green, with darker green lines, one along the middle of
the back, and two along each side; the usual raised dots are green or
brownish, and each emits a fine hair; the head is green and rather glossy.
It feeds on bilberry (_Vaccinium myrtillus_) in August and September.
(Plate 37, Fig. 1; after Hofmann.) The moth, which is out in June and July,
hides by day among heather, bilberry, etc., especially where these plants
overhang the edges of banks or trenches. It may be found locally in most of
the southern counties of England from Kent to Cornwall; also in Berks,
Stafford, and Leicester. It has been recorded from Suffolk, Worcester,
Cheshire (one at electric light, Chester, July, 1900), and North Wales. In
Ireland it is widely distributed, and is not uncommon in Co. Kerry.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 34.
  1. SMALL FANFOOT: _caterpillar_.
  2. FANFOOT: _caterpillar_.
  3. CLAY FAN-FOOT: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 35.
    1, 2. FAN-FOOT.
       3. SMALL FAN-FOOT.
       4. LESSER BELLE.
       5. DOTTED FAN-FOOT.
       6. CLAY FAN-FOOT.
       7. COMMON FAN-FOOT.
    8, 9. BEAUTIFUL SNOUT.
      10. THE SNOUT.
  11, 12. BUTTONED SNOUT.

{93}

THE SNOUT (_Hypena proboscidalis_).

This species (Plate 35, Fig. 10) is more generally distributed and common
than any other of the group. Wherever nettles grow in quantity there we may
expect to find this moth in its season, that is, in June and July. In
favourable years there is sometimes a second flight, on a small scale, in
the autumn; this was the case in 1905.

The caterpillar is green, with raised dots, from each of which a brownish
hair arises; the line along the middle of the back is dark, and those along
the sides are yellowish; the head is ochreous brown. It feeds on nettles in
May and June. (Plate 37, Fig. 3; after Hofmann.)

In Amurland, and some other parts of eastern Asia, the species is
represented by the brown-sprinkled yellowish form, var. _deleta_,
Staudinger.

THE BLOXWORTH SNOUT (_Hypena obsitalis_).

The fore wings of this species are brown, crossed by a number of darker
lines and a thicker angulated line beyond the middle; the latter is
outwardly edged with pale brown, chiefly towards the costa; some white dots
on the veins represent the submarginal line, and below the tips of the
wings there are some black streaks.

One example of this form of the species, which is a variable one, was taken
by the Rev. O. Pickard, Cambridge, in {94} September, 1884. He found it
sitting on a door-jamb in his garden at Bloxworth, Dorset.

The specimen shown on Plate 36, Fig. 9, hails from Mogador.

Abroad, the range of the species includes southern Europe, Asia Minor,
Egypt, North-West Africa, Madeira, and the Canaries.

THE BUTTONED SNOUT (_Hypena rostralis_).

Two forms of this species are shown on Plate 35. The typical one is
represented by Fig. 12, and Fig. 11 shows ab. _palpalis_, Tutt (?), Fabr.
and Stephens. The front margin of the fore wings is often streaked with a
pale colour, and in ab. _radiatalis_, Hubner (134), which is otherwise
similar to the last-named form, this is pale or ochreous brown. A uniform
pale greyish form has been named ab. _unicolor_, Tutt, and one almost
entirely ochreous or greyish-ochreous, ab. _ochrea_, Tutt.

The caterpillar is green, with blackish dots; a darker line along the
middle of the back, and white lines along the sides; head, yellowish green
dotted with black. It feeds on hop (_Humulus lupulus_) in June and early
July, and in the daytime may be found on the undersides of the leaves.
(Plate 37, Fig. 2; after Hofmann.) The moth is out in August and September,
and after hibernation reappears in the spring, and may be met with until
June. It may be obtained at sugar, or at ivy bloom. Given the food plant,
the species will probably be found in most of the counties of England from
Worcester southwards, but its occurrence northwards appears to have been
very rarely noted.

The range abroad extends to East Siberia.

THE WHITE-LINE SNOUT (_Hypenodes taenialis_ (_albistrigalis_)).

This species, and also the two immediately following, are so small in size,
and so obscure in appearance, that they are {95} probably more often
neglected than secured when met with. The moth under consideration, and of
which the sexes are figured on Plate 36 (Figs. 3 [male] and 4 [female]) has
brownish fore wings which are crossed by two rather irregular blackish
lines, sometimes hardly traceable on the front margin; the outer line is
edged externally with whitish, and the space between the lines is often
somewhat darker; the black central mark is more or less X-shaped.

The caterpillar does not seem to have been noted in this country, and it is
not well known on the continent. It is said to feed on the flowers, chiefly
the withering ones, of heather and thyme, in August and September.

The moth is out in July and early August, sometimes in September. Its
haunts are the edges of woods, hillsides, and sloping banks, where there is
plenty of bushes and herbage to hide in. From such retreats it may be
disturbed, but is more easily obtained at sugar, or honey dew, and
sometimes at ivy bloom. It is widely distributed over the southern half of
England; occurs in South Wales, and has been recorded from Cheshire and
Yorks.

Abroad, the species is found in Holland, Belgium, Germany, Austria,
Armenia, and the Canaries; also recorded from south Sweden and Corea.

THE PINION-STREAKED SNOUT (_Hypenodes costaestrigalis_).

Although somewhat similar in the general colour of the forewings, this
species (Plate 36) may be distinguished from the preceding by the whitish
dash from the tips of the wings and the black streak running inwards from
it; this black streak is to be seen clearly in Fig. 6 [male], but owing to
the darker ground colour is less distinct in Fig. 7 [female].

The caterpillar is shining purplish-brown, inclining to yellowish-brown
below, with three pale brownish lines along {96} the back, the central one
rather broad, and that on each side is edged below with dusky. What the
food may be in a natural state has not been ascertained, but the
caterpillars have been reared from the egg on a diet of thyme flowers,
supplemented by the bodies of a few brothers or sisters. July and August.

The moth has been noted in June (end), July, August, September, and
October; but whether there are two generations or only one in the year is
not definitely known; the assumption is that there are two.

This species is partial to moist localities, and its favourite haunts are
fens, mosses, or marshy heaths, and the outskirts of damp woods. It ranges
over the greater part of England, and is found in Wales (Pembrokeshire). In
Scotland it has been noted from Roxburghshire, and is locally common in
Clydesdale. It is known to occur in Cork, Kerry, and Sligo, and probably is
to be found in other parts of Ireland.

THE MARSH OBLIQUE-BARRED (_Tholomiges turfosalis_).

The species shown on Plate 36, Fig. 5, is much smaller than either of the
last two. The narrow fore wings are whitish-ochreous, more or less thickly
sprinkled with brown; the first of the three dark cross lines is often
indistinct, the second is bent under the black central dot, and the third
runs obliquely to the tip of the wing; the last two are each outwardly
edged with whitish.

Nothing seems to be known of the early stages.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 36.
     1. BEAUTIFUL HOOK-TIP.
     2. WAVED BLACK.
  3, 4. WHITE-LINE SNOUT.
     5. MARSH OBLIQUE BARRED.
  6, 7. PINION-STREAKED SNOUT.
     8. OLIVE CRESCENT.
     9. BLOXWORTH SNOUT.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 37.
  1. BEAUTIFUL SNOUT: _caterpillar_.
  2. BUTTONED SNOUT: _caterpillar_.
  3. THE SNOUT: _caterpillar_.

{97} This species was first made known as an inhabitant of the British
Isles by Doubleday, who described it as _Hypenodes humidalis_, in 1850,
from specimens taken in Ireland by Weaver in 1848. In 1850 it was found
plentifully on one of the Cheshire moors; and Harrison, in _The Zoologist_
for 1851, writes: "From the middle of July up to the 8th of August, it
might be seen any fine evening, between the hours of six and eight, flying
on most of our swamps [Keswick] in plenty." He goes on to state that the
moths were so common that he boxed forty in less than an hour, and could
have secured as many dozens. At the present day the species is to be found
on boggy heaths and moors in Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, and from Somerset
through Gloucestershire into Berkshire, and thence northwards through
Warwick and Staffordshire to Cheshire, Lancashire, and Cumberland. Barrett
mentions Perthshire as a Scottish locality, and Kane states that it is
common at Killarney in Ireland. When this species and its allies receive
more of the collector's attention they may probably be found in many
localities from which there are no records at present.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

BREPHIDAE.

By some systematists this small group of moths is treated as a subfamily of
the Geometridae. _Brephos_, however, which is typical of the family, does
not seem to have any close affinities with the Noctuidae or with the
Geometers, and is therefore better considered as apart from both those
families. Meyrick includes _Brephos_ with _Aplasta_, _Erannis_, and
_Baptria_, in his family Monocteniadae.

Only five species are known to inhabit the Palaearctic Region, and two of
these occur in Britain.

THE ORANGE UNDERWING (_Brephos parthenias_).

The white markings of the fore wings vary a good deal in size; in some
specimens, chiefly males, they are very small and confined to the front
margin; in others, mainly females, they are much enlarged, and the central
one is continued as a band across the wings. On the orange hind wings the
blackish {98} central band is usually more or less complete, but sometimes
it is nearly or quite absent above the blackish triangular patch on the
inner margin. Occasionally, there is a yellow blotch at the anal angle, and
frequently another on the costal area. Still more rarely the whole ground
colour is yellow. (Figured on Plate 38, Figs. 1 [male] and 2 [female].) The
caterpillar is green, with six white lines along the back, and white
stripes along the sides. When young it feeds on the catkins of birch, and
afterwards on the foliage. April to early June. (Plate 39, Fig. 1.)

The moth is out in March and April, and on sunny days the males may be seen
flying, generally pretty high up, on the lee side of the birch trees
growing on heaths; also in open spaces in or around birch woods. The
females rest on the twigs, as also do the males when the sun is obscured.
Both sexes have been found sitting on the ground in sunny glades.

The species is widely distributed over the southern and eastern counties,
common in many parts; but its range extends through England to Durham, and
it has been recorded from Wales. Although it does not seem to have been
noted in Scotland south of Kincardineshire, it occurs on the east to Moray.
Westmeath is the only Irish locality that has so far been mentioned.

Its distribution abroad extends to East Siberia and Amurland.

THE LIGHT ORANGE UNDERWING (_Brephos notha_).

Very similar to the last species, but rather smaller in size, and the fore
wings are much less variegated. The antennae of the male of this species
are bipectinated, whilst those of _parthenias_ are finely serrated. (Plate
38, Figs. 4 [male] and 5 [female].)

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 38.
  1, 2. ORANGE UNDERWING.
     3. THE REST HARROW.
  4, 5. LIGHT ORANGE UNDERWING.
   6-8. GRASS EMERALD.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 39.
      1. ORANGE UNDERWING: _caterpillar_.
  2, 2a. LIGHT ORANGE UNDERWING: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.
      3. LESSER BELLE: _caterpillar_.

{99} The caterpillar feeds in May and June on aspen, eating the foliage and
hiding between two leaves drawn together. The head is greenish or
greenish-brown, with three conspicuous black spots. Body, green,
olive-green, or reddish; line along middle of the back darker green edged
with white; two thin white lines on each side, and a whitish stripe along
the spiracles. When mature it burrows into decayed bark or wood (virgin
cork in confinement), and before changing to a reddish-brown chrysalis, it
spins a thin covering of silk and woody particles over the mouth of the
chamber. The caterpillar and the chrysalis are shown on Plate 39, Figs. 2
and 2a. Although the bulk of the moths emerge the following April, some
have been known to remain until the following or even the third year. The
males fly about aspen, but only in the sunshine; in other respects its
habits are pretty much those of the last species.

The distribution of the species in England seems confined to two areas: a
western one represented by Worcester, Gloucester, with Monmouth, Wales,
Wilts, and Dorset; and an eastern one by Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk,
Essex, Middlesex, Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. In Scotland only recorded from
Moray.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

GEOMETRIDAE.

Caterpillars of this family of moths, with very few exceptions, have only
two pairs of claspers or prolegs; when there are more than four claspers,
the extra ones are only rudimentary and therefore useless. In moving from
place to place the caterpillar stretches out to its full length, first to
one side and then to the other, as though measuring the distance. When a
hold is secured with the true legs the body is arched and the claspers are
brought up almost to the point held by the true legs; the latter are then
thrust forward and the measuring business proceeds as before. Some kinds
perform the looping manoeuvre very deliberately, but others at a quick
rate. In common parlance among British entomologists the caterpillars are
called {100} "geometers" or "loopers," but to our American confreres they
are known as "measuring-worms" or "span-worms."

Most of the caterpillars feed openly on the foliage of trees, shrubs, or
low-growing herbs, and the majority remain upon their respective plants
during the day.

A large proportion of the moths may be obtained in the daytime, either by
beating or otherwise disturbing the foliage or herbage among which they
hide; several kinds rest on tree trunks, palings, rocks, walls, etc., where
they are sometimes conspicuous, but more frequently not easy to distinguish
from their surroundings. On the whole, members of this family are more
available to the day collector than are those of the Noctuidae. Although
several species occasionally visit the sugar patch, such species are, as a
rule, obtained more readily and in larger numbers by other methods.
Brilliant light has a great attraction for many of the moths, some are more
often captured at gas or electric lamps than in any other way, and among
these are the migratory species.

Staudinger divides the family into the following subfamilies:--

  Geometrinae (= Geometridae, Meyrick).
  Acidaliinae (= Sterrhidae, Meyrick).
  Larentiinae (= Hydriomenidae, Meyrick).
  Orthostixinae (not represented in Britain).
  Boarmiinae (= Selidosemidae, Meyrick).

Except as regards the Larentiinae, I have largely adhered to Staudinger's
arrangement of genera in each of the above subfamilies.

The typical genus of Larentiinae would be _Larentia_, Treit, to which
something over two hundred species are referred by Staudinger, among which
are upwards of sixty that occur in the British Isles. Following some of the
later generic changes, I find that none of our species are left in
_Larentia_, but a few fall into _Hydriomena_, Hubner, and therefore
Hydriomeninae has been adopted for this subfamily. {101}

GEOMETRINAE.

THE REST HARROW (_Aplasta ononaria_).

This greyish-brown moth has two darker, sometimes reddish, cross lines on
the fore wings, and one such line on the hind wings. It is presumably only
to be regarded as an accidental visitor to England. The first record was of
a specimen captured in the Warren at Folkestone in July, 1866, and since
that year others were obtained in the same locality, but apparently not
more than about half a dozen altogether. None seems to have been recorded
for over thirty-five years. The specimen, whose portrait is shown on Plate
38, Fig. 3, was obtained from Dresden.

Abroad, the range includes Central and Southern Europe, Asia Minor, Syria,
and Armenia.

THE GRASS EMERALD (_Pseudoterpna pruinata_).

When freshly emerged from the chrysalis, the species represented by Figs. 6
to 8 on Plate 38 is of a beautiful blue-green colour, but in course of time
a greyish shade creeps over the wings. The dark cross lines vary in
intensity; in some specimens well defined and blackish, in others very
faint, and hardly discernible; occasionally, the space between the lines on
the fore wings is dark shaded; the whitish submarginal line is not always
present. This species is the _cythisaria_ of Schiffermiller, and the
_cytisaria_ of other authors.

The caterpillar (figured on Plate 41, Fig. 1, from a coloured drawing by
Mr. A. Sich) is green, with three lines along the back, the central one
dark green, the others whitish; a pinkish stripe low down along the sides,
the points on the head and the first and last rings of the body are often
pink also. It feeds on pettywhin (_Genista anglica_), also on broom
(_Cytisus scoparius_) {102} and gorse (_Ulex_); in captivity it seems to
thrive on laburnum. Most frequently obtained in the springtime after
hibernation.

The moth is to be found in June and July on moorlands and commons pretty
well throughout the British Isles, but it seems not to have been noted
north of Perthshire, in Scotland.

Odd specimens have been known to occur in late August or early September,
but this is quite exceptional.

THE LARGE EMERALD (_Geometra papilionaria_).

This charming green species (Plate 40, Figs. 1 and 4) varies in tint and in
the distinctness of the whitish wavy cross lines. In some examples, one or
other of the lines is absent, and far more rarely there is but little trace
of any of these markings. Occasionally, the discal mark is preceded by a
whitish wedge-shaped spot on the fore wings (ab. _cuneata_, Burrows).

When newly laid the eggs are whitish, but soon change to greenish yellow,
and finally to pinkish.

The caterpillar hatches in late summer, and feeds on birch, hazel, and
beech, until the leaves begin to fall in the autumn; it then constructs a
carpet of silk on a twig, and near a bud, upon which it takes up its
position for the winter. When thus seen, its reddish brown colour,
variegated more or less with green, assimilates so closely with its
surroundings that the creature is not easy to detect. In the spring, when
it awakens, the green colour increases in extent as the buds open and the
leaves unfold; when they are fully expanded, the caterpillar sits among the
foliage towards the tip of a twig, and is then almost entirely green, the
reddish brown only showing on the head, slightly on the warts, and more
distinctly on the hinder parts which are in touch with the twig. The
chrysalis, enclosed in a flimsy silken web among the dead leaves, usually
on the ground, is of a delicate green colour, dotted with buff on the back,
and shaded with buff on the wing cases. The early stages are figured on
Plate 42.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 40.
  1, 4. LARGE EMERALD.
  2, 3. SMALL EMERALD.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 41.
  1. GRASS EMERALD: _caterpillar_.
  2. BLOTCHED EMERALD: _caterpillar_.
  3. COMMON EMERALD: _caterpillar_.

{103} The moth is out in June and July, and may occasionally be beaten out
of a hedge or bush, but is most frequently obtained late at night, when it
is active on the wing, and is attracted by a brilliant light.

The species occurs in woods, on heaths and moors, and in fens, throughout
the British Isles, except the most northern parts of Scotland and the
isles.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland and Japan.

THE SMALL EMERALD (_Geometra vernaria_).

This species (Plate 40, Figs. 2 and 3) is smaller than the last mentioned,
the green colour is of a softer tint, and the lines crossing the wings, two
on the fore wings and one on the hind wings, are whitish, and not waved.

The caterpillar hatches from the egg in August, and after hibernation is to
be found in May and June on Traveller's Joy or Old Man's Beard (_Clematis
vitalba_). It is then green, with white dots arranged in lines along the
back and sides; the head is deep reddish brown, and this, and also the
first and last rings of the body, have raised points. Transformation to the
greenish chrysalis is effected among the leaves, drawn together with silk.
(Plate 44, Figs. 3 and 3a.)

The moth flies in the evening in July and August, and in the daytime may be
disturbed, by the application of the beating stick, from its retreats in
hedges, etc., where the food plant flourishes. Found in most of the
southern and eastern counties of England, most frequently on the chalk; its
range extends to Worcestershire. Except that it has been recorded as a
doubtful inhabitant of Ireland, the species does not appear to occur
elsewhere in the British Isles. The distribution abroad extends to
Amurland. {104}

THE BLOTCHED EMERALD (_Euchloris_ (_Comibaena_) _pustulata_).

When quite fresh, this moth (Plate 43, Fig. 1) is exceedingly pretty; the
pale blotches vary a little in size, as also do the reddish marks upon
them.

The caterpillar adorns itself with particles of its food as soon as it
leaves the egg in July; after hibernation it uses the scales or husks of
the oak buds for the same purpose. When stripped of its trappings it is
found to be reddish brown in colour, with three slightly darker lines along
the back; hooded bristles arising from raised brownish spots afford means
for the attachment of the masquerading outfit, each moiety of which is
covered with silk on one side before being placed in the required position.
When beating oaks for larvae in May and June, the contents of the umbrella
or beating tray should not be too hastily thrown away, but allowed to
remain therein for awhile, and closely watched for any movement among the
litter. The spectacle of a cluster of oak bracts suddenly becoming active
will certainly arouse curiosity, and on examination the cause of the
commotion will frequently be found to be the caterpillar of this species.
(Plate 41, Fig. 2; after Auld.)

The moth is out in June and July, and flies at dusk in and around oak
woods. In the daytime it may be jarred from its perch in oak trees, and
once I found a specimen on a fence in the Esher district. It has been known
to visit light, and examples of a September emergence have been recorded.

As a British species it only inhabits England, and it has been noted from
Staffordshire and Leicester, but seems to be rare in the midland counties
generally. It is more frequently found in the southern and eastern
counties.

Abroad, the range extends through Central Europe to Southern Sweden, S.
Russia, N. Asia Minor, and Andalusia. {105}

THE ESSEX EMERALD (_Euchloris smaragdaria_).

In some examples of this species (Plate 43, Figs. 2, 3) the green colour is
brighter than in others, and very occasionally it is tinged with bluish;
typically, there are white cross lines on the fore wings, but the inner one
is not infrequently absent, and more rarely both are missing. The white
central spot is very rarely absent, and the edges of the fore wings are
yellowish.

The caterpillar feeds on the sea wormwood (_Artemisia maritima_), and
adorns itself with fragments of its food plant in much the same manner as
that of the species last referred to. Although obtained in the autumn in
some numbers from its food plant, it seems to have been rarely met with in
the spring after hibernation. It is, therefore, advisable to collect the
caterpillars about September, and transfer them to plants of the garden
_Artemisia abrotanum_, locally known as "Southernwood," "Old man," or
"Lad's love," or, where available, wormwood (_A. absinthium_) will suit it
admirably. Upon either of these plants the larvae will hibernate, feed up
in the spring, and become full grown about May. The early stages are
figured on Plate 42, larva and pupa from photos by Mr. H. Main.

The moth is out in June and early July, but it is rarely seen in the open,
although over sixty years ago a few specimens were put up from among grass
and netted at St. Osyth; in later years an example or two have been taken
at Sheerness in Kent. Possibly, others may also have been captured in one
or other of the insect's haunts, but records are silent on the matter.
Barrett mentions a specimen emerging in September, and the Rev. C. R. N.
Burrows notes that part of a brood of caterpillars reared from eggs, and
fed on _A. absinthium_, attained the moth state during the autumn. So far
as concerns {106} the British Isles it seems to be almost exclusively an
inhabitant of the salterns, or sea marshes of Essex.

Abroad, the species occurs inland, and is not confined to the coast; its
range extends eastwards to Siberia and Amurland.

THE SMALL GRASS EMERALD (_Nemoria viridata_).

This species, represented on Plate 43, Figs. 5 and 6, is readily
distinguished by its small size and the well-defined white cross line on
each wing. In most examples there is a more or less distinct whitish inner
line on the fore wings. Ab. _mathewi_, Bankes, has all the wings dusted
with orange scales, more especially on the outer marginal areas. A few
examples of this form were reared in 1905, with a number of normal
specimens, from eggs laid by a female captured in South Devonshire.

The caterpillar (figured from a skin on Plate 44, Fig. 1) is green,
roughened with whitish points; a dusky line along the middle of the back,
marked on the front and end rings, also between the rings, with purplish
red. Head, and first ring of the body, notched, the points reddish; last
ring of the body pointed. When at rest on a twig it assumes a rigid
posture, and the legs are tightly drawn together. It feeds on heather,
sallow, and birch, but the general experience appears to be that in
captivity it thrives best on a diet of hawthorn, and is especially partial
to the young shoots. It may be obtained in July and August, and the moth
comes out in the following May or June. In 1905, Mr. A. J. Scollick reared
some caterpillars from eggs laid June 2nd, and hatched June 16th; all duly
pupated, and a moth came up on December 20th of that year. Four others
appeared in January and February, 1906.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 42.
  1, 1a, 1b, 1c. LARGE EMERALD: _egg, caterpillars and chrysalis_.
          2, 2a. ESSEX EMERALD: _eggs, caterpillar and chrysalis_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 43.
     1. BLOTCHED EMERALD.
  2, 3. ESSEX EMERALD.
  4, 7. LITTLE EMERALD.
  5, 6. SMALL GRASS EMERALD.
  8, 9. COMMON EMERALD.

{107} The Rev. F. E. Lowe states that in Guernsey the species occurs
exclusively among furze on cliffs by the sea, and chiefly where the plant
is cut down from time to time. In Britain it inhabits heaths and mosses,
but is very local. It is found in the English counties of Hants (New
Forest, etc.), Dorset (Poole Heath, etc.), Devon (Woodbury, Exeter
district, etc.), Norfolk (Horning), Worcester (Malvern district, rare);
also at Methop, Witherslack, and other localities in Westmoreland and
Cumberland. Only doubtfully recorded from Scotland and Ireland.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland, Corea, and China.

THE LITTLE EMERALD (_Iodis lactearia_).

The green tint in this species (Plate 43, Figs. 4 and 7) is even more
unstable than in others of the group. When quite fresh the wings can often
only be described as whitish with a delicate green tinge, but even when the
greatest care is taken to preserve it, the colour is apt to fade.

The caterpillar (Plate 44, Fig. 2, from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich)
is long and thin, with two points on the edge of the first ring, and one on
the last ring, of a bright green colour, paler between the rings; the spots
along the back are reddish, as also is the whitish-fronted deeply notched
head. It feeds on the leaves of various trees and bushes, such as birch,
oak, hawthorn, sallow, etc. It may be obtained by beating or searching from
August to September.

The moth is out in May and June, in some seasons later, and may be beaten
out of hedges, as well as from trees in woods. Generally distributed, and
often common, throughout England, Wales, and Ireland. In Scotland it is
locally common in Clydesdale, and occurs in other southern parts of that
country.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland, Corea, China, and Japan.

THE COMMON EMERALD (_Hemithea strigata_).

When freshly emerged from the chrysalis, this species (Plate 43, Figs. 8
and 9) is darkish green, but it soon fades to a greyish {108} tint. Easily
distinguished by its shape, and by the chequered fringes. It is the
_aestivaria_ of Hubner, and _thymiaria_ of Guenee. The long, thin, green
caterpillar is ornamented with reddish brown, the V-shaped marks on rings 5
to 8 are sometimes whitish; head, deeply notched, brown; the first ring of
the body is also notched. It hatches from the egg in August, when it is
said to feed on mugwort (_Artemisia vulgaris_), and other low plants; after
hibernation it feeds on the foliage of oak, birch, hawthorn, rose, etc.,
and attains full growth in May or June. In late June and in July the moth
may be put up from the undergrowth in woods, or from bushes in
well-timbered hedgerows bordering lanes and fields. Specimens so obtained
are poor in colour as a rule, and it is well, therefore, to rear the
species from the caterpillar. (Plate 41, Fig. 3; after Hofmann.) This
remark applies to all "Emeralds."

The species is often common in the south and east of England, and along the
western side, including Wales, up to Cheshire and Lancashire, but it
becomes local in Worcestershire and northwards. There are few records of it
from Yorkshire, and its occurrence in Durham, Northumberland, and Scotland
is doubtful. In Ireland it appears to be widely distributed, but scarce.

The range abroad extends to Amurland, Corea, and Japan.



[_Thalera fimbrialis_. A specimen of this Central European species
(identified by the late Mr. C. G. Barrett) was taken on August 7, 1902, by
Mr. C. Capper, from a blade of grass growing on a slope under Beachy Head,
Sussex. The species is somewhat similar in appearance to _H. strigata_, but
is larger; the hind wings are notched above the angle on the outer margin;
the fringes of all the wings are chequered with red, and the antennae of
the male are bipectinated.] {109}

ACIDALIINAE.

PURPLE-BORDERED GOLD (_Hyria muricata_).

Two forms of this pretty little species (known also as _auroraria_) are
shown on Plate 45. Fig. 1 represents the more usual form, but between this
and the almost entirely purple variety (Fig. 4), which occurs chiefly in
the north, there are various modifications. Then again, especially in the
south of England, there is a tendency to become entirely yellow, the
purple, inclining to crimson in such specimens, being confined to the front
margin and cross lines on the fore wings, and a narrow band on the outer
margin of all the wings.

The caterpillar is pale brownish, inclining to ochreous at each end, marked
with irregular blackish lines on the back, and dots and streaks on the
sides. Its natural food plant seems to be unknown, but when reared from the
egg the caterpillar will eat knotgrass, and sometimes a few will feed up
and attain the moth state the same year. August to May.

The moth occurs in late June and in July, and frequents fens, boggy heaths,
and mosses. Although odd specimens may, occasionally, be flushed during the
day, the collector will need to be up early in the morning if he would see
this species on the wing, as it seems to fly most freely about sunrise. The
New Forest in Hampshire is a noted district for it, as also are Ranworth,
Horning, etc., in Norfolk, and Witherslack in Westmoreland. In Ireland, it
is found in counties Galway, Kerry, and Mayo.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland, China, Corea, and Japan.

WEAVER'S WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _contiguaria_).

The earliest known British specimen of this species (Plate 45, Figs. 2 and
5) was taken in North Wales by Weaver, in 1855, {110} and was figured and
described in _The Entomologist's Annual_ for 1856 as _Dosithea eburnata_,
Wocke. About seven years later Greening captured a female specimen, and he
subsequently reared the insect, when it became known as "Greening's Pug."
Still later, about 1875, the English name was changed to "Capper's
Acidalia."

Fortunately, the species seems not difficult to rear from the egg,
otherwise specimens in collections would be not only very limited in
number, but frequently very indifferent in condition.

In colour the moth is whity brown, more or less dusted or clouded with dark
grey; except in the darker forms, three irregular black lines on the fore
wings, and two on the hind wings, are clearly seen. It flies at dusk in
June and July, and sits by day on lichen-covered rocks.

The caterpillar is pale ochreous brown, with irregular dark brown lines. It
feeds on ling (_Calluna_) and crowberry (_Empetrum_) from September to May;
but when eggs are obtained, the caterpillar hatching from them may be kept
on chickweed, knotgrass, etc., and the moth be reared the same year.

Mr. R. Tait records the finding of ten caterpillars on navelwort
(_Cotyledon_) growing among heather in a very sheltered corner among rocks
in North Wales, at Easter, 1906. He also notes that moths reared in
captivity pair readily.

The British localities, all in North Wales, are Aber, Bangor, Barmouth,
Bettws-y-coed, Conway, Dolgelly, Lanfairfechan, and Penmaenmawr.

THE LEAST CARPET (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _rusticata_).

The whitish fore wings of this species (Plate 45, Figs. 3 and 6) are
crossed by a blackish central band, and there is a blackish patch at the
base of the wings, with an extension along the front margin, almost or
quite to the central band; the hind wings have a central dot, and three or
four dark grey wavy lines, the space between the first and second darkened,
and appearing to be a continuation of the fore wing band. The thick set,
pale ochreous-brown, or grey-brown, caterpillar (Plate 48, Fig. 1, drawn
from a skin) has three more or less distinct pale lines along the back, and
a series of darker diamonds along the central area; head, brown. In the
open, its food probably consists of decaying or withered leaves, but when
treated in captivity it will eat and thrive upon growing knotgrass,
groundsel, dandelion, etc. August to May. Mr. Mera mentions that some
caterpillars he reared on dandelion produced moths that were larger in size
than most captured specimens.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 44.
      1. SMALL GRASS EMERALD: _caterpillar_.
      2. LITTLE EMERALD: _caterpillar_.
  3, 3a. SMALL EMERALD: _caterpillar, chrysalis and cocoon_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 45.
       1, 4. PURPLE BORDERED GOLD.
       2, 5. WEAVER'S WAVE.
       3, 6. LEAST CARPET.
      7, 10. RUSTY WAVE.
  8, 11, 14. SMALL DUSTY WAVE.
      9, 12. DOTTED BORDER WAVE.
         13. SILKY WAVE.
     15, 18. DWARF CREAM WAVE.
         16. ISLE OF WIGHT WAVE.
         17. SATIN WAVE.

{111} The moth is out in July, and specimens have been bred in September
from eggs laid in July of the same year. To obtain this species, a journey
will have to be made to one or other of its special haunts in Kent, lying
between Greenhithe and Sheerness. Other localities from which it has been
recorded are Kingsdown, Dover, Folkestone (Kent); Brighton, Lewes, West
Horsham (Sussex); Isle of Portland (Dorset); Rame Head, Torquay (Devon);
and single specimens have been reported from Stowmarket and Felixstowe
(Suffolk).

THE RUSTY WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _herbariata_).

In _The Entomologists Annual_ for 1856, two species of _Acidalia_ were
brought forward as new to the British list. One of these has been referred
to under _A. contiguaria_, the other was the present species, which at the
time was wrongly referred to _circuitaria_, Hubner. The specimens depicted
on Plate 45, Figs. 7 and 10, are of continental origin.

Although other specimens were then known to exist in at least two British
collections, the first recorded example was that mentioned above. This was
captured in Bloomsbury Street, {112} London. In June, 1868, three or four
examples were found in a herbalist's shop in Holborn; one occurred on a
shop window in Oxford Street in 1873; one example was taken from a
door-post in Cannon Street, July 21, 1879; and two others have been noted
from the same street, but dates were not given. The latest record, that of
a specimen on July 21, 1898, in a shop in Southampton Row, Bloomsbury,
closes the list; it then appears that all the British specimens known to us
have been taken in London.

The eggs are laid on dry or withered plants, upon which the long brownish
or greenish caterpillars feed throughout the autumn, winter, and following
spring. They pupate towards mid-May, and the moths appear in June and July.
According to Guenee, caterpillars seem to have been found only in herb or
drug stores, and the moths occur in gardens and houses in July and August.

THE SMALL DUSTY WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _virgularia_).

In most parts of the southern half of England this species, of which three
specimens are shown on Plate 45, Figs. 8, 11, 14, is more or less common,
and is often to be seen on garden walls, pales, and other kinds of fences.
Although apparently infrequent in the Midlands, it has been recorded as
common at Rugely in Staffordshire; in several parts of Cheshire it is not
uncommon, and its distribution is known to extend to Northumberland.
Possibly the species is more widely spread over England than the records
show it to be. In Wales, it has been found in the North; in Scotland, it
occurs locally from Berwick to Aberdeen; and it is doubtfully recorded from
Ireland. The long, thin caterpillar is ochreous-brown, with a pale stripe
on each side. It feeds on the leaves of various low plants, and seems, at
times, to like its food best when withered. Some {113} that I reared from
eggs deposited in September, 1904, fed for a time on fresh dandelion, but
on the approach of winter they apparently ceased feeding, and were allowed
to remain in the box with the food last supplied. In March it was found
that they had been, and were then, eating the old provender. Some fresh
dandelion was added, but this was not touched until all the old had been
consumed. The same thing was repeated until the caterpillars were nearly
full grown, when the fresh food was eaten as well as the stale. The moths
resulting from them emerged during the last week in April, 1905, and were
all well above the average size, and considerably larger than the female
parent. One example is represented by Fig. 11 on the plate.

There are certainly two generations of the moth during the year; in some
years possibly more.

DOTTED BORDER WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _straminata_).

In its ordinary form this moth (Plate 45, Figs. 9, 12) is greyish white,
sometimes with a tinge of brown, especially on the fore wings; the darker
cross lines are slightly wavy; each wing has a central black dot, and there
is a more or less distinct series of black dots on their outer margins. Ab.
_circellata_, Guenee (Plate 61, Fig. 3), has the first and second lines of
the fore wings strongly defined and deep brown, and the first is united
with the central shade above the inner margin; the corresponding lines on
the hind wings are also deep brown. This form, which occurs on the
Lancashire and Cheshire mosses, and is known as the Obscure Wave, has been
considered a distinct species, but it is connected with typical
_straminata_ by intermediate aberrations which occur together with
_circellata_ and the ordinary form on the same ground. Similar intergrades
also occur in the New Forest, Hampshire, the Dover district of Kent, and
probably elsewhere. {114}

The rough-looking, long and slender caterpillar is pale greyish, with a
black-edged pale line along the middle of the back, the black edging
interrupted on rings 4-9; on each side of the central line, and lower down
along the sides, are other black streaks; head, notched on the crown, and
marked with brown.

Some eggs laid August 8th, hatched on September 1st; the infant
caterpillars were long and thread-like, the colour was black, and there was
a whitish stripe low down along the sides. They would not feed on knotgrass
and other plants offered to them, and I failed to rear them. Moths have,
however, been bred, as a second generation, in the autumn from caterpillars
reared from the egg, on bramble and knotgrass.

The moth occurs in July and August on bush-sprinkled heaths, or heathy
ground, where it may be disturbed from the herbage in the daytime, or
netted as it flies in the evening. South of England from Kent to Dorset;
also in Berkshire, Cheshire (one specimen, Whitegate Heath, 1901, one ab.
_circellata_ in Delamere Forest, July, 1903); Yorkshire (Thorne Moor, and
rather plentiful on Skipton Common in 1900 and subsequent years; ab.
_circellata_ also occurred).

THE DWARF CREAM WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _interjectaria_).

This moth (Plate 45, Figs. 15, 18) is said to be referable to
_fuscovenosa_, Goeze, and as this is an earlier name than _interjectaria_,
Guenee, it may have to be adopted. For many years it was known in England
as _osseata_, and was described by Haworth, Stephens, and others, under
this name. It is also the _dilutaria_ of some authors, but not of Hubner.
Hubner's dilutaria is considered by some writers to be the _holosericata_
of Duponchel, and therefore an earlier name for the species generally known
by the latter name. {115}

The present species, to which Haworth gave the English name here used, is
whitish straw-coloured, and silky in appearance; the wings have a central
black dot and four or five dusky cross lines, some of which are more
distinct than others; the front edge of the fore wings is tinged with
reddish brown, in which is often a dark dot at the ends of the first and
central lines; a series of linear blackish dots at the base of the fringes,
most distinct on the fore wings.

The somewhat stumpy caterpillar is dull smoky brown, marbled and variegated
with ochreous, the darker colour most in evidence in front, and the
ochreous behind; an ochreous line along the middle of the back, and one
along the region of the spiracles; white spots on rings 5-7. (Adapted from
Porritt.) It feeds from August to April on dandelion and other low-growing
plants, and especially on the withered leaves. The moth occurs among weeds
growing on banks, and hedgerows, and the outskirts of woods, in greater or
lesser plenty throughout the South of England; but it becomes local, and
more or less rare in the north of the country. In Scotland it is said to be
uncommon in Clydesdale, but has not been noted from Ireland, or from Wales.

ISLE OF WIGHT WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _humiliata_).

This species (Plate 45, Fig. 16) is the _osseata_ of Fabricius, but not of
Haworth and other British authors. It is very similar in general appearance
to the species last considered, but the wings are somewhat less ample, and
rather yellower in tint. It is most readily recognised, however, by the
distinctly reddish stripe on the front edge of the fore wings. Previous to
1891, when specimens were obtained by Mr. A. J. Hodges in the Isle of
Wight, the species was not certainly known to be an inhabitant of the
British Isles, although it seems to have been represented in many
collections. The {116} insect is still found by those who know where to
look for it on the sea cliffs of its island home, but so far as appears to
be known at present, it does not occur in any other part of Britain. For
this reason, it does not seem desirable to indicate the exact locality more
definitely; but it may be added that the moth flies in July.

SILKY WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _holosericata_).

Somewhat similar to A. _interjectaria_, but tinged with pale brown, and
even more glossy; the front edge of the fore wings is of the general
coloration, and the only markings on the wings are darker cross lines, the
third on the fore wings, and the second on the hind wings, being the most
distinct. (Plate 45, Fig. 13.)

The rough and rather stumpy caterpillar tapers towards the small notched
head; general colour dusky reddish-brown, a pale line along the middle of
the back, finely edged with black. It feeds from August to May on rock rose
(_Helianthemum_), eating the withered and even mouldy leaves. Will eat
knotgrass, and, no doubt, dandelion also.

Here, again, we have an ancient name brought forward to supplant that which
the species has borne for years, and by which it is well known to
entomologists. As I am not quite certain that Hubner's (Fig. 100)
_dilataria_ does represent this species, Duponchel's name is here retained.

As a British insect, it has only been known since 1851, when the capture of
a specimen in the neighbourhood of Bristol was recorded in _The Zoologist_.
Subsequently it transpired that the scene of capture was Durdham Down,
Gloucestershire, and here it has been found annually, and in some plenty,
among the bushes and low vegetation covering the ground in that rugged
locality. Specimens have also been noted from Berkshire (Newbury), Bucks
(Chalfont St. Peter), Dorset (Halstock), {117} and Norfolk (Thetford).
Possibly there are other localities in England, more especially in the
west, where this species may be awaiting discovery.

THE SATIN WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _subsericeata_).

The wings of this species (Plate 45, Fig. 17) are glossy whitish, with a
faint greyish, or sometimes yellow greyish, tinge; the cross lines are
grey, oblique and straight on the fore wings, but the outer two on the hind
wings are curved or bent.

Var. _mancuniata_, Knaggs, a local form found in Lancashire and Yorkshire,
is rather more tinged with yellowish, the lines being distinct, and some
more or less distinct dusky dots on the outer margin of the fore wings.

A blackish form, with white fringes, has been recorded from North Cornwall,
where the species, in its usual form, has been noted as abundant.

The rough-looking caterpillar is pale greyish, inclining to reddish above;
three black lines along the back, the central one slender, and the outer
ones widening out towards each end. It feeds on knotgrass, dandelion,
chickweed, and other kinds of weeds, and will eat plum. Hatching in August,
it hibernates, as a rule, and attains full growth in the following spring;
but sometimes caterpillars feed up quickly, and produce moths the same
year.

The moth, which is out in June and July, is partial to heathy ground, but
not confined to heaths, as it has been met with in lanes bordered by
pasture fields. Widely distributed throughout England and Wales, rare in
Scotland, where it has only been recorded from the Solway. In Ireland it
has been found commonly at Howth, near Dublin; and in the counties Cork and
Waterford. {118}

PORTLAND RIBBON WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _degeneraria_)

This reddish-banded species (Plate 46, Fig. 1) is, so far as we know, only
found, in Britain, in the Isle of Portland, Dorset, where it was first
noted on June 24th, 1831. It will be seen that apart from its different
colour, the bands in this moth are placed nearer the base of the wings than
in _A. aversata_; on the fore wings the band is limited by the first and
central lines, but sometimes it encroaches on the basal area; on the hind
wings, it occupies more or less of the basal area, from the first line
inwards; the front edge of the fore wings is also reddish.

The caterpillar is ridged along the sides of the roughened body, and tapers
towards the slightly notched, blackish marked head; the general colour is
reddish-ochreous, darker on the back of the middle rings, along which are
three interrupted pale greyish ochreous lines, and dark V-shaped marks. The
natural food plant is not known, but it may be reared from the egg on
bramble, traveller's joy (_Clematis_), and, of course, knotgrass and
dandelion, both of these plants being generally acceptable to larvae of the
Acidaliinae, as well as to those of many other species of Geometridae.

The moth is out in June and July in the open, but has been bred as early as
June 2. Some of the caterpillars from eggs laid in June will feed up
quickly, and produce moths in September; from these, other eggs may be
obtained, the caterpillars from which will feed for a time and then
hibernate; as also do the slow-growing individuals of the earlier hatching.

Abroad, this seems to be a Mediterranean species, ranging eastward through
Asia Minor to parts of Central Asia; and northwards to Austro-Hungary,
Castile, France, and West Central Germany.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 46.
       1. PORTLAND RIBBON WAVE.
       2. PLAIN WAVE.
     3-6. RIBAND WAVE.
    7-10. SMALL FAN-FOOTED WAVE.
   9, 12. SINGLE-DOTTED WAVE.
   8, 11. TREBLE BROWN-SPOT.
  13, 14. LACE BORDER.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 47.
  1, 1a. SINGLE-DOTTED WAVE: _eggs and caterpillar_.
      2. RIBAND WAVE: _caterpillar_.
  3, 3a. PLAIN WAVE: _eggs, caterpillar and chrysalis_.

{119}

THE PLAIN WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _inornata_).

Somewhat similar to the last in appearance, but without reddish bands, and
front edging to the fore wings; the second or outer line of the fore wings
is generally distinct, but the others, especially the central, are often
obscure. This species, one example of which is shown on Plate 46, Fig. 2,
may be distinguished from the plain form of _A. aversata_ by its generally
smaller size and more silky appearance; the cross lines are less distinct,
and the outer one of the fore wings is not indented below the front margin.
The eggs (Plate 47, Fig. 3a) are laid in strings of from 6-20; at least
this is so in captivity. Like the eggs of other species in this genus that
I have seen, they are at first whitish bone colour, changing to reddish.
They were laid in July, and most of the caterpillars that hatched from them
attained the moth state in September; about one-third hibernated, but died
off during the winter.

The much-wrinkled and rough-looking caterpillar is pale reddish brown,
varying to greyish; the back with V-shaped marks, and a light coloured spot
on rings 5 and 6. It feeds, from August to June, on dandelion, dock, and
other weeds, also on sallow, bramble, heather, etc.

The moth is out in July, earlier or later in some seasons; it affects woods
in which there is plenty of heather or bilberry, and may often be seen
resting on tree trunks, especially those of the pine. It is on the wing in
the evening, and is said to visit the sugar patch, as well as flowers
growing in its haunts. Widely distributed over England and Scotland to
Moray, but does not appear to have been noted in Wales. Reported from
Kingstown, Killarney, and Londonderry in Ireland. {120}

THE RIBAND WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _aversata_).

There are two distinct colour forms, one is greyish white (ab. _spoliata_,
Staudinger), and the other decidedly ochreous; the former is sometimes
tinged with ochreous, and sometimes heavily sprinkled with dark grey. In
the type form of _aversata_, the general colour is greyish white, and the
space between the central and outer lines of the fore wings, and that
enclosed by the first and central of the hind wings, is more or less
entirely filled up with dark grey inclining to blackish; occasionally the
dark colour spreads beyond the outer line, and covers a large portion of
the outer area. These bands also occur in the ochreous and intermediate
colour forms. A specimen, bred in June by Mr. W. G. Sheldon, from a
caterpillar found on a fence at West Wickham in May, had the wings and
abdomen black, but the head, thorax, anal tuft, and fringes of the wings
were normal. (Plate 46, Figs. 3-6.)

The caterpillar (Plate 47, Fig. 2; from coloured drawing by Mr. Sich) is
much wrinkled, rather thickened behind, and tapers gradually towards the
small, black-flecked head; the general colour is brownish, merging into
ochreous on the hinder rings; a darker brown shade along the back,
interrupted on the middle rings by V-shaped marks, encloses a slender
whitish line, and there is a whitish spot on ring eight; a wavy pale
ochreous line low down along the sides. (Adapted from Fenn.) It feeds on
dandelion, dock, primrose, bedstraw, knotgrass, and many other low-growing
plants; after hibernation, from April to May, it will thrive on the young
growth of sallow, birch, hawthorn, etc. It will sometimes feed up and reach
the moth state in August or September.

The moth flies in June and July, and is generally distributed; but in
Scotland does not seem to have been observed north of Moray. {121}

SMALL FAN-FOOTED WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _bisetata_).

One form (Plate 46, Fig. 10) has whitish wings, with a deep, dark-grey
border on the outer area of all the wings; this border is traversed by a
whitish, wavy line (ab. _fimbriolata_, Stephens). Another form (Plate 46,
Fig. 7) is more or less typical, and in this it will be noted that the
marginal borders are much paler, and are broken up into bandlets. Between
these two forms there are modifications, and sometimes a greyish shade
spreads over all the wings.

The caterpillar is long and slender, with a somewhat flattened appearance,
and gradually tapered towards the notched head; the general colour of the
roughened body is greyish brown, the middle ring divisions, and V-shaped
marks on the back, are blackish or dark brown; there is also a double
dark-brown line along the back, not always distinct. It feeds, from August
to May, on a variety of low-growing plants, and is partial to withered
leaves, especially those of bramble and dandelion. The moth is out in June
and July, and is often common, and pretty generally distributed throughout
our islands, except that it seems not to have been noted north of Moray, in
Scotland.

Abroad, the range extends to East Siberia and Amurland.

THE SINGLE DOTTED WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _dimidiata_).

The most noticeable feature in this whity brown moth (Plate 47, Figs. 9 and
12), sometimes known as _scutulata_, are the larger dots at the costal end
of the dotted cross lines, and the blackish or dark-brown chain-like mark
on the lower part of the outer marginal area of the fore wings; the latter
is sometimes obscured in a cloud of its own colour. {122}

Eggs (Plate 47, Fig. 1a), laid in a batch on a dried leaf of dandelion,
were whitish at first, but turned reddish later.

The elongated and somewhat flattened caterpillar (figured on Plate 47, Fig.
1, from a coloured drawing by Mr. Sich) is ochreous, with brown lines on
the back, the central one double, and interrupted on the middle rings, upon
which are oblique pale-brown dashes. It feeds, from September to April, on
beaked parsley (_Anthriscus sylvestris_), burnet saxifrage (_Pimpinella_),
etc., and may be reared on withered leaves of dandelion and other weeds.
The moth is out in June and July, and in northern localities in August.
Generally distributed, and often common.

TREBLE BROWN SPOT (_Acidalia_ (_Ptychopoda_) _trigeminata_).

This species (Plate 46, Figs. 8, 11) is similar to the last, but generally
rather larger and somewhat paler; the front edge of the fore wings is
marked with blackish or dark purplish grey, and there is a band of the same
colour on the outer marginal area; the inner edge of this band is formed by
the second line, and the outer edge is wavy, interrupted above the middle,
and sometimes below also.

The rough and rather flattened caterpillar tapers towards the head; in
colour it is dusky brown. The markings comprise interrupted black lines and
V-shaped blackish marks on the back. Buckler states that this caterpillar
may be distinguished from those of its nearest allies by having a rather
long, dingy ochreous bristle from each of the raised dots; these bristles,
which are of the same thickness throughout, curve forwards on all rings to
the ninth, and on the other three backwards. It feeds, from September to
April, on various low-growing plants, ivy, birch, etc. If kept warm, it is
said that whole broods will attain the moth state in July or August; this
may happen sometimes, but in my experience only a few individuals have
obliged in this way. The moth is another inhabitant of the hedgerow and the
bushy wood-border, where it may be disturbed in the daytime during late May
and June. It flies in the evening, and will visit light, and occasionally
the sugar patch. Always a local species, but not uncommon in its special
haunts in Kent, Surrey, Wiltshire, Essex, and Suffolk; it is also found
more or less frequently in Sussex, Hampshire, Dorsetshire, Gloucestershire,
Herefordshire and Worcestershire. In Scotland, it is reported as scarce in
Renfrew; and Kane notes that it does not occur in Ireland.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 48.
          1. LEAST CARPET: _caterpillar_.
  2, 2a, 2b. SMALL BLOOD-VEIN: _egg enlarged, caterpillar and chrysalis_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 49.
    1, 2. CREAM WAVE.
    3, 4. LESSER CREAM WAVE.
     5-7. MULLEIN WAVE.
       9. LEWES WAVE.
       8. SUB-ANGLED WAVE.
      10. ROSY WAVE.
  11, 12. SMALL BLOOD-VEIN.

{123}

THE LACE BORDER (_Acidalia_ (_Craspedia_) _ornata_).

The conspicuously marked white moth depicted on Plate 46, Figs. 13 and 14,
is unlikely to escape the notice of the collector who visits rough fields
and hillsides in some of the chalk districts of Southern England,
especially in the counties of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. Usually there are
two generations of the moth during the year; one is on the wing in May and
June, and the other flies in August and September.

The caterpillar is of long and slender build, the head is notched, and the
skin of the body is roughened. In colour it is ochreous brown above and
greyish beneath; there are three lines along the back, the central one
pale, except towards the head, edged with dusky, the others dark brown. On
each ring, from four to eight, are two dark V-shaped marks; low down along
the sides there is a dusky edged and mottled, pale ochreous stripe. It
feeds, from October to May, and in July and August, on thyme, marjoram, and
may be reared on garden mint. Abroad, the species ranges over Central and
Southern Europe, and through Asia to Amurland.

NOTE.--According to Prout (_Entom._ xxxix. 267), this species is the type
of the genus _Scopula_, Schrank. {124}

THE CREAM WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Leptomeris_) _remutaria_).

This species (Plate 49, Figs. 1, 2) has the wings white or ochreous white,
becoming rather smoky grey on the front edge of the fore wings, and
sometimes this tinge spreads all over the wings. In well-marked specimens
there are two dark, wavy, cross-lines, a dusky central shade, and a dusky
shade-like stripe along the outer area beyond the second line; the first
line of the fore wings is often placed close to the central shade, and
sometimes it is merged in it. Not infrequently the lines are barely
traceable, but almost as often the wings appear to have a pair of lines
only, and these distinctly darker than usual.

The caterpillar is rough, long and slender; grey-brown with irregular
darker marks, a pale line along the middle of the back, and a dark cross on
the back of ring ten. The notched head is pale brown with a black V-mark.
It feeds, from July to September, on bedstraw (_Galium_), woodruff
(_Asperula_), dock, sallow, etc.

The moth is out in May and June, and often is plentiful in woods throughout
the greater part of England and Wales; in Yorkshire and northwards through
Scotland up to Moray it is rather local. In Ireland it has been found in
Wicklow and Louth, but more commonly in the south and west.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

THE LESSER CREAM WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Leptomeris_) _immutata_).

White, more or less tinged with ochreous or ochreous grey in the male, is
the general colour of this moth; the wings are crossed by several ochreous
lines, the third line of the fore wings and the second line of the hind
wings rather wavy. All the wings with central black dots, most distinct on
the hind pair, occasionally absent from fore wings. (Plate 49, Figs. 3
[male], 4 [female].) {125}

The long caterpillar is pale greyish-brown, with three dusky lines on the
back; the black spiracles are set in a pale stripe, and below this is a
dusky line; head small and round (Barrett). August to May. The natural food
appears to be _Valeriana officinalis_, and _Spiraea_, but it has been
reared from the egg on groundsel, knotgrass, etc., also hawthorn, and moths
obtained the same year, about September.

In the open the moth is to be found in fens, bogs, and marshy places in
fields and woods, during June and July. It is not uncommon, in suitable
spots, in most of the southern and eastern counties of England. In the
west, including Wales, and through the Midlands, it is local to Yorkshire,
but is widely distributed in the south of the latter county; it occurs,
rarely, in Durham. In Scotland it has only been definitely noted from
Arran. Widely distributed, and common, in many parts of Ireland.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland.

THE MULLEIN WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Leptomeris_) _marginepunctata_).

This species exhibits more variation than is usual in this group.
Typically, the moth is greyish white, but in some specimens the grey is
most in evidence, and in others the white. A practically black form, with
white fringes, has been noted from North Cornwall, and at Eastbourne and
Portland many of the specimens have a clear, bone-coloured ground, with
fine but very distinct cross-markings; these seem to be referable to ab.
_pastoraria_, Joannis. The cross lines in both dark and light forms are
sometimes very indistinct, but occasionally the first and second of the
fore wings are united, and so form an irregular dusky band; the greyish
clouding on the outer marginal area is also variable. Three {126} specimens
are shown on Plate 49; two from Eastbourne, Figs. 5 [female], 6 [male], and
one from Essex, Fig. 7 [female].

The long caterpillar is very pale slaty-olive, with three paler lines along
the back, the central one edged on each side with olive, darkest on the
last three rings; spiracles black, and under surface of the body pale slate
blue (adapted from Porritt). It feeds on various low-growing plants, among
which, yarrow, mugwort, chickweed, cinquefoil, and knotgrass have been
mentioned; also, it is said, on sallow. There are certainly two broods in
the south, one feeding up in the summer, and the other hatching in
September, and after hibernation attaining full growth in May or June.
Moths of the first generation are on the wing in June and July, and of the
second in August and September. Although sometimes found inland, the
species is more especially attached to the coast, and is found in nearly
all the seaboard counties of England, Wales, and Ireland. In Scotland, it
occurs in Wigtownshire, and very dark specimens have been obtained on rocks
in dry pastures at Ardrossan; June to end of July.

THE LEWES WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Leptomeris_) _immorata_).

Although the late Mr. S. Stevens exhibited a British specimen of this
species, as a curious variety of _Strenia clathrata_, at a meeting of the
Entomological Society of London in 1868, it was not until the year 1887,
when Mr. C. H. Morris captured two specimens in Sussex, that the insect
became recognized as a native. It is probable that the earlier example,
taken some years before it was shown at the meeting referred to, may have
come from the same locality in the Lewes district where the later specimens
were captured. Anyway, the species has, so far, not been recorded from any
other part of our islands, but it continues to be found in its original
haunts, described as "some heathy ground," up to the present day. (Plate
49, Fig. 9.) {127}

The long, slender, and roughened caterpillar is pale greyish brown; the
central line along the back is greyish-white, each side edged on the hinder
half with brown, having at the beginning of each ring after the third a
black dot on either side; side stripes dark brown, inclining to black
above; a slender brown line below the black spiracles. (Adapted from
Barrett.) It feeds from August to May on ling (_Calluna vulgaris_),
marjoram, thyme, knotgrass, etc.

From eggs laid on July 1 and 2 caterpillars hatched on July 17 and 18.
These were placed on leaves of ribwort plantain (_Plantago lanceolata_),
and as soon as large enough transferred to a potted plant, and kept out of
doors. Two of the caterpillars grew up quickly, and on August 24 were taken
indoors, where they spun up for pupation, one on August 28, and the other
on September 1. A female moth emerged September 14 from the first chrysalis
(F. C. Woodbridge, 1906).

The range abroad extends to East Siberia and Amurland.

THE SUB-ANGLED WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Leptomeris_) _strigilaria_).

This species is greyish white, sometimes brownish-tinged; dusky cross
markings, of which the oblique shade following the central black dot of the
fore wings, and that before the central black dot of the hind wings, are
usually most distinct, forming a narrow band across both pairs of wings;
the outer margin of the hind wings is angled.

The long, slender caterpillar has a roughened appearance; the colour is
greenish grey, and the markings comprise a dull green line along the middle
of the back, spotted with black on each side; the grey head is variegated
with very pale brown. (Adapted from Porritt.)

This species (Plate 49, Fig. 8) was known to Haworth, who gave it the
English name which it bears to-day. Stephens, {128} writing of it in 1831,
states that it was very rare, and that specimens in his collection were
from a lane near Darenth, in Kent. With one exception (Hastings, Sussex,
1876), the only present known locality in the British Isles for the species
is the Warren, near Folkestone, Kent, where it was discovered in 1859. Here
it occurred more or less freely for several years, then it became scarce,
and finally, about 1890, seemed to be practically extinct. In 1906,
however, Mr. G. H. Conquest netted a female specimen in the Warren on July
24, and as she laid a few eggs, it may be presumed that others had been
deposited before capture. From the eggs obtained by Mr. Conquest, nine
moths were reared in July, 1907. The caterpillars thrived on traveller's
joy (_Clematis vitalba_), which is probably the natural food; but they will
also eat dandelion, knotgrass, etc., and like the withered leaves. By
keeping in a warm place, it is possible to get moths out the same year,
but, as a rule, the caterpillars prefer to hibernate.

The range abroad extends to Amurland, China, Corea, and Japan.

THE ROSY WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Leptomeris_) _emutaria_).

Figure 10, Plate 49, shows an example of this species, which also has
angled hind wings. In coloration it is whiter and more silky than the last,
and when fresh is delicately tinged with pink; the first and second lines
are dotted or represented by dots, and the greyish central shade is
obliquely inclined in the direction of the tips of the wings. In the
marshes on the Essex and Kentish coasts the species is generally rather
more rosy (ab. _subroseata_, Haworth), but this form occurs occasionally in
the New Forest also. The long, slender caterpillar is whitish ochreous,
inclining to pinkish; on the back of each ring is a broad grey shade
enclosing a white spot, and a faint grey line on each side. Spiracles,
black, with black spots below them on {129} rings four to eight;
undersurface bluish-grey with a central white stripe. (Adapted from Fenn.)
When reared from the egg, the caterpillar will feed on knotgrass,
chickweed, birdsfoot trefoil, etc. The moths sometimes appear in August or
September, but the more usual habit of the larva is to hibernate when small
and complete growth in the following spring.

The moth, which is out in July and early August, conceals itself by day
among the vegetation growing in its somewhat restricted haunts. These are
chiefly the marshes on the east coast, and similar spots in Kent and
Sussex; also the bogs of Hampshire and Dorset, but especially those between
Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst in the former county. It is not readily put up
during the day, but towards evening it becomes active on the wing, and
after its flight may be found sitting about upon the herbage.

Abroad, it seems to be pretty much confined to Southern Europe and
North-west Africa.

THE SMALL BLOOD-VEIN (_Acidalia_ (_Leptomeris_) _imitaria_).

All the wings of this pale reddish-brown species are angulated (Plate 49,
Figs. 11 and 12). A conspicuous character is the reddish or purplish-red
stripe crossing both the wings, and to which its English name no doubt
refers. It varies somewhat in the amount of reddish in the general
coloration, also in the tint and the width of the prominent oblique cross
stripe.

The early stages are shown on Plate 48, Figs. 2-2b. The eggs, when laid on
June 18 and 19, were whitish-green, but soon turned pinkish, inclining to
coral red. The caterpillars hatched July 3 to 6, and were reared on a diet
of privet leaves--a food that I have always found they preferred to any
other that has been offered to them, and upon which I have found them in
the open. They are exceedingly easy to rear, and if, as sometimes happens,
they refuse to feed up and get through to the moth state in {130} September
of the same year, they do not die off during the winter or early spring, as
do so many larvae of other hibernating species. Enclosed in a suitable
receptacle, such as a roomy glass cylinder, with some twigs of privet
plugged in a bottle of water, the caterpillars may be left in any odd
corner until spring, when fresh twigs should be introduced from time to
time. Other food plants are dock, groundsel, dandelion, knotgrass,
bedstraw, etc. In colour the caterpillar is pale ochreous brown, with three
darker brown lines on the back, the central one broken on the front rings,
and the others edged above with whitish; the spiracles are black, and the
stripe along the side pale drab.

The moth affects hedgerows, banks, bushy places on rough sloping ground,
and sandhills by the sea. It flies in the evening, and may be met with in
July and August, sometimes in September, in most English and Welsh
counties, and in the south of Ireland. It is local and somewhat rare in
Northern England, and seems not to occur in Scotland.

TAWNY WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Leptomeris_) _rubiginata_).

This attractive little moth (Plate 50, Figs. 1, 2), known also as
_rubricata_ Fab., varies in colour from ochreous brown with a purplish or
reddish tinge, to purplish brown or crimson; the first line of the fore
wings is curved, and the second is parallel with the central shade.
Sometimes the space between the last two lines and between the first and
second lines of the hind wings is paler than the general colour. A dusky
brown form has been recorded from boggy heaths in Norfolk.

The roughish caterpillar, which gradually tapers to the notched head, is
greyish inclining to yellowish or greenish; three blackish lines on the
back, the central one widened on the middle rings, and the others only
distinct on the front rings; a black-edged pale line above the black
spiracles, and a dusky stripe below them (Barrett). It feeds from August to
May on clover, trefoil, {131} knotgrass, etc. Sometimes as a second
generation in June and July.

According to Stephens, who figured this species in 1831, a specimen was
taken, near Dover, somewhere about 1825; he also refers to Yorkshire
specimens, one of which he had in his collection. Since that time the
species has been obtained in Lancashire (Ashton-on-Mersey), and it was
noted, not uncommon from the first to third week in July, 1875, on low
heathery ground at Winch Bridge, Upper Teesdale, Durham. Casual specimens
have also been recorded from Folkestone, Kent; Hastings, Sussex, and South
Devon. The last concerns a specimen taken in the Newton Abbot district in
1902. What may be termed the British home of the species is, however, the
Breck sand district in the eastern counties, where, since 1860, it has been
found in greater or lesser plenty, in June, each year up to the present
time. The best known localities are Tuddenham, Brandon, Thetford, and Bury
St. Edmunds. It sits among the vegetation in fields or the borders thereof,
and also on heaths. Occasionally, it indulges in flight in the afternoon,
but it is more often put up as the collector approaches its place of
retreat. At night it is usually active, and light has a strong attraction
for it.

Abroad, its range extends to Amurland and Corea.

THE SMOKY WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Pylarge_) _fumata_).

The sexes of this greyish-white moth are figured on Plate 50, Figs. 4
[male], 5 [female]. It will be seen that the female is smaller than the
male. The caterpillar is very slender, and finely wrinkled; pale ochreous
brown, with three pale lines along the back, each of which is shaded on
both sides with brown. Beneath the ridge, low down along the sides, is a
dark stripe, and the under surface is pale. It feeds on bilberry, sallow
and heather, and will eat knotgrass, chickweed, and dandelion. Hatching in
August, it {132} hibernates when nearly mature, but it resumes feeding in
the spring. The moth is out in June and July, and frequents moors and
mosses. Plentiful in Scotland and in the north of England, its range
extends through Wales and the west of England to Devonshire, where it
occurs on Exmoor and is common in some parts of that extensive area. In
Ireland, recorded by Birchall as widely distributed; Kane notes it from
counties Kerry, Waterford, and Galway.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

BRIGHT WAVE (_Acidalia_ (_Sterrha_) _ochrata_).

At one time this ochreous brown species (Plate 50, Fig. 3) was an
inhabitant of the Essex coast, and was found commonly at Southend among
other places. Deal and other parts of the Kentish coast are more frequently
mentioned in connection with later records of the species. In the present
day it is far less plentiful at Deal than formerly, but it is still to be
found there. Specimens have been taken in the Isle of Wight, and one has
been noted from Suffolk (Aldeburgh).

The pale ochreous brown or greyish ochreous caterpillar has three broken
greyish lines on the back; it tapers towards the small head, and the skin
of the body is closely wrinkled. It feeds from August to May, or a little
later, on the flowers of hawk's-beard (_Crepis_), dandelion, coltsfoot,
golden rod, etc., and in confinement it seems to accept most kinds of
flowers that are offered, even when widely different. Thus, Mr. Conquest,
in 1907, had some caterpillars which hatched during the first week in
August from eggs laid on July 25; these were at first supplied with
flowering sprays of yellow bedstraw (_Galium verum_), and later on with the
flowers of golden rod (_Solidago_). Instead of hibernating, which is no
doubt the normal habit in the species, some larvae reared from the egg in
confinement and subjected to fostering warmth will grow very quickly and
produce moths the same year.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 50.
   1, 2. TAWNY WAVE.
      3. BRIGHT WAVE.
   4, 5. SMOKY WAVE.
      6. _ACIDALIA PEROCHRARIA_.
   7, 8. SMALL SCALLOP.
  9, 10. BLOOD-VEIN.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 51.
  1, 1a, 1b. DINGY MOCHA: _eggs, caterpillars and chrysalis_.
          2. MOCHA: _caterpillar_.

{133} This species has been referred to the genus _Sterrha_, Hubner, but
authorities are not agreed as to the validity of this.

_Acidalia perochraria._

The species last referred to as _A. ochrata_ was formerly known in Britain
as _pallidaria_, and was figured by Curtis in 1831 under that name.
Afterwards the name was changed to _perochraria_, and later still the
correct name was found for it.

How far there may have been confusion of the two species in the records of
the present one, I have no means of ascertaining, but probably all but two
should properly refer to _ochrata_. The only two known British specimens of
_perochraria_ therefore appear to have been captured in the Redhill
district of Surrey, one in 1865 and one in 1869. As will be seen on
reference to Plate 50, where a portrait of a Continental specimen will be
found (Fig. 6), the general colour is much brighter than that of _ochrata_.
It will be noted, also, that there are four darker cross lines on the fore
wings, and three on the hind wings. The antennae, too, of the male are
toothed, and therefore differ from these organs in _ochrata_.

THE SMALL SCALLOP (_Ania emarginata_).

As will be noted on turning to Plate 50, Figs. 7, 8, the male of this pale
ochreous brown species is generally rather larger than the female, and the
more ample wings are less acutely angled in outline; the latter sex is also
more clouded with reddish brown.

The caterpillar is variable in colour; one form is of a dusky ochreous
colour with a pale line along the middle of the back, edged on each side
with a darker tint, and most conspicuously {134} so on the hinder rings;
the back is also dotted with black, and has some dark V- or X-shaped marks
upon it; the body tapers to the notched dark-brown head. It feeds on
bedstraw (_Galium_), convolvulus, etc., and, like others of its tribe, has
a taste for withered leaves. August to May or June, according to the
season. In confinement it has been induced by warmth to feed up quickly,
and appear as a moth the same year. Only a short time is passed in the
chrysalis stage. July is perhaps the best month for the moth, but it may be
seen at any time from late June to early August. Its haunts are fens,
marshes, and moist woodlands, etc., and although it is more frequent in the
south, it is widely spread throughout England, but in the north it is rare,
and its occurrence more or less casual.

In Wales it has been recorded from Glamorganshire and Flintshire; but it is
apparently unknown in Scotland and Ireland.

THE BLOOD-VEIN (_Timandra amata_).

The stripe across the wings of this pretty species (Plate 50, Figs. 9 and
10), extending from the apex of the fore wings to near the middle of the
inner margin of the hind wings, is normally pinkish red, but it may be of a
more crimson or purplish hue; it also varies in width. The fringes are
usually pinkish red, and occasionally the margins of the wings are tinged
with the same colour. The whitish-ochreous ground colour is normally finely
powdered with grey, but sometimes so thickly that a greyish tinge is
imparted to the wings. Barrett mentions a specimen with pale smoky brown
wings, and, excepting that the tips of the fringes are tinged with pink,
the usual markings are absent. In another example, "the space between the
central and second lines is filled up with purple brown."

The caterpillar is brownish grey, with three whitish lines on the back, the
central one intersecting a series of four dark {135} lozenges. It feeds on
various low-growing plants, such as persicaria, orach, sorrel, etc., but
dock seems to be the most frequently selected pabulum. July to May,
sometimes feeding up and appearing as a second generation of the moth in
August.

Weedy ditches, hedge banks, or moist waste places, are the favourite
resorts of the moth; and when one example is flushed from its lurking
place, others are almost certain to be hiding in the immediate vicinity.

Widely distributed throughout England, but most common in the south; found
also in North and South Wales; and sparingly in Scotland to Aberdeenshire,
also recorded from Arran. Apparently rare in Ireland, as it is only noted
from Kerry and Galway.

FALSE MOCHA (_Ephyra porata_).

The wings are pale ochreous brown, finely flecked with purplish grey, and
more or less tinged with reddish; the cross lines are indicated by blackish
dots, the central shade is greyish inclining to reddish, and the rings
enclosing white dots are blackish or dark brown, but sometimes indistinct
on the fore wings; occasionally there are some purplish grey clouds on the
outer marginal area, and this is more frequent in examples of a second
generation. Sometimes the wings are entirely suffused with dull reddish
brown, and all the markings, except the white dot on the hind wings, are
obscured. (Plate 53, Figs. 7 and 8.)

The caterpillar is pale pinkish ochreous, with inconspicuous wavy white
lines, and brownish dots, on the back; dark oblique marks on the sides; the
head is pencilled with darker brown. It feeds on oak and birch in June and
July, and individuals of a second brood sometimes occur in September or
October.

The moth is out in May and June, and rests in the daytime {136} among the
foliage of trees and bushes in or around woods. Like others of the genus,
it is attracted by light, and is said to visit the sugar patch. Specimens
of a second generation sometimes appear in August and September, but, I
believe, more frequently in the breeding cage than in the open. Although it
has been recorded from several of the northern counties from Staffordshire
to Cumberland, this is more especially an inhabitant of the south and west
of England, and of Wales. In Scotland, it is known to occur singly and
rarely in Clydesdale and Arran, and has been found in Perthshire.

NOTE.--This species, and the other five here included in _Ephyra_, have
been referred to _Zonosoma_, Lederer, and more recently to _Cyclophora_,
Stephens.

MAIDEN'S BLUSH (_Ephyra punctaria_).

In a general way, this moth (Plate 53, Figs. 10-12) is not unlike the last
mentioned. Apart, however, from the absence of ringed dots on all the
wings, the central line is more prominent. Certain vagaries occur in
connection with this line, which is generally reddish, or purplish brown.
Occasionally, it may be visible on the fore wings, but absent on the hind
wings; or it may change its course about mid-way, and turn inwards to the
base of the fore wing. I have a specimen from Surrey in which this line is
double the normal width, and dark purplish in colour. Examples of the
second generation have brownish clouds on the outer margin (Fig. 12).

The caterpillar is pale reddish-ochreous or bright green; a black line
along the middle of the back, and a brownish one along the sides; a black
horse-shoe mark, edged below with yellow, on the back of rings four to
nine.

It feeds, in June and July, on oak, but may be reared on birch; also found
in September as a second brood. {137}

The moth is out in May and June, and specimens of a second generation are
often not uncommon in August. It occurs in woodlands throughout England,
but is most plentiful in the south. In Scotland, it appears to be local in
Clydesdale, but is found thence up to Moray. In Ireland, only recorded from
Galway (two specimens).

CLAY TRIPLE-LINES (_Ephyra linearia_).

This species (Plate 53, Fig. 13) varies in the general colour from
yellowish to pale reddish ochreous; the cross lines are also variable,
often the first is missing (Plate 53, Fig. 14), and not infrequently the
dark central line is the only visible marking, but very exceptionally the
central line is very little, if at all, more distinct than the normal first
and second. The ringed white dots are rarely very conspicuous, and are
often quite absent.

The caterpillar is pale brownish, with a brown-edged yellowish line along
the middle of the back, and some yellow-edged dark-brown streaks on the
sides. In another form, the head is brown and the body green.

It feeds in June, July, and again in September, on beech. The moth is out
in May and June, and again in August and September. Beech woods are its
favourite haunts, and it seldom strays far from them. It is generally
common in the south, and its range apparently extends to Northumberland;
but it is local and infrequent in the north. Three specimens have been
recorded from Co. Galway, and one from Co. Cork, in Ireland.

NOTE.--Nearly fifty years ago, at Brighton, a single specimen was reared
from one of eight larvae that hatched from the same number of eggs
deposited by a female _E. linearia_ that had paired with a male _E.
orbicularia_. This hybrid has been named _brightoni_, Tutt. {138}

THE MOCHA (_Ephyra annulata_).

Normally, the wings of this species (Plate 53, Figs. 6, 9) are yellowish
white, inclining to ochreous yellow with the blackish central shade near to
and sometimes united with the blackish irregular and outwardly toothed
second cross line on both fore and hind wings; the rings are deep brown or
blackish. There is variation in the width and intensity of the central
shade, and the rings sometimes are absent on the fore wings (ab.
_obsoleta_, Riding), and occasionally all the wings are devoid of the
annular mark (ab. _biobsoleta_, Riding). Examples of a second generation
reared in captivity are rather deeper coloured, and have a sprinkling of
black scales, chiefly on the fore wings.

The caterpillar (Plate 51, Fig. 2, after Hofmann) is dark green, yellow
between the rings; there are three yellow lines along the back, the outer
ones waved; head reddish brown, paler marked. (Adapted from Porritt.) There
is also a pale ochreous brown form.

It feeds on maple in June, and as a second generation in August and
September. It may be reared on sycamore. The moth frequents lanes, woods,
and thickets, especially those in which maple is plentiful; it flies at
dusk, and in the daytime may be beaten from hedgerows in which the food
plant grows. It has also been found among hornbeam. The species is most
frequent from Kent to Hampshire, but widely distributed over England up to
Worcester and Herefordshire, and eastward to Norfolk, occurring also in
Northampton and Yorkshire.

The colour and ornamentation of this charming little insect seem to have
struck Haworth, who named the species in the vernacular, as bearing some
resemblance to the Mocha stone from Arabia, a kind of transparent agate in
which are seen brownish moss-like markings. {139}

DINGY MOCHA (_Ephyra orbicularia_).

The wings are greyish, thickly striped with darker grey; the markings
similar to those of the next species, but the rings are nearly always
reddish or purplish, and the central line is wavy. (Plate 53, Figs. 4 and
5.)

The egg (which, together with the caterpillar and chrysalis, is figured on
Plate 51) is at first bone-coloured; later, pink dots and patches appear.

The caterpillar is bright green with three lines along the back, the
central one edged on each side with dark green and the others wavy; the
sides are blotched with pink or pale purple, or sometimes whitish and
unmarked; head slightly notched on the crown, pale brown, marked with
darker; fore legs tipped with pink. (Porritt, abridged.) In another form of
the green coloration, the sides are pinkish with dark-brown oblique
stripes; in a third the general colour is pale brown. The first brood of
caterpillars feeds in June on sallow and alder, and a second in August and
September.

The moth appears in May and June, and again in July and August; sometimes a
third brood has been reared in captivity. It is less frequently met with
than the other species of _Ephyra_, even in its most favourite haunts, such
as the New Forest, in Hampshire. Other localities for it are Abbots Wood,
St. Leonards and Tilgate Forests, and elsewhere in Sussex; Redstone,
Haslemere, and the Croydon districts, in Surrey; and in some Kentish woods.
It has also been taken rarely in Dorset, Devon (Tiverton), S. Wales, and
Suffolk (Lowestoft).

BIRCH MOCHA (_Ephyra pendularia_).

The general colour of this species (Plate 53, Figs. 1, 2) is whitish, more
or less powdered or suffused with grey; all the {140} wings have two
blackish dotted cross lines and a greyish, sometimes reddish, central
shade; not infrequently there is an interrupted grey or dark greyish band
on the outer marginal area, and this margin itself is always dotted with
black; the rings enclosing white dots on all the wings are usually black,
but sometimes reddish. In some specimens having a reddish central shade,
the general colour, especially of the fore wings, is delicately tinged with
reddish. Var. _subroseata_, Woodforde (Fig. 3), a form of this species
occurring in N. Staffs. is slaty grey, with the space between the inner and
outer cross lines of fore wings rosy pink or reddish.

The caterpillar is of a green colour with slender yellowish lines along the
back and sides; between the rings the colour inclines to yellowish, and the
head, legs, and prolegs are reddish brown. In another form the general
colour is greyish, inclining to reddish, and the lines paler grey. It feeds
on birch in June and July, and again in August and September. It is said to
eat alder and oak. The chrysalis, which is similar in shape to that of the
last species (Plate 51), is pale greyish-ochreous marked with dark brown.

The moth, which appears in May and June, and in some seasons in August,
frequents woodlands and heaths where birch flourishes. Although fairly
plentiful in most of the southern English counties, it appears to be rare
in Dorset and Devon, and more or less so in the eastern counties. It is
very local in Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire, but not uncommon at Strensall
in the latter county; and although it has been recorded from Cumberland, it
seems to be absent from Lancashire and Cheshire. Doubtfully reported from
North Northumberland, but found in Wells Wood, Roxburghshire, and appears
to be widely distributed in Scotland, although generally scarce in that
country. In Ireland it is local, but not uncommon sometimes.

The range abroad extends to Eastern Siberia.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 52.
  1. MALLOW: _caterpillar_.
  2. SHADED BROAD-BAR: _caterpillar_.
  3. CHALK CARPET: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 53.
  1, 2, 3. BIRCH MOCHA.
     4, 5. DINGY MOCHA.
     6, 9. THE MOCHA.
     7, 8. FALSE MOCHA.
    10-12. MAIDEN'S BLUSH.
   13, 14. CLAY TRIPLE-LINES.

{141}

HYDRIOMENINAE.

THE VESTAL (_Sterrha sacraria_).

The fore wings are pale yellow inclining to ochreous, and the front edge is
more or less tinged with the same colour as that of the oblique stripe from
the tips of the wings to the middle of the inner margin. In the type, this
stripe is purplish-brown, but in ab. _labda_, Cramer, it is crimson, and in
ab. _atrifasciaria_, Stefan, it is blackish. In ab. _sanguinaria_, Esper,
the ground colour is pinkish. The hind wings are always white. (Plate 54,
Figs. 1 and 2.)

From 1857, in which year the first specimen recorded as British was
captured in September at Plymouth, to 1874, one or more examples of this
interesting migrant seem to have occurred during the autumns of most years,
in some part of the British Isles, but chiefly in the South of England. The
years in which it was apparently unrecorded were 1860, 1861, 1870, 1872,
and 1873. Since 1874 there have been very few records. In 1879 a male
specimen was taken at Chingford, Essex, August 17th, and a female (ova
obtained) on September 1st; a specimen occurred at Christchurch, Hants,
October, 1893; a male was obtained in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset,
September, 1895, and one was secured at Timoleague, Co. Cork, in August,
1898; one was accounted for at Malvern, Worcestershire, in August, 1901; a
female in fine condition was captured, as it flew in the sunshine over a
Cambridgeshire meadow, in the autumn of 1906. Mr. H. M. Edelsten obtained a
male specimen in South Devon, on September 12, 1908. The largest number of
specimens appears to have been recorded in 1867, when nearly thirty were
secured, and of these four were taken in May in the Isle of Wight, where
also two females were captured on {142} August 14th and 16th, and one
specimen on September 3rd. Six or seven occurred during August in
Lancashire, and three in Perthshire, also in August.

The long caterpillar is variable, but is usually some shade of green above,
inclining to whitish beneath, and yellowish between the rings; the lines
along the back are paler green, reddish, and olive green. It feeds on
low-growing plants, such as knotgrass and dock, and has been reared from
the egg in August and September. If eggs were obtained in May it would be
possible to raise two generations of moths, or, perhaps, even three, during
the year.

The species is an inhabitant of Southern Europe and North Africa, and its
range extends to India, Madeira, and the Canaries. In Central Europe,
including the British Isles, its occurrence is always a more or less casual
event.

NOTE.--It is possibly incorrect to assign this species to _Sterrha_,
Hubner, which is adopted by some authors for the Acidaliid _ochraria_.
There is, however, considerable doubt among authorities about accepting the
Hubnerian genus, but Herrich-Schaffer's genus _Sterrha_ appears to be valid
and is here employed. If it has to give way, _Pseudosterrha_, Warren, or
_Rhodometra_, Meyrick, may have to be used.



_Lythria purpuraria_ has long been reported as a British species, but there
does not appear to be any very convincing record of its capture in the
British Isles. It is widely distributed in Europe, and generally common. As
it is a sun-loving insect, it could hardly escape detection if it occurred
in any part of our isles. A note by Mr. V. R. Perkins, in _The Zoologist_
for 1861, p. 7449, should, however, not be overlooked. This refers to the
capture, on June 18th, of two male specimens that were disturbed from
broom, "not far from the city of Perth, by Mr. D. P. Morrison." {143}

LEAD BELLE (_Ortholitha plumbaria_).

Two ordinary examples of this species are shown on Plate 54, Figs. 4, 5.
The ground colour is greyish, ranging in one direction to whitish, and in
the other to brownish; on the fore wings there are three cross lines,
usually reddish-brown in colour, but sometimes dark brown inclining to
blackish; the first of these lines is always slender and sometimes very
indistinct; the second is often shaded on its outer edge, and the third on
its inner edge, with brownish; occasionally the space between the second
and third is more or less dusky, especially on the lower half; sometimes
these two lines approach each other very closely on the inner margin; the
short oblique streak from the tip of the wing to the wavy submarginal line,
and also the blackish central dot, are far more distinct in some specimens
than in others.

The long stick-like caterpillar is pale ochreous brown, often striped with
darker brown or blackish. It feeds on furze (_Ulex_) and broom (_Cytisus_),
from August to April. The moth is out in May and June, earlier or later
according to the season, and is to be found almost everywhere that its food
plants flourish.

THE MALLOW (_Ortholitha cervinata_).

The fore wings of this species are normally ochreous brown, inclining to
reddish, but sometimes the general colour is of a light chocolate tint, and
in such specimens the slender white lines edging the dark markings, and the
white wavy submarginal line, are more distinct; the central band-like
marking occasionally tapers towards the inner margin. (Plate 54, Figs. 6,
7.)

The long caterpillar (figured from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich, Plate
52, Fig. 1) is of a greenish colour, inclining {144} to yellowish between
the rings; there are indications of darker lines on the middle of the back
and along the sides; the usual dots are whitish and the spiracles black; in
some specimens the central line on the back is pinkish. It hatches from the
egg in March or April, and feeds until June on mallow (_Malva sylvestris_);
will also eat hollyhock.

The moth appears in September and October, and is sometimes seen in
November. It hides under the mallow, and other plants around, and is not
much inclined to move during the day, but it becomes active in the evening,
and then flies pretty briskly. The occurrence of this species in any
locality will, of course, largely depend upon the presence of the food
plant, but it seems to be widely distributed throughout the greater part of
the British Isles. It is, however, most frequent in the southern half of
England.

SHADED BROAD-BAR (_Ortholitha limitata_).

To the earliest British entomologists this species (Plate 54, Figs. 8 and
9) was known by the English name given to it by Moses Harris, which is here
revived. Haworth's popular name for the insect is the "Small Mallow," but
this seems less suitable.

The fore wings are usually ochreous brown in colour, with a darker brown
band, the inner area of which is often paler. The ground colour, however,
varies considerably, in some examples tending to whity brown, and in others
to a smoky hue. The whitish hind wings are generally more or less dusky
clouded, chiefly from the base of the wing to the dark brown or blackish
cross shade; but sometimes these wings are entirely blackish, with just a
trace of a pale cross stripe.

The caterpillar is greyish, with a pinkish tinge and black dots; there are
three lines along the back, the central one slaty blue, and the others
ochreous, shaded on each side with pale brown; a pinkish irregular ridge
runs low down along the sides. It feeds on clover, vetch, grass, etc., from
September to June. (Plate 52, Fig. 2, after Hofmann.)

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 54.
    1, 2. THE VESTAL.
   3, 10. OBLIQUE-STRIPED.
    4, 5. LEAD BELLE.
    6, 7. MALLOW.
    8, 9. SHADED BROAD-BAR.
  11, 12. CHALK CARPET.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 55.
   1, 2. DRAB LOOPER.
      3. GREY CARPET.
   4, 5. CHIMNEY SWEEPER.
    6-8. TREBLE-BAR.
  9, 10. MANCHESTER TREBLE-BAR.

{145} The moth is out in July and August, and is often common in fields and
grassy places, generally throughout the greater part of the British Isles.
In ancient times it was dubbed the "Aurelian's Plague." The range abroad
extends to Amurland.



_Ortholitha moeniata._--Except that one specimen was said to have been
taken near Baron Wood, Carlisle, some years prior to 1855; and another, in
1866, near York; there is no evidence that this species is an inhabitant of
the British Isles.

CHALK CARPET (_Ortholitha bipunctaria_).

In this species (Plate 54, Figs. 11 and 12) the ground colour of the fore
wings is white (inclining to bluish-white in some specimens), more or less
stippled and scored with greyish brown; the cross band is darker grey
brown, and there are two black dots placed :-wise (sometimes united) in the
paler central space of the band. Hind wings, smoky grey, with a darker
shade across the middle, and a pale one parallel with the outer margin. In
some rare instances, the ground colour of the fore wings is entirely white,
and the band exceedingly dark; but specimens with the general colour,
slaty-black and the band and basal patch grey, are extremely rare; Barrett
mentions one such example, from Box Hill, Surrey, in Mr. R. Adkin's
collection.

The caterpillar is whity brown, more or less tinged with pink, dotted with
black, and lined with grey along the back, the sides, and the under
surface. It feeds, at night, on clover and trefoils, from September to
June. (Plate 52, Fig. 3, after Hofmann.) The moth is out in July and
August, and in suitable localities, such as chalk downs, lime-stone hills,
etc., is generally plentiful {146} throughout England and South Wales. It
does not appear to have been noted in Ireland, or in Scotland, except that
it has been recorded from the Isle of Arran.

OBLIQUE STRIPED (_Mesotype virgata_).

The sexes of this species are shown on Plate 54, Figs. 3 [male], 10
[female]. The fore wings are greyish, inclining to whitish or to brownish,
with two white-edged oblique bands, which in the lighter coloured specimens
are broad and show up conspicuously, but in the darker are narrower and
much less distinct.

The caterpillar is brownish, but varies in tint, in some cases inclining to
pink; there are three lines along the back, the central one dark green or
brown, and the others more or less yellowish; a blackish or dark grey line
low down along the sides. It feeds on yellow bedstraw (_Galium verum_), and
may be reared on other kinds of _Galium._ There are two broods, one in May
and June, and the other in August and September.

The moth, which frequents sand-hills and shelving banks by the seaside, is
found resting upon its food plant or other vegetation around, in May and
June, and again in July and August.

The species has a wide distribution, and occurs in suitable localities
around the coasts of England (except the north-east), and on the west coast
of Wales. It also inhabits the Breck sand district of Norfolk and Suffolk,
and has been found on chalk downs and hills in the south of England, and in
Cambridgeshire and Berkshire. In Ireland, it has been recorded from the
counties of Down and Kerry.

Abroad, its distribution spreads to Eastern Siberia and Amurland.

DRAB LOOPER (_Minoa murinata_).

The grey brown or ochreous brown wings of this delicate, but unattractive
little moth (Plate 55, Figs. 1 and 2), are silky in {147} texture. After it
has flown for a time, the wings become paler, and lose most of their sheen.

The thick-set, roughish caterpillar is reddish brown, dotted with pale
ochreous; there is a slender white line along the middle of the back, and
black oblique streaks on the sides; a blackish wavy line along the area of
the spiracles is bordered below with yellowish. It feeds on wood spurge
(_Euphorbia amygdaloides_) and also, I have reason to believe, on petty
spurge (_E. peplus_), a rather common weed in some gardens, from July to
September. In forward seasons the moth, which flies in the sunshine, has
been noted in late April, but May and June are the best months for it. In
the New Forest, and elsewhere, it has occurred in August. On one occasion I
remember that, in a garden at Brockenhurst, several specimens were taken in
the autumn, and it was supposed that they resulted from eggs laid by a
damaged female that had been captured in the woods and turned out into said
garden. It has been taken at gas lamps, at Dorking among other places.

The species has been recorded from Pembrokeshire, Glamorganshire, and
Monmouth, in South Wales; and it appears to be found in most of the
counties of England southwards from Worcester, Hereford, Gloucester,
Oxford, and Bucks. Except that it has been doubtfully recorded from
Stowmarket, Suffolk, it does not seem to be found in the eastern counties;
and I cannot find that it has been noted from Devon or Cornwall.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

CHIMNEY-SWEEPER (_Odezia atrata_).

This white-tipped but otherwise plain black moth (Plate 55, Figs. 4 [male],
5 [female]) is very constant, and except that specimens after having been
on the wing for a day or two become sooty brown, there is nothing much to
note. It is the fringe at the tip of the {148} fore wings rather than the
tip itself that is white, and this sometimes extends for a short distance
along the fringe of the outer margin. Haworth's English name for this
insect (his _chaerophyllata_) was "The Looping Chimney Sweeper" in
reference to its caterpillar, and to distinguish it from his "Chimney
Sweeper," "Chimney Sweeper's Boy," and other oddities in the vernacular
among the Psychids.

The caterpillar, which feeds in the spring on flowers of the earth-nut
(_Conopodium denudatum_, or _Bunium flexuosum_), is green, and paler on the
sides than on the back; there are three darker green lines along the back,
the central one merging into reddish on the last ring, and the others
narrowly edged on each side with white; a whitish stripe runs below the red
spiracles.

The moth is a sun lover, and flits about flowers growing among or near its
food plant, in June and July.

The species is widely distributed over England, Wales, Ireland, and
Scotland, but it does not appear to have been noted north of Moray in the
last-named country. It is always very local, frequents moist fields,
borders of woods, and even waysides.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

THE GREY CARPET (_Lithostege griseata_).

The more or less greyish moth, shown on Plate 55, Fig. 3, varies in tint,
some specimens being decidedly more grey than others. At the apex of the
fore wings is a short blackish dash, and from this a curved dusky line may
be traced to the inner margin. The female has the wings rather shorter than
those of the male.

The slender, dark-lined, greenish caterpillar feeds on the seed pods of
flixweed (_Sisymbrium_), and treacle mustard (_Erysimum_), in July and
August. When reared in captivity it will thrive on other kinds of
Cruciferae. {149}

The moth is out in June, sometimes late May; it is exceedingly local in
Britain, and only occurs in the Breck district, where it was first met with
about fifty years ago. Tuddenham, in Suffolk, is a noted locality, as also
is Thetford, in Norfolk.

THE TREBLE-BAR (_Anaitis plagiata_).

This is a greyish white species, of which specimens of both generations are
shown on Plate 55, Figs. 6 [male], 7 [female] (1st generation), Fig. 8
[male] (2nd generation). The chief variation is in the cross central bars
of the fore wings, which are sometimes much widened, and occasionally
joined from the middle to the inner margin; or the space between these two
bars is more or less filled up with dark grey. On the other hand, the bars
are sometimes very faint, but such aberrations are perhaps most frequent in
the second generation, which consists of smaller specimens.

The long caterpillar is brown, inclining to reddish or to greenish, with
several darker and paler lines on the back and a yellowish line low down
along the sides. It feeds on St. John's wort (_Hypericum_) in June and
July; the caterpillars, hatching in the autumn, are not mature until the
following April.

Usually there are two generations of the moth, the first appearing in May
and June, and the second in August and September. The species is pretty
generally distributed over the British Isles, extending to the Hebrides and
the Orkneys; and will probably be found in all localities where its food
plant occurs freely. It affects cliffs and sandhills by the sea, rough
places on chalk slopes, and sometimes the moths fly up in numbers as we
walk over the herbage in such spots.

The range abroad extends to Western India and Japan. {150}

MANCHESTER TREBLE-BAR (_Carsia paludata_).

In general character this species somewhat resembles that last considered.
It is, however, much smaller, and there are reddish clouds on the outer
marginal area.

This reddish shading is more or less absent in the type, which is otherwise
less variegated than var. _imbutata_, the form to which our British
specimens are almost entirely referable. (Plate 55, Figs. 9 and 10.)

The caterpillar is of somewhat stoutish build, and reddish brown in colour;
three darker lines along the back, and yellow stripe low down along the
sides, the latter edged above with black on the front three rings, and
blotched with pinkish on the middle rings; the head is rather paler than
the body, and the dots on the latter are yellow. It feeds on cowberry
(_Vaccinium vitis-idaea_) and cranberry (_V. oxycoccos_), and seems to have
a preference for the flowers of these plants: April to June.

The moth is out in July and August among the _Vaccinium_ in its swampy
haunts on the heaths and moors of the north of England, and Scotland, even
to the Shetlands. McArthur took a specimen in the Isle of Lewis in 1901. It
also occurs in Ireland. In England it does not seem to have been noted
south of Staffordshire.

The range abroad extends to Eastern Siberia and Amurland.

THE STREAK (_Chesias spartiata_).

The most striking features of this shining brownish coloured species are
the oval-shaped marks on the disk of the fore wings, and the long whitish
streak running to the tips of the wings. (Plate 57, Figs. 3 [male], 4
[female].)

The long caterpillar (Plate 56, Fig. 2) is deep green, with a darker line
along the middle of the back, and whitish lines along the sides and the
under surface; the spiracles are reddish, encircled with black, and the
head is flecked with brown. It feeds in the spring on broom (_Cytisus
scoparius_).

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 56.
  1, 1a. BROOM-TIP: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.
  2, 2a. STREAK: _egg (enlarged) and caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 57.
   1, 2. THE BROOM-TIP.
   3, 4. THE STREAK.
   5, 6. BARRED TOOTH-STRIPED.
   7, 8. EARLY TOOTH-STRIPED.
  9, 10. THE SERAPHIM.

{151} The moth is out in September and October, and secretes itself during
the day, but may be found at night flying about the broom bushes for a
short time, and later on it sits upon the twigs. It occurs in almost every
part of the British Isles where the food plant of the caterpillar is well
established.

BROOM-TIP (_Chesias rufata_).

A noticeable character in this glossy, greyish moth (Plate 57, Figs. 1
[male], 2 [female]) is the black mark on the upper part of the second cross
line of the fore wings (which probably suggested the English name "Chevron"
given to the species by Donovan); following the mark is a reddish or
ochreous flush, extending to the tips of the wings.

The long, green caterpillar inclines to bluish above, and to paler green
beneath; a darker line along the middle of the back, then a slender whitish
line edged with darker green, and between this and the white spiracular
line there is another slender whitish line. It feeds, in August and
September, on broom; when full grown it enters the earth, and there turns
to a reddish brown chrysalis, the wing cases of which are greenish. I am
indebted to Mr. A. J. Scollick for the caterpillar and chrysalis figured on
Plate 56, Figs. 1, 1a.

The moth emerges the following year, from May to July, but its time of
appearance is uncertain, and it may come up in early spring or not until
early autumn. Sometimes it will remain in the chrysalis for two winters.

In England the species occurs in the counties of Kent, Surrey, Sussex,
Berks, Hants, Devon, Somerset, Hereford, Worcester, Stafford, Leicester,
Cheshire (rare in the last five), Cumberland and Yorkshire (recorded once
from each county), {152} Norfolk, Suffolk; also Glamorgan, and other parts
of South Wales. In Scotland it is found in the south, but is more frequent
from Perthshire to Moray. Probably occurs in other British localities where
there is plenty of broom.

THE BARRED TOOTH-STRIPED (_Lobophora_ (_Trichopteryx_) _polycommata_).

The general colour of the species represented on Plate 57, Figs. 5 [male],
6 [female], is greyish, inclining to ochreous or to whitish; but
occasionally it is clouded with dark greyish on the basal area, and there
is a broad band of the same colour on the outer marginal area; in such
specimens the central band becomes less conspicuous.

The caterpillar (Plate 59, Fig. 2) feeds in May and June, on privet, at
first on the leaf buds, and afterwards on the expanded leaves. It will also
eat ash and honeysuckle. In colour it is rather deep green, with three fine
lines along the back, the central one darker than the ground colour, and
the others whitish and irregular; a whitish stripe low down along the
sides; two points on the last ring of the body. The chrysalis (Plate 59,
Fig. 2a), which is enclosed in an oval earthen cocoon, is dark yellowish
brown, inclining to blackish on the wing cases.

The moth may be found at night, in March and April, sitting on the privet
hedge, and may then be easily boxed, as it seems very disinclined to fly at
that time, but earlier in the evening it flits along the hedgerows, and is
equally easy to net. When resting, however, one is able to select just the
finest specimens.

The species appears to be very local in Britain, but it occurs in the
Brighton, Lewes, and Emsworth districts of Sussex; Hants, Wilts
(Salisbury), Somerset, Devon (Sidmouth), Gloucestershire, Herefordshire,
Worcestershire (Malvern), {153} North Lancashire, Cumberland, Northampton,
Berks, Essex, and Kent. In Scotland it has been reported from Clydesdale
and Arran, but has not been noted from Ireland.

THE EARLY TOOTH-STRIPED (_Lobophora_ (_Trichopteryx_) _carpinata_).

The whitish fore wings of this species are tinged with grey or greenish
grey, the cross lines and bands vary in intensity, and, as a rule, are more
distinct and complete in the female than in the male. A form of not
infrequent occurrence in Scotland (ab. _fasciata_, Prout) has blackish
bands, which show up in strong contrast with the general whitish colour of
the wings. The ordinary form is represented on Plate 57, Fig. 7 [male], and
Fig. 8 on the same plate shows the named variety referred to.

The caterpillar is green, with rather darker lines along the back, and a
yellow stripe low down along the sides; the two points on the last ring are
also yellow. It feeds, in June and July, on honeysuckle, sallow, birch, and
alder. The moth is out in April and May, and seems to be more or less
common in woodlands throughout the greater part of the British Isles. In
Scotland it appears to be most plentiful from Perthshire northwards to
Sutherlandshire, but it has not been reported from the Orkneys, Shetlands,
or Hebrides. (Early stages are shown on Plate 59, Figs. 3-3b.)

The boles of trees are favourite resting places, and upon them, and also
upon gate-posts, etc., the moth is often met with in the daytime.

Abroad, the range extends to Eastern Siberia.

YELLOW-BARRED BRINDLE (_Lobophora_ (_Trichopteryx_) _viretata_).

The general colour of the fore wings is olive green, varying from pale to
dark, the wavy cross lines are blackish, dotted {154} with black, and
sometimes there are whitish lines between them; those on the central area
are often united by a blackish cloud, and so form a band, and not
infrequently the basal area is also blackish marked. (Plate 58, Figs. 3 and
4.) The ground colour is very apt to fade if the insect is exposed to
moisture of any kind, as, for instance, when pinned in a damp collecting
box, but I have one bred specimen of a reddish ochreous colour, and I am
assured that it was of this tint when it emerged from the chrysalis. An old
English name was "The Brindle-barred Yellow."

The thick-set caterpillar is green, more or less tinged with pinkish; three
interrupted pink lines on the back, the central one sometimes inclining to
purple, and broken up into spots; the head is brown, sometimes marked with
purplish, and there are two tiny points on the last ring of the body. It
varies in the green tint and also in marking. It feeds on flowers and
leaves of holly, ivy, dogwood, privet, etc., in June and July, and in some
sheltered southern localities again in September and October.

The moth is out in May and early June, and where a second generation is
developed, in August and early September. It sits in the daytime on
tree-trunks, but more especially those with smooth bark; the stems of holly
are a favourite resting place, but at Box Hill I have occasionally seen a
specimen on the trunk of a beech tree. Barrett states that it also rests on
the trunks of fir trees, and that it is then very easily seen. Night is its
time of activity, and it is then attracted by light.

The species seems to be widely distributed, but locally and not generally
common, throughout England, Wales, and Ireland; it has only been recorded
from Rosemount, Ayr, and one or two other localities in the south of
Scotland.

The range abroad extends to Western India, Amurland, and Japan.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 58.
  1, 2. SMALL SERAPHIM.
  3, 4. YELLOW-BARRED BRINDLE.
   5-7. NORTHERN WINTER MOTH.
  8-10. THE WINTER MOTH.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 59.
          1. NORTHERN WINTER-MOTH: _eggs_.
      2, 2a. BARRED TOOTH-STRIPED: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.
  3, 3a, 3b. EARLY TOOTH-STRIPED: _eggs and caterpillar_.

{155}

THE SERAPHIM (_Lobophora halterata_).

Fore wings whitish, with two greyish bands on the basal area; first and
second lines greyish, variable in width, and sometimes only represented by
marks on the front or inner margins; there is a black central dot, and the
outer area beyond the submarginal line is clouded with dark grey,
especially on the upper half. Sometimes the wings are so thickly stippled
with the darker colour that they appear to be greyish, with interrupted and
indistinct whitish cross lines. A rather frequent form has the fore wings
tinged with ochreous, and of this tint is ab. _zonata_, Thnbg., which has
the basal bands and outer marginal border blackish, the central area being
without cross lines. (Plate 57, Figs. 9 [male] and 10 [female].)

The caterpillar is green, darker below and between the rings; the most
distinct markings are two yellow lines along the back; head, notched; body
wrinkled, and with two points on the last ring. It feeds on aspen, and
other kinds of poplar, in June and July.

The moth appears in May, and continues out well into June, especially in
its northern localities. It rests on the trunks of poplar trees, or on the
stems of bushes around, and is sometimes easily alarmed, and flies off on
the collector's approach, whilst at other times it sits quietly, and may be
easily boxed. At dusk it may be seen flying around the poplars.

Widely distributed in the southern half of England, and only found where
poplars, chiefly aspens, are well established. From Worcester its range
extends northwards to Staffordshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and
Cheshire; and it has been recorded from Yorkshire and Cumberland; also from
Glamorganshire, South Wales. In Scotland it seems not to have been noted in
the south, but is found more or less frequently from Perthshire to
Sutherlandshire. Rare in Ireland.

Abroad, its range extends to Amurland and Japan. {156}

THE SMALL SERAPHIM (_Lobophora_ (_Mysticoptera_) _sexalisata_).

This is a much smaller species than the last. The fore wings are whitish,
with brownish-grey, or blackish-grey, cross lines and bands; the central
most distinct towards the front margin, where it encloses a black dot; hind
wings greyish, with black central dot. (Plate 58, Figs. 1 and 2.)

The green, much wrinkled caterpillar has three whitish lines or stripes
along the back, and in some examples there is a white line low down along
the sides; the head, which inclines to yellowish, is notched, and there are
two pinkish points on the last ring of the body. It feeds on sallow in
August and September.

The moth is to be found in May and June, and, in some years, again in July
and August. It inhabits woods and hedgerows where sallow is plentiful, but,
perhaps, is obtained more freely in fens. Occasionally it may be beaten
from the hedges, but it is active on the wing just before the close of day,
and then disports itself over and about the sallow bushes. It occurs in
suitable localities in most of the eastern and southern counties of
England, and has been reported from some of the northern ones, and from
Glamorganshire, in South Wales. Kane states that it has been found in the
north, south, east, and west of Ireland, but is always local and scarce.

NOTE.--Prout considers this species to be the _sexalata_ of Retzius (1783).

WINTER MOTH (_Cheimatobia brumata_).

In orchards and gardens wherein are fruit trees one may have noticed that
the trunks of the trees have broad bands around them. If these bands are
examined, they will be seen {157} to be covered with a sticky compound,
which has been put there for the purpose of trapping the almost wingless
females of the Winter Moth, as they crawl up the tree after emergence from
the chrysalis. In spite of such devices, and other precautionary measures
taken to safeguard the trees from attack, the foliage of apple, pear, etc.,
will not be quite free from the caterpillars of this species in their
season.

The male has greyish brown fore wings, which are crossed by rather darker
lines, and a dark, more or less distinct, central band (ab. _hyemata_,
Huene). The ground colour is very much darker in some specimens than in
others, and examples of a sooty brown colour are not infrequent; Barrett
mentions an almost buff-coloured specimen. In the female, the tiny affairs
representing wings are brownish, with indications of a darker band towards
the outer margin of the front pair.

A small, purplish brown form, reared in January, 1882, from caterpillars
found in Cumberland, feeding on sweet gale (_Myrica gale_), was described
as a new species under the name _myricaria_, Cooke (_Entom._, xv. 57). This
has been referred by Staudinger to _C. boreata_, as a form of that species,
but it is probably an aberration of _C. brumata._

The caterpillar is green, with a stripe of darker green along the back; on
each side of this are two white lines, and along the black spiracles is a
pale yellowish line; head, green, sometimes marked with blackish. It feeds
on the foliage of trees and bushes, and sometimes abounds in April and May.

The moth appears during the winter months, and has been noted as early as
October and as late as February. (Plate 58, Figs. 8-10.)

Generally distributed throughout the British Isles.

NORTHERN WINTER MOTH (_Cheimatobia boreata_).

This species is generally larger than the last-mentioned. The fore wings
are marked somewhat as in that species, {158} but they are paler in colour
and more glossy; hind wings whitish and glossy. In the female, the wings
are useless for flying, but still they are larger than those of _brumata_.
The front pair have a blackish band. (Plate 58, Figs. 6 and 7 [male], 5
[female]; ova. Plate 59, Fig. 1.)

The caterpillar is greenish, with a greyish stripe along the back, another
edged above with yellow along the black spiracles, and a greyish line
between the stripes; the head is black. It feeds, in May and June, on
birch, and the moth does not appear until October or November.

At one time considered to be a purely northern species: the earliest known
British specimens, four in number, having been captured at Petty Pool,
Delamere, Cheshire, on October 31, 1848. It is now known, however, to have
a wide distribution in the south of England. Northwards, its range extends
throughout England and Scotland up to Moray. It is found in South Wales;
also in Galway, Monaghan, and Connemara, in Ireland.

THE TISSUE (_Triphosa dubitata_).

The fore wings of this glossy species (Plate 60, Figs. 1, 2) are pale
brown, tinged more or less strongly with rosy or purplish; there are
numerous darker and paler cross lines, the most distinct and constant being
the blackish basal, and the two forming the edges of the central band; the
latter are marked with black; the submarginal line is whitish, wavy, and
sometimes broken up into dots. The species varies considerably in tint,
some specimens inclining to pale greyish brown, others to smoky brown. Hind
wings, whitish grey, with several darker grey cross lines; in dark
specimens these wings are smoky grey. Ab. _cinereata_, Stephens, is a small
pale greyish form, almost without rosy tinge and with fewer cross lines.

The caterpillar (Plate 62, Fig. 1) is yellowish green with {159} darker
green stripes and lines. In another form there are four pale yellowish
lines along the back and a yellow stripe low down along the sides. It feeds
on buckthorn (_Rhamnus_), the leaves of which it fastens together with
silk, and so forms a retreat. It will also eat sloe and bird-cherry
(_Prunus padus_).

The moth is out in August and through the autumn, when it sometimes visits
the flowers of ivy, ragwort, etc.; after hibernation it is again seen,
perhaps even more frequently, in April and May, and is then occasionally
found at sallow catkins. The species seems to have been noted from nearly
all the English counties, but becomes rare from Yorkshire northwards. In
Wales, and in Ireland, it is apparently widely distributed, but in Scotland
it seems confined to southern localities, and is only rarely met with.

Abroad, the distribution spreads to Amurland, China, and Japan.

THE SCARCE TISSUE (_Eucosmia_ (_Calocalpe_) _certata_).

This species is very similar to the last, but the wings are not glossy,
only reddish on the outer margin, and the black marked lines edging the
central band of the fore wings are less irregular, the inner ones usually
being much straighter. On the under side of the hind wings of the male is a
fold enclosing hairs; this is on the inner margin, just above the anal
angle. (Plate 60, Fig. 3 [female].)

The thickset caterpillar (Plate 62, Fig. 3, after Hofmann) is greyish
inclining to greenish; four white lines along the back, the central pair
enclosing a dark line, the others are bordered below with dark greyish; the
black spiracles are set in yellowish blotches, and the plates on first and
last rings are brown; head, reddish-brown, glossy (adapted from Fenn). It
feeds on the barberry (_Berberis vulgaris_) and the holly-leaved barberry
(_B. aquifolium_) grown in gardens, in June and July. The moth {160} is out
in May and June, but in favourable seasons has appeared in late April. When
on the wing at night it is freely attracted by light, but otherwise not
often noticed. The species has occurred in many of the English counties
from Devon to Durham, but it seems to be only common in the eastern
counties, and most frequent perhaps in Suffolk. It has been recorded from
South Wales, but is seemingly absent from Ireland.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

THE SCALLOP SHELL (_Eucosmia undulata_).

Wings pale greyish, sometimes ochreous tinted, and crossed by numerous
dark-grey wavy lines inclining to blackish on the front margin of the fore
wings; the waves of the central pair of lines on the fore wings often meet
and so form a series of rings; sometimes the space between the eighth and
twelfth lines is of a dusky hue, and occasionally it is distinctly darker
and band-like; the outer margin of all the wings is brownish and traversed
by a wavy white line. The male has tufts of blackish hair in a fold on the
inner margin of the hind wing, this is noticeable on the upper side, but is
best seen from the under side. (Plate 60, Figs. 4 [male], 5 [female].)

The somewhat dumpy caterpillar is reddish-brown with four yellowish lines
along the back; a greyish stripe along the sides, and a creamy stripe along
the black spiracles; head, pale brown and glossy. It feeds on sallow,
aspen, and bilberry, and may be found from August throughout the autumn in
spun-together leaves at the tips of the shoots. (Plate 62, Fig. 2.)

The moth is out in June and July, and occurs in woods where there is a good
growth of bilberry, or in marshy spots where sallow bushes abound.

In England the species is widely distributed over the southern and eastern
counties; its range extends through the Midlands to Cheshire, Lancs., and
Westmorland, rarely in Lincoln and Yorks., and once recorded in Durham; it
occurs in Wales and in Scotland, but only in the more southern part of each
country. It is not plentiful in Ireland, but widely distributed. The range
abroad includes Amurland.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 60.
  1, 2. THE TISSUE.
     3. SCARCE TISSUE.
  4, 5. THE SCALLOP SHELL.
     6. THE BROWN SCALLOP.
  7, 8. THE DARK UMBER.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 61.
     1. NETTED CARPET.
     2. SPECKLED YELLOW, VAR.
     3. DOTTED BORDER WAVE (AB. _CIRCELLATA_).
     4. GARDEN CARPET (AB. _COSTOVATA_).
  5, 6. YELLOW SHELL, ABERRANT FORMS.
     7. TAWNY-BARRED ANGLE (AB. _NIGROFULVATA_).
  8, 9. BROKEN-BARRED CARPET, SCOTTISH FORM.

{161}

THE BROWN SCALLOP (_Scotosia vetulata_).

The male is always smaller than the female, and is noticeable for its long
body with tuft of hairs at the extremity. The wings in both sexes are dingy
brown, or greyish brown, and the usual lines on fore wings are blackish,
the space between first and second often dusky. (Plate 60, Fig. 6.)

The caterpillar is short and stout, and in form very like that of the
winter moth; the back and a central dorsal stripe are black, the latter
bordered with white, the sides are yellow; the spiracular line is black,
broken, and unconnected; the spiracles are black; the head is black, and
the edge of the first ring of the body is yellow. (Crewe.) It feeds, in May
and June, on purging buckthorn (_Rhamnus catharticus_), and is to be found
between two or more leaves, which it spins together as a hiding place.

In June and July the moth may sometimes be obtained by beating bushes of
buckthorn, or the herbage below and around; this plan works best when
operated just before dusk. As a British insect it is only found in England,
and is most frequent in the southern and eastern counties, but widely
distributed in the west to Worcester, and has been found in Lancashire,
Westmorland, and Yorks. In the last-named county, caterpillars were
obtained freely at Askham Bogs in 1900.

When Stephens wrote of this insect in 1831 he noted its occurrence "in a
lane near Fulham." Even so recently as 1906 I obtained specimens on the
Putney side of Wimbledon Common.

The range abroad extends to Eastern Siberia. {162}

THE DARK UMBER (_Scotosia rhamnata_).

The blackish oblique band on the fore wings of this ochreous brown species
(Plate 60, Fig. 7 [male], 8 [female]) is sometimes indicated only by the
blackish lines, the space between them being hardly darker than the general
colour. Sometimes all the wings are suffused with blackish brown, and in
such specimens the only distinct marking is the whitish submarginal line.

The caterpillar is green, with three lines along the back, the central one
dark green, and the others yellow; the hind wings are marked with purple,
and a stripe of the same colour runs along under the spiracles. In another
form the general colour is greyish with a reddish-brown stripe along the
back, and series of spots of the same colour along the sides. It may be
found in May and June, concealed between leaves that it has fastened
together to form a retreat.

The moth flies in late June and in July, and may be disturbed in the
daytime from buckthorn bushes. It is widely distributed, and often common
in the South of England, but is rare in the north; and has also been
recorded from South Wales.

NOTE.--This species has been referred to _transversata_, Hufnagel, and as
this is an earlier name it may have to be adopted. According to Prout, both
this and the preceding species should be placed in the genus _Philereme_,
Hubner.

SMALL PHOENIX (_Eustroma silaceata_).

In its typical form (Plate 63, Fig. 3) the blackish band of the fore wings
is entire, but in ab. _insulata_, Haworth (Fig. 4), this band is
interrupted by two whitish lines along the median veins, and so divided
into three or four portions, the smaller section placed between the lines;
occasionally, the dividing lines assume stripe-like proportions, and the
main portions are consequently smaller in size and further from each other,
but one "island" still remains. In another form, the lower outer corner is
distinctly separate from the costal portion; thus the band is broken into
four parts.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 62.
  1. THE TISSUE: _caterpillar_.
  2. SCALLOP SHELL: _caterpillar_.
  3. SCARCE TISSUE: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 63.
  1, 2. THE PHOENIX.
  3, 4. SMALL PHOENIX.
   5-7. THE CHEVRON.
  8-10. NORTHERN SPINACH.

{163} The long caterpillar is green, with a reddish-brown stripe along the
back; this is broken up into spots, except on the first three rings; there
are some reddish-brown spots on the sides. It feeds on various kinds of
willow herb (_Epilobium_), and enchanter's nightshade (_Circaea lutetiana_)
in July, and sometimes in August and September.

The moth should be looked for in beech and other woods amongst the food
plants, from which, and the surrounding herbage, it is readily evicted. It
flies at twilight, and later on, when it has been known to visit the sugar
patch; it is also attracted by light. It is out in May and June, and
specimens of a second generation sometimes occur in the South. The species
occurs locally throughout England, probably Wales, and in Scotland up to
Ross. In Ireland, it is widely distributed and locally common in the North,
but apparently not noted in the South.

NETTED CARPET (_Lygris reticulata_).

The white veins and white lines passing through the blackish blotches at
the base and on the front margin of the fore wings, give these wings a
curious netted appearance; the hind wings are smoky grey, with two white
lines which appear to be continuations of the white second line and
sub-marginal of the fore wings. (Plate 61, Fig. 1.)

The caterpillar is green, inclining to yellowish, and more or less tinged
with pinkish, especially on the sides; three lines on the back, the central
one reddish, the others whitish; a central line along the pinkish
spiracles. It feeds at night on yellow balsam (_Impatiens
noli-me-tangere_), preferring the flowers, {164} seeds, and young foliage,
and rests by day on the undersides of the leaves: September and October.
(Plate 64, Fig. 2, after Hofmann.)

The moth is out in July and August, and, of course, will only be found in
localities where the balsam flourishes; these are very limited, and in
Britain are confined to Westmorland and the northern border of Lancashire,
and North Wales. The species was first introduced as British in 1861, when
the late Henry Doubleday recorded the capture of three specimens in August,
1856, on the border of one of the lakes in Westmorland, by his friend the
late Thomas H. Allis. It seems that other specimens had been taken at the
same time, but these passed into collections as the "second brood of
_silacearia_." The caterpillar is said to have been found in North Wales,
but has been more frequently obtained in the English Lake District.

The range abroad extends to Eastern Siberia, Amurland, Corea, and Japan;
but in the three last-named countries it is chiefly represented by var.
_aerosa_, Butt., a large form.

THE PHOENIX (_Lygris prunata_).

The English name here retained was given to this species (Plate 63, Figs. 1
[male], 2 [female]) by Harris, in 1775, but in 1782 he changed it to
"Clouded Carpet."

In ground colour the fore wings are pale brown, more or less clouded with
darker brown, or with reddish-brown; the basal patch, central band, and
blotch on outer margin below the tip of the wing, are all chocolate brown
clouded with blackish and edged with white. Hind wings, whitish, suffused
with smoky grey, except on front area; three dusky whitish-edged wavy
lines, inclining to blackish on the inner margin. The egg (Plate 67, Fig.
3) is yellowish when laid, and then changes to purplish with a whitish
bloom.

The caterpillar is green, varying to brownish; along the {165} middle of
the back is a series of purplish-edged, brown-centred, whitish, triangular
markings; the third ring is swollen, and has a black collar. It feeds at
night on the foliage of red and black currant, also on gooseberry, and may
be found in April and May, earlier or later according to season, sitting by
day upon the bushes.

The moth flies in July and August, and occurs in gardens, but is said to be
partial to sloe bushes and hedges. It is always more or less local,
although it is distributed over the greater part of the British Isles.

This species occurs in the Northern United States of America.

THE CHEVRON (_Lygris testata_).

The fore wings of this rather variable species (Plate 63, Figs. 5-7) are
yellowish or reddish grey, with a darker basal patch and central band; a
reddish blotch below the tip of the wing is edged with white, and the
central band is also outwardly edged with white. Hind wings, whitish, with
two lines, and dusky hind marginal border, the latter sometimes inclining
to reddish. Occasionally, the fore wings are entirely pale ochreous, and
the basal patch and the central band only very slightly darker, but the
limiting lines are reddish, and the patch under the tip of the wing is
bright orange red. Var. _insulicola_, Staud., from the isles of Scotland,
has the fore wings rather narrower, and suffused with purplish brown or
deep violet grey; the hind wings are smoky grey. The female is usually
smaller than the male, and often more yellow in colour.

Eggs, whitish brown, mottled with darker. The early stages are shown on
Plate 67, Figs. 2-2b.

The long caterpillar is pale yellowish brown, with three lines along the
back, the central one dark brown, and most distinct at each end; the others
are white, irregularly shaded above {166} with reddish; another white line
along the region of the spiracles. It feeds, in May or June (earlier or
later in some seasons), on sallow and birch. The moth is out in July and
August, and frequents heaths and bogs more especially, but is also found in
or around woods, and I have captured male specimens as they flew along
hedgerows bordering fields, at dusk, in Middlesex. The female is rarely
seen on the wing.

The species, which ranges through Central and Northern Europe to the Ural
and Altai, is generally distributed throughout the British Isles; it is
found also in the Atlantic States of America.

NORTHERN SPINACH (_Lygris populata_).

The fore wings are yellow, with a reddish or purplish-brown basal patch,
central band, and small patch on outer margin below tip of the wing, the
central band more or less clouded or mottled with yellow. Hind wings,
whitish, tinged with yellow. The female is usually smaller, the colour
generally paler, and the markings frequently only represented by cross
lines. Specimens from the Isle of Arran have the ground colour of fore
wings more or less dappled with brown of the same tint as that of the
central band and other markings; the hind wings are tinged with a smoky
hue. In other parts of Scotland the brown colour becomes more and more
general, until the fore wings are uniformly brown, and the hind wings
dusky. On the mountains in the north nearly black specimens occur, and
these seem to be referable to ab. _musauaria_, Freyer. (Plate 63, Figs.
8-10.)

The long caterpillar is variable in general colour, brown, mottled with
greyish, pale grey, reddish brown, or yellowish green; all have darker or
whitish lines along the back, and whitish or pinkish triangles or X-marks.
It feeds, in May and June (earlier in some localities, and later in
others), on bilberry, crowberry, and sallow; it may also be reared on
willow.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 64.
  1. DARK UMBER: _caterpillar_.
  2. NETTED CARPET: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 65.
  1, 2. THE SPINACH.
   3-5. BARRED STRAW.
  6, 7. BARRED YELLOW.
  8-10. BROKEN-BARRED CARPET.

{167}

The moth is out in July and August, and may be found on the leaves and
among the sprays of _Vaccinium myrtillus_ growing in woodlands (especially
the more ancient), bogs, and moorlands.

The species is widely spread, and generally abundant in suitable districts,
over the greater part of the British Isles; but it seems to be more or less
casual in England south of the Midlands, although its range runs through
Gloucestershire and Somerset into Devon. In the last-named county it
sometimes swarms at Martinhoe, on the edge of Exmoor.

The distribution abroad includes Eastern Siberia, Amurland, Labrador, and
North America.

THE SPINACH (_Lygris associata_).

The fore wings are pale ochreous, more or less clouded with darker; three
brownish cross lines. Hind wings, paler, with indication of cross lines on
the inner margin. Fringes of all the wings chequered with brown, most
distinct on the fore wings. (Plate 65, Figs. 1, 2.)

The long caterpillar is green, inclining to yellowish; three lines along
the back, the central one dark green and the others whitish; there is also
a whitish line low down along the sides. It feeds at night, in May and
June, on currant (_Ribes rubrum_ and _R. nigrum_), and may be found on the
underside of a leaf in the daytime. (Figured on Plate 67, Fig. 1, from a
coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich.)

During July and August the moth flies in the evening, and after dark it
often comes to any bright illumination. It is essentially a garden insect,
and where currant bushes are there also spinach is often grown; hence it
was probably connected with the vegetable rather than the fruit when
Haworth named it _spinachiata_. The species seems to be found more or less
frequently in suitable spots through England. In Wales it has {168} been
recorded from Glamorganshire, and from Rhyl, Flintshire; in Scotland,
Renton states that it is common in Roxburgh gardens; and it is also noted
from Paisley. It has been doubtfully recorded from Ireland.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

BARRED STRAW (_Cidaria pyraliata_).

In certain respects this species (Plate 65, Figs. 3-5) is not unlike that
last referred to. The fore wings are yellowish straw-colour, the cross
lines are brownish, but the central two are closer together, especially on
the inner margin, than they are in _associata_, and are straightly oblique
from the angle, or elbow, below the front margin; there is often a line of
brownish dots between the second line and the outer margin, and the fringes
are brown, not chequered. Occasionally there are darker clouds on the
second line, at the angle, and such clouds sometimes appear in the central
space. Not infrequently the markings are very faint. Staudinger and others
refer this species to _dotata_, L., but there seems to be some doubt in the
matter.

The caterpillar feeds, in April and May, on the common cleavers or
goose-grass (_Galium aparine_) of our hedgerows, etc., but it also eats _G.
mollugo_ and other kinds of bedstraw. It is to be found low down on the
stems.

The moth may be disturbed from the herbage along hedges and ditches in
lanes, and the borders of woods, but it seems most partial to the former.

The species is generally distributed, and often plentiful, in the southern
half of England; but although widely spread in the northern half, it is
only common locally. It occurs in Wales, both North and South; is common in
Roxburghshire and Clydesdale, and is said to be found on the Aberdeenshire
coast and in West Ross. In Ireland it is widely distributed, {169} and
sometimes abundant; but more frequent on the coast than inland.

The distribution abroad includes Eastern Siberia and Amurland.

BARRED YELLOW (_Cidaria fulvata_).

This very pretty, and most distinct, little species (Plate 65, Figs. 6, 7)
does not vary very greatly; there is certainly some modification in the
general colour, and in that of the markings, but in both it is only a
matter of tint.

The caterpillar is somewhat wrinkled, and in colour is green, with three
greyish lines along the back, the central one double; the ring divisions
are yellow, and there is a yellow line low-down along the sides. It feeds
at night, in May and June, on the leaves of wild rose, and does not object
to the garden kinds. (Plate 69, Fig. 3, after Hofmann.)

The moth is out in June and July. It hides by day under leaves in hedges,
and although not often induced to get on the wing at that time, the male
commences its evening flight at an early hour. It is generally a common
species in England and Wales; it occurs here and there through Scotland, up
to the Orkneys; and although somewhat local, it is common enough, where
found, in Ireland.

BROKEN-BARRED CARPET (_Cidaria corylata_).

The fore wings have an olive-brown basal patch and central band, both are
edged with white, wavy lines, and the band is contracted below the middle.
(Plate 65, Fig. 9), and often broken at this point (Fig. 10); the inner
marginal portion sometimes very small; the space between the basal patch
and central band is pale brown, and so also is the outer marginal area; but
there are dark clouds and white marks beyond the {170} white wavy
submarginal line. Variable in tint and in marking, the variety generally
known as _albocrenata_, Curtis (Plate 65, Fig. 8), is perhaps most frequent
in Perthshire and Sutherland. Two other examples of the Scottish form,
which Staudinger has named _effusaria_, are depicted on Plate 61, Figs. 8,
9.

The caterpillar is green, inclining to yellowish; three stripes on the
back, the central one reddish brown and broad, but only distinct at each
end, the other paler green; spiracles, white, placed in a reddish-brown
stripe, which is sometimes broken up. It feeds on sloe, birch, oak, and the
foliage of other trees, and may be found from July to September, and even
later.

The moth is out in May and June, and is to be beaten from hedges, or may be
found at rest on tree-trunks, palings, etc.

Generally distributed, but not extending to the Scottish Isles.

Abroad, the range spreads to Amurland and Japan.

COMMON MARBLED CARPET (_Cidaria truncata_).

Six examples of this very variable species are shown on Plate 66, and these
have been selected to illustrate the more important forms. There are a
number of modifications of each of the forms, and several of these have
been named. Fig. 1 of our plate represents the typical form, and this is
Haworth's _centumnotata_ (Common Marbled Carpet); Fig. 2 is ab.
_commanotata_ of Haworth (Yellow Marbled Carpet); Fig. 3 is ab.
_perfuscata_, Haworth (The Brown Marbled Carpet), and Fig. 4 is a
modification of the same form. A specimen from Arran is shown in Fig. 5;
this example agrees fairly well with that figured in Wood's _Index_ as
_concinnata_ from Arran. In his description of the form, Stephens does not
mention fulvous bands in his type. Fig. 6 shows a specimen from Stornoway,
Isle of Lewis, which appears to be a modification of the typical form of
_truncata_, but it has some of the character of _concinnata_. The latter,
it may be mentioned, is considered by Mr. L. B. Prout to be a distinct
species, and as the genitalia have been found, on examination by Mr.
Pierce, to differ from these organs in _truncata_ and _immanata_, there
seems to be reason to accept it as such.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 66.
   1-6. COMMON MARBLED CARPET.
  7-12. DARK MARBLED CARPET.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 67.
          1. SPINACH: _caterpillar_.
  2, 2a, 2b. CHEVRON: _eggs, caterpillar and chrysalis_.
          3. PHOENIX: _eggs_.

{171} The caterpillar is long, slender, and wrinkled, especially on the
sides; the ground colour is green, inclining to yellowish; three lines
along the back, the central one dark green, and the others yellowish;
sometimes a rosy stripe, or a series of dashes along the sides; the points
on the last ring are green, or rosy. It feeds, in the autumn and again in
the spring after hibernation, on sallow, birch, hawthorn, bilberry, wild
strawberry, etc. It will also eat rose, but as the specimens resulting from
caterpillars reared on rose are frequently small, such food is probably
unsuitable; garden strawberry, on the other hand, is an excellent pabulum.
A photograph of the caterpillar by Mr. H. Main is shown on Plate 69, Fig.
1. There is a second brood in late June and in July. The first generation
of the moth is out in May and June, and the second emerges in the autumn;
specimens, possibly of a third generation, have been seen in December in
favourable localities.

The species, which frequents woods and hedgerows, and is pretty generally
common, is to be found almost everywhere throughout the British Isles. It
has not, however, been noted from Shetland.

The distribution abroad extends to Amurland, China, and Japan.

DARK MARBLED CARPET (_Cidaria immanata_).

This is another exceedingly variable species (Plate 66), and here again six
examples have been chosen to illustrate something of the range of
aberration. Figs. 7 and 8 are of the {172} typical form, and Figs. 9 and 10
show the form _marmorata_, Haworth (Marbled Carpet); while Figs. 11 and 12
represent specimens from Shetland, and are referable to the island race
known as _pythonissata_, Milliere; neither of the specimens figured,
however, quite agrees with the type of this form, but Fig. 12 does so
fairly well. In some specimens the general colour of the fore wings is
tawny or rust-colour, or they are strongly suffused with that tint (ab.
_ferruginea_, Prout). I have such examples in my series of specimens from
Lewes and the Shetlands. Ab. _thingvallata_, Staud., from Iceland, has the
fore wings white, with black basal patch and central band, and I have seen
at least one example from Yorkshire that closely approached this variety.

The caterpillar is not very unlike that of the last species, but it is
rounder in appearance, the general green colour is paler, and the points on
the last ring are blunt. It feeds from April to June on sallow, birch,
bilberry, and wild strawberry. (Plate 69, Fig. 2, after Hofmann.) The moths
are out in July and August, and may be found resting on tree-trunks, rocks,
or stone walls; at night, when it is active on the wing, it is said to be
often seen in numbers on the flowers of the rush, and this habit has been
noted more particularly in Scotland.

The species affects woods and moors, and appears to be found more or less
commonly throughout the British Isles.

MARSH CARPET (_Cidaria sagittata_).

The fore wings of this very distinct species are brown, with white-edged
black bands at base and across the central area, the latter with a strong
projection on its outer edge, almost reaching a white spot on the outer
margin; sub-marginal line whitish, often only traceable on the front edge.
The central band is always narrowed below the middle, sometimes divided,
{173} and occasionally this part of the band is finely cut off from both
upper and lower portions. (Plate 68, Figs. 7, 8.)

The caterpillar is yellowish green, merging into pinkish on the sides; the
pink is edged below with black, and this is followed by a dark olive
stripe; rings 1-3 and 10-12 are wrinkled, whilst all the others are ridged
across the back and along the sides. It feeds, in August and September, on
the unripe seeds of meadow-rue (_Thalictrum flavum_), also on _T. minus_,
and, according to Barrett, on old withered leaves of columbine.

The moth is out in July, occasionally at the end of June, and occurs
locally in "Fenland."

Doubleday introduced it as British in the _Zoologist_ for 1848. He there
states, "A single example of this pretty species was obtained last season
near Peterborough, but I believe it was not in very good condition. A
splendid female was sent to me from the same neighbourhood this week (July
15, 1848)."

In 1853 and 1854 the species was discovered in the fens of Huntingdonshire
and Cambridgeshire. Later it was found to inhabit the fens of Norfolk and
Suffolk. It is still obtained in the Cambridge fens from Bottisham to
Chatteris. Outside "Fenland" it has been recorded from Worcestershire
(Bewdley Forest) and Warwickshire (Rugby).

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

RED-GREEN CARPET (_Cidaria siterata_).

The general colour of the fore wings of this species (Plate 68, Figs. 1-4)
is greyish green, with more or less of rosy suffusion; the basal patch and
central band are darker green, and the latter is outwardly edged with
whitish below the front margin, and towards the inner margin. The female
has rather more ample wings, and is generally of a darker hue, but in both
sexes the basal patch and central band are blackish; the hind {174} wings
are dark greyish brown, inclining to blackish in some females, and there is
a blackish central dot and two or three curved lines.

The long caterpillar is yellowish green, with an interrupted red line along
the middle of the back; two green points on last ring are usually
pink-tipped. It feeds on oak, birch, ash, sloe, apple, etc., in July and
August.

The moth occurs in woodlands, but is not easily disturbed in the daytime
from its lurking-place in bush or tree. In the autumn it may be found at
ivy-bloom, and in the spring, after hibernation, has been taken at sallow.

The species appears to be widely distributed over England and Wales,
Scotland up to Moray, and Ireland.

AUTUMN GREEN CARPET (_Cidaria miata_).

Somewhat similar to the last, but the general colour of the fore wings is
paler, inclining to whitish, and the basal patch and central band are pale
green tinged with greyish; there is no rosy suffusion, but the wavy
sub-marginal line is distinctly white. The hind wings are greyish white,
with black discal dot, and dark-grey curved lines. (Plate 68, Figs. 5, 6.)

The caterpillar is pale green, inclining to yellowish, especially between
the rings, and with a more or less distinct dark-green line along the
middle of the back; the points on the last ring are pinkish brown, and
there is a line of the same colour along the centre of the under surface of
the body.

It feeds on alder, birch, oak, sallow, etc., and may be beaten out from
June to August.

The moth is out in September and October, when it may be obtained at
ivy-bloom, and in the following spring, after hibernation, it visits sallow
catkins.

The range in the British Isles agrees pretty closely with that of the last
species, but in Scotland it extends to the Hebrides and to the Orkneys.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 68.
   1-4. RED-GREEN CARPET.
  5, 6. AUTUMN GREEN CARPET.
  7, 8. MARSH CARPET.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 69.
  1. COMMON MARBLED CARPET: _caterpillar_.
  2. DARK MARBLED CARPET: _caterpillar_.
  3. BARRED YELLOW: _caterpillar_.

{175}

NOTE.--According to Prout, _sagittata_ is not a _Cidaria_, as its larva is
of a very different form; and _siterata_ and _miata_ are referred to
_Chloroclysta_, Hubner.

GREY PINE CARPET (_Thera variata_).

In its typical form, the fore wings of this species are greyish, and from
this the colour ranges through various tints of greyish brown to smoky
brown or blackish; sometimes these wings are shades of ochreous brown. The
usual markings are a basal patch, more or less clearly defined, and a
central band, and these may be either brown or blackish; the band varies in
width, is not infrequently narrowed or contracted below the middle,
occasionally broken at this point, and more rarely only represented by a
small angular spot near the front margin.

Four examples are shown on Plate 70, and of these 1 and 2 represent our
ordinary form _obeliscata_, Hubner (Shaded Broad Bar, of Newman). Fig. 6 is
a blackish banded specimen of the _obeliscata_ form, and Fig. 3 is the
almost entirely blackish form _obliterata_, White (_scotica_, Staud.),
which is not uncommon in the Paisley district, and other parts of Scotland,
and also occurs in a modified form in some pine-woods in the South of
England.

The long caterpillar (Plate 71, Fig. 1), which feeds on the needles of
Scots pine in April and May, also in July, and sometimes in September, is
bright green, with three whitish lines along the back, the central one
broad, and a yellowish line low down along the sides; the green roundish
head is lined with white.

The moth is generally common in pine-woods throughout the greater part of
the British Isles. The May-June flight is the most abundant, but there is
occasionally a good sprinkling of moths in the autumn.

Abroad, the area of distribution includes Eastern Siberia, Corea, China,
and Japan. {176}

CHESTNUT-COLOURED CARPET (_Thera cognata_).

This is a generally smaller species than that last referred to, and it is
more glossy in appearance. The fore wings are brown, sometimes grey-brown,
more or less tinged with reddish, and the basal patch and central band are
darker; these markings are usually white-edged, and there is a wavy whitish
submarginal line. Hind wings whitish, tinged with smoky grey. Specimens
from the Hebrides are strongly purplish; and Kane states that some he
reared from Sligo caterpillars are more richly coloured than any that he
has seen from Scotland. (Plate 70, Figs. 9 [male] 12 [female].)

The bright green caterpillar is stouter than that of the last species. It
is of a bluish hue along the back, and marked with three lines, the central
one greenish and the others whitish and broad; there are sometimes reddish
markings low down on the sides, just edging the broad white spiracular
line. It feeds in May and June, earlier or later in some seasons, on
juniper; it turns to a dark-green chrysalis in a frail cocoon spun up among
the litter under the juniper bushes.

The moth is to be found in July and August among juniper growing in the
hilly and maritime haunts of the species in North England, Wales, Scotland,
and Ireland.

This species, long known as _simulata_, Hubner, has been referred to
_cognata_, Thunberg, and as this is an earlier name it will have to be
used.

PINE CARPET (_Thera firmata_).

The pale reddish-grey fore wings have a rather darker central band and
round-edged basal patch, but the latter is often indistinct, and the band,
which is always deeply indented about the middle of its inner edge, is
sometimes not well defined. The hind wings are whitish, tinged more or less
with greyish or pale brownish, but always paler than in any form of _T.
variata_, with which it is often confused. (Plate 70, Figs. 10, 11.)

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 70.
  1, 2, 3, 6. GREY PINE CARPET.
  4, 5, 7, 8. JUNIPER CARPET.
       9, 12. CHESTNUT-COLOURED CARPET.
      10, 11. PINE CARPET.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 71.
  1. GREY PINE CARPET: _caterpillar_.
  2. PINE CARPET: _caterpillar_.
  3. WELCH WAVE: _caterpillar_.

{177} The caterpillar is bluish-green above, and green beneath; three lines
along the back, the central one a darker tone of the ground colour, the
others whitish; head reddish, marked with brown on each cheek. It feeds in
April and May (June in Scotland) on Scots pine; Barrett states that there
is a second brood in August. (Plate 71, Fig. 2.)

The moth is out in September and October, and may be disturbed from the
pine boughs, or occasionally seen resting on the trunks, but it is more
frequently met with at night when it flies naturally, and has been known to
visit the sugar patch. Barrett, who considered this species to be double
brooded, gives June and July for the first flight of moths. Certain it is
that moths have been reared even as late as October from Spring
caterpillars. As adverted to, the pale reddish forms of _T. variata_ are
sometimes confused with _T. firmata_, but in addition to other differences
indicated above, it may be noted that in the male of the latter the
antennae are bipectinated except towards the tips. Most of the pine woods
throughout England seem to produce this delicate insect more or less
frequently; the same remark applies to Wales. In Scotland it is found up to
Aberdeen, and also in the Hebrides. The only localities mentioned by Kane
for Ireland are in counties Westmeath, Dublin, and Fermanagh.

JUNIPER CARPET (_Thera juniperata_).

On Plate 70, Figs. 4 and 5 represent the sexes of the typical form of this
species, the small and rather more strongly marked Scottish form is shown
by Figs. 7 and 8. In these small forms a noticeable character is the
brownish band on the fore wings, between the central band and the outer
margin; this band is {178} only indicated by a dusky greyish shade in the
larger form. Most of the examples of the small form from the Isle of Hoy
have also a dark central line on the hind wings. The central band of the
fore wings is often broken below the middle, in both forms.

The caterpillar is yellowish green, inclining to a black tinge on the back,
along which are three lines, the central one dark green, and the others
yellow and rather broad; a whitish stripe low down along the sides is
sometimes marked with yellow and red, and there is a red thread above it;
head, pink tinged; two points on last ring of the body. It feeds in July
and August, on juniper. The moth is out in October and November, and may be
found plentifully flying at night about the juniper bushes.

Berkshire, Kent, Surrey, and Sussex appear to be the only English counties
in which it is established, and it is probably most plentiful in the last
named. It has, however, been recorded from Suffolk, Lancashire, York, and
Durham; also from Carnarvonshire in North Wales. It is more widely spread
throughout Scotland, including the Orkneys and Shetlands, where the moths
fly in July. Only doubtfully reported from Ireland.

WATER CARPET (_Lampropteryx suffumata_).

The fore wings are whitish, more or less clouded with brownish, with dark
brown, inclining to blackish, basal patch and central band. The variation
tends in two opposite directions; in the one the general colour is so
clouded and suffused with blackish-brown, that the entire fore wings become
almost entirely of that colour (ab. _piceata_, Stephens), N. England and
Scotland; the other extreme is ab. _porrittii_, Robson, in which the
central band and basal patch are black, and the white ground colour is
almost free of brown clouding; the last named occurs at Dover {179} in
Kent, and Huddersfield, Yorks. On Plate 72, Fig. 1 shows the typical form,
Fig. 3 ab. _piceata_, and 2 ab. _porrittii_. The caterpillar varies from
greyish, with pinkish or greenish tinge, to ochreous brown; the upper
surface is rather darker than the under, and there is a series of dark
V-shaped marks and arrow-heads on the back of rings 4-8; there is a whitish
central stripe on 1-3, and a dark one on 9-12; head, brownish, marked with
black. It feeds on goose-grass (_Galium aparine_), and other kinds of
bedstraw, in May and early June. It seems to thrive best, however, on the
goose-grass. (Plate 74, Fig. 1, after Hofmann.)

The moth may be found in weedy lanes and along hedgerows, pretty well
throughout England, Wales, Scotland to Moray, and Ireland. It cannot,
however, be said to occur in all suitable places, as although it may be
found in some plenty in one lane or hedgerow in a district, it may be quite
absent in similar spots just around. Wherever it is noted one year it may
be almost certainly obtained there in subsequent years. April and May are
the months in which it is usually seen, but it has been taken in June in
late seasons, and occasionally in July.

LARGE TWIN-SPOT CARPET (_Coremia_ (_Ochyria_) _quadrifasciaria_).

The ground colour of the fore wings of this species is most often of a pale
reddish brown, but sometimes it inclines to grey brown; the outwardly
angled central band is often black, but more frequently perhaps the middle
area is pretty much of the ground colour or greyish, with a black dot in
the upper portion, and limited by two black lines which approach, or join,
in the lower half. A dusky basal blotch is not always present, but it is
sometimes well in evidence, as also is a dusky shade before the whitish
submarginal line; frequently there are two blackish {180} or brownish dots
on the upper part of this line, and a third dot above them, but nearer the
outer margin. (Plate 72, Figs. 4, 5.)

The caterpillar is pale yellowish brown, finely freckled with grey, and
with greyish V-shaped marks on the back; three greyish lines along the
back, the central one broken, and the others most distinct at each end. It
feeds on bedstraw (_Galium_) and other plants, such as primrose, groundsel,
etc., from August to April. The moth is out in June and July, and should be
looked for on tree-trunks growing around the borders of woods or in lanes
near by. It may also be beaten out of hedgerows in the vicinity of woods.

A very local species and only found with us in the southern half of
England. Its chief haunts appear to be in the counties of Kent, Surrey,
Hants, Essex, Suffolk, Cambridge, and Norfolk (the Breck sand district);
thence its range extends through Hertford, Buckingham, and Berkshire to
Gloucester, where, however, it is scarce, as it is also in Lincoln. Abroad,
the range extends to Eastern Siberia, Amurland, Corea and Japan.

RED CARPET (_Coremia_ (_Ochyria_) _munitata_).

The typical form (Plate 72, Fig. 6) has pale greyish fore wings, and these
are crossed by a black-edged purplish central band. In var. _hethlandica_,
Prout (Fig. 7), the ground colour is ochreous and the band is reddish; this
form is frequent in the Shetlands.

The caterpillar is yellowish green, with greyish clouds around white dots,
tinged with pink between the rings; three lines along the back, the central
one grey inclining to blackish, broken on three of the hinder rings, and
edged with whitish; the others are double, wavy, brownish, a whitish stripe
bordered above with grey along the area of the spiracles; head, ochreous,
dotted with dark brown (adapted from Fenn). It feeds on lady's mantle
(_Alchemilla_), chickweed, groundsel, etc., from September to May.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 72.
   1-3. WATER CARPET.
  4, 5. LARGE TWIN-SPOT CARPET.
  6, 7. RED CARPET.
  8-12. RED TWIN-SPOT CARPET.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 73.
  1. BEECH-GREEN CARPET: _caterpillar_.
  2. STRIPED TWIN-SPOT CARPET: _caterpillar_.
  3. MOTTLED GREY: _caterpillar_.

{181} The moth is out in July and August, and in England is only found in
the mountain districts of Yorkshire and the more northern centres. It has
been reported from the high-lying district on the border of Cheshire,
between Macclesfield and Buxton (Day), and from Llantrissant,
Glamorganshire, S. Wales (Evan John). Generally distributed through
Scotland and the Isles. Widely spread, but local, and not always common, in
Ireland.

Abroad, the range extends to Eastern Siberia, Amurland and North America.

DARK-BARRED TWIN-SPOT CARPET (_Coremia_ (_Ochyria_) _unidentaria_).

Portraits of three examples of this species will be found on Plate 75,
Figs. 1-3. The ground colour of the fore wings is whitish tinged with pale
ochreous or greyish; the central band is blackish with darker wavy lines
running through it near the edges, and not infrequently the middle area is
greyish, either on the upper half, or throughout from front to inner
margins; a narrow patch at the base of the wings is of the same colour as
the central band, and is followed by a reddish-brown streak; as a rule,
there is an irregular reddish-brown line, commencing in a cloud on the
front margin, and sometimes stripe-like, beyond the pale edging of the
central band; in ab. _coarctata_, Prout, the central band is much narrowed;
the two black dots on upper part of the outer margin, generally well in
evidence, are occasionally united, but sometimes they are very tiny. The
hind wings are whitish, more or less sprinkled with dusky scales, chiefly
on the basal two thirds, and crossed by dark-grey wavy lines.

Sometimes the central band and the basal patch of the fore {182} wings are
dull reddish-brown, inclining to purplish. This form which has been
referred to _corculata_, Hufnagel, is pretty generally distributed abroad,
but is apparently only of local occurrence in the British Isles.

The caterpillar is very similar to that of the next species, it feeds on
the same kinds of plants, and during the same months of the year. (Plate
74, Fig. 2.) The first generation of moths is on the wing in May and June,
and the second in August.

The species is widely distributed in England and Wales, often plentiful in
some districts in the southern half of the former country, scarce and more
local northwards from Yorkshire. Widely spread in Roxburghshire and
Clydesdale in Scotland, but less frequent than _ferrugata_; this also seems
to be the case in Ireland. The range abroad extends to North America.

NOTE.--It is to be regretted that the names by which this and the following
species have been known for many years may have to be changed. It has been
claimed that the reddish-banded form of _unidentaria_, Haworth, is
identical with _ferrugata_ as figured by Clerck, _Icones_, Plate XI. Fig.
14, and is also referable to _corculata_, Hufnagel, both earlier names. If
the red form referred to is adopted as the _ferrugata_ of Clerck, then that
name will supersede _unidentaria_, Haworth, and the species now known as
_ferrugata_, Clerck, will become _spadicearia_. Authorities, however, are
not agreed upon this point, so the question still remains open.

RED TWIN-SPOT CARPET (_Coremia_ (_Ochyria_) _ferrugata_).

Five examples of this variable species are shown on Plate 72, Figs. 8-12.
The ground colour of the fore wings is usually greyish, more or less
ochreous tinted, but sometimes inclining to whitish; the basal patch and
the central band are reddish brown, the latter usually entire in southern
specimens, but {183} frequently broken up (ab. _spadicearia_, Borkhausen),
especially in northern examples. A bright, ochreous form, with the central
band much streaked, occurring in Scotland, has been referred to ab.
_salicaria_, Haworth. Occasionally the central band is dark purplish. The
hind wings are whitish, more or less suffused with smoky grey, and lined
with the same; the outer margin is bordered with smoky grey.

The caterpillar is ochreous brown, mottled with greyish, and marked with
pale diamonds and black spots on the back of the middle rings; there are
wavy lines along the sides. It feeds in June and July, and also in
September and October, on various low plants: knotgrass, dandelion,
bedstraw, garden marigold, and ground ivy (_Nepeta_) being especially
useful in captivity. The moth is usually double-brooded, at least in the
southern half of England, the first flight occurring in May and June, and
the second in July and August.

The species is generally distributed, and often common, over the greater
part of England and Wales, but somewhat local north of the Midlands and
through Scotland to Aberdeen; widely spread in Ireland.

FLAME CARPET (_Coremia_ (_Ochyria_) _designata_).

The ground colour of this rather common woodland species (Plate 75, Figs.
4-6) is pale grey, varying to whitish, or sometimes faintly brownish
tinged. The purple band on the fore wings is always broadly edged in front
with black, but the black outer edging is irregular, and sometimes only
distinct towards the front margin of the wings; it varies in width, and in
tint, being, in some specimens, faint purplish grey.

The caterpillar is ochreous, inclining to greyish on the back, which is
marked with whitish lines on the front rings, and with ochreous diamonds
and black dots on the other rings; there is also a row of black spots low
down along the sides; head, {184} brownish, freckled with black. It feeds,
in June and July, probably, in a wild state, on some kind of "cress,"
growing in the moister parts of woods; in confinement, it will eat cabbage,
horseradish, and wallflower, among other kinds of Cruciferae. There is a
second brood in August and September. (Plate 74, Fig. 3, after Hofmann.)

The moth is out in May and June, and again in August. It is fond of resting
on tree-trunks in woods, especially where the ground is moist, but it may
also be beaten out of hedges and bushes. It is most plentiful in the
southern half of England, but is spread over the greater part of the
British Isles, including the Orkneys.

Abroad, its range extends to Eastern Siberia, Amurland, Japan, and North
America.

THE BEECH-GREEN CARPET (_Amoebe olivata_).

The species, depicted on Plate 75, Figs. 9, 10, when quite fresh has the
fore wings greenish, and the central band more or less tinged with brown,
in some specimens with blackish; the inner edge of the band is not so
clearly defined as the outer, the latter being followed by a narrow whitish
wavy band; a series of black dots edged with white represent the
submarginal line. Hind wrings, smoky grey, with a pale band beyond the
middle, and a pale line nearer the outer margin.

The roughened caterpillar (Plate 73, Fig. 1) is ochreous brown, mottled
with darker brown, and lined with grey; the raised dots are black, each
with a short bristle. It feeds at night on bedstraw (_Galium_), in the
spring to May, after hibernation.

The moth is out, as a rule, in July and August, but sometimes much earlier.
I reared specimens during the last week in May, 1907, from caterpillars
sent from Torquay by Mr. Walker. It {185} lurks among the vegetation
growing on banks, and the hedgerows of lanes, etc.

In the south of England the species chiefly affects the coasts of Dorset,
Devon, and Cornwall; but it occurs locally in and around beech woods of
Kent, and is more frequent in those of Berks, Oxford, and Bucks. From
Somerset it spreads through the western counties, including part of Wales,
to Lancashire. It is, however, most common among the hills and rills from
Yorkshire northwards. In Scotland it is local in Roxburgh, widely
distributed, and sometimes abundant in Clydesdale and throughout the
Highlands to Sutherland. It has also been noted from Arran. Local in
Ireland, but apparently abundant in some parts.

GREEN CARPET (_Amoebe viridaria_).

This species (Plate 75, Figs. 7, 8), also, has green fore wings, with a
rather deeper green central band and basal patch. The former is limited by
white lines marked with black, conspicuously so on the front and inner
margins; there are also black marks on the front edge of the basal patch,
and at the tips of the wings. The green colour quickly fades to a yellowish
or sandy tint.

The wrinkled caterpillar is olive brown, with bristle-bearing black dots;
the back has a dark central line, and is adorned with reddish V-shaped
marks except on the end rings. It feeds in the spring, after hibernation,
on bedstraw (_Galium_), but it is said to eat sorrel, dead-nettle
(_Lamium_), etc.

The moth is out in June, earlier in the south, and later in the north. It
hides among herbage during the day, and may occasionally be seen resting on
tree-trunks, etc., then feeding just before dark about hedges, and on
commons and heaths. Specimens have been noted in some years in September.

Except that it has not been detected in the Shetlands, the species seems to
be found in all parts of the British Isles. {186}

STRIPED TWIN-SPOT CARPET (_Malenydris salicata_).

Portraits of a male and a female of this species will be found on Plate 75,
Figs. 11 [male] and 12 [female]. The fore wings are greyish white, crossed
by several darker grey wavy lines; the central band is rather darker, and
in some specimens there is also a darker basal patch. In an almost
unicolorous form the fore wings are wholly suffused with darker; Kane, who
states that such specimens occur with the paler form in Ireland, refers the
aberration to _unicolorata_, Gregson.

The caterpillar is brownish, with three whitish lines along the back, and a
pinkish line low down along the sides. It feeds, at night, on bedstraw
(_Galium_), in September and October, but may be found on the plants in the
daytime. (Plate 73, Fig. 2, after Hofmann.)

The moth is out in May and June, and in some localities again in August and
September. It is fond of sitting on rocks, and also on tree-trunks.

Except that it has been found, not infrequently, on Dartmoor and Exmoor, in
Devon, and has also been once noted from Dorset, the species in England is
chiefly an inhabitant of the northern counties. It occurs in Wales, but
almost exclusively in the north. In Scotland it appears to be widely
distributed throughout; and in Ireland it occurs locally in all four
provinces.

MOTTLED GREY (_Malenydris multistrigaria_).

The fore wings in the typical form of this species are grey, with a slight
brownish tinge; basal patch, central band, and shade before the whitish
submarginal line, sometimes darker. (Plate 77, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female].)
In some specimens the central band is very much darker (ab. _virgata_,
Tutt); and in some parts of {187} south-west Yorkshire a blackish form (ab.
_nubilata_, Tutt) is not uncommon. (Plate 77, Fig. 3.)

The caterpillar is ochreous grey, with three brownish lines along the back,
and two other lines on each side, the upper one yellowish, wavy, and edged
above with dusky. It feeds on bedstraw (_Galium_) in May and June. (Plate
73, Fig. 3.)

The moth is out in March and April, and keeps pretty much to the shelter
afforded by its food plant or other herbage around in its favourite haunts,
which are damp woodlands, heaths, and mosses. Occasionally, however, it may
be seen on the lower parts of fences, tree-trunks, rocks, etc. About dusk
it may be found sitting on grass and other vegetation, and at such times is
not much disposed to fly away from the collector.

Pretty generally distributed throughout the British Isles, including the
Orkneys.

TWIN-SPOT CARPET (_Malenydris didymata_).

The fore wings in the male are pale greyish, more or less tinged with
ochreous brown, and crossed by a dark grey, inclining to blackish, central
band; the base of the wings is often banded with dark grey, as also is the
outer marginal area; on the latter, above the middle, are twin black spots,
and there is a black spot or streak above nearer the tip of the wing. The
female is smaller, paler, often whitish, and sometimes pale ochreous; the
latter form is prevalent in the Shetlands; the central band is the only
distinct cross marking in this sex. On the moorlands in the north of
England a blackish form of the male occurs (ab. _nigra_, Prout), and this
is very similar to ab. _nubilata_ of the previous species; ab.
_ochroleucata_, Aurivillius, is uniformly greyish brown, with a white
submarginal line, and I have a specimen near this from Durham.

The caterpillar is green, inclining to yellowish on the back, {188} and to
pinkish on the sides; three lines along the side, the central one dark
green, and the others whitish. It feeds on primrose, red campion (_Lychnis
diurna_), bilberry, etc., as well as on the flowers of coarse grasses; in
North Devon I found it in profusion at night, on the blossoms of a
wood-rush (_Luzula_), growing in a sheltered wood near the sea. April and
May, later perhaps in the north. (Plate 77, Figs. 4-6 [male], 7-9
[female].)

The moth is out in July and August, and is common in almost every part of
the British Isles.

NOVEMBER MOTH (_Oporabia_ (_Epirrita_) _dilutata_).

The more usual forms of this common autumnal species are those represented
by Figs. 1 and 2, Plate 78. Fig. 3 is a small example of the pale form, ab.
_christyi_, Prout, which, in many respects, is very similar to _autumnata_,
Guenee, a form of the next species. Fig. 4 is a female approaching ab.
_obscurata_, Staud., and Fig. 5 shows the uniformly blackish ab. _melana_,
Prout. In some pale-coloured specimens the only conspicuous marking is a
broad central band which is almost black in colour (ab. _latifasciata_,
Prout).

The eggs (Plate 76, Fig. 1a) were yellowish when laid, but soon changed to
crimson red.

The caterpillar is green, inclining to whitish below, often marked, more or
less distinctly, with purplish red, as a central line, or series of spots,
along the back, and sometimes as bands on the ring division. It feeds on
the foliage of trees, such as elm, oak, birch, etc., also on fallow,
hawthorn, sloe, apple, plum, and other fruit trees. April to June. (Plate
76, Fig. 1.)

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 74.
  1. WATER CARPET: _caterpillar_.
  2. DARK-BARRED TWIN-SPOT CARPET: _caterpillar_.
  3. FLAME CARPET: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 75.
     1-3. DARK-BARRED TWIN-SPOT CARPET.
     4-6. FLAME CARPET.
    7, 8. GREEN CARPET.
   9, 10. BEECH-GREEN CARPET.
  11, 12. STRIPED TWIN-SPOT CARPET.

{189} The moth is out in October and November in the South, but earlier in
the North. It is an inhabitant of woodlands, and may be disturbed from
bushes, trees, and sometimes may be seen on the trunks of the latter, and
on fences. At night it flies lazily and will occasionally visit ivy then,
and even sugar, but is more frequently attracted by light.

The species is pretty generally common throughout England and Wales,
Scotland up to Moray, and Ireland.

THE AUTUMNAL MOTH (_Oporabia_ (_Epirrita_) _autumnata_).

Three examples of this species are shown on Plate 78. Figs. 6 [male] and 7
[female] represent the typical form except that the male should be rather
more silvery white in the ground colour of the fore wings, and the cross
bands more distinctly separated. Fig. 8, also a female, is very close to
ab. _sandbergi_, Lampa, in the character of the central cross bands of the
fore wings. Ab. _gueneata_, Prout (_autumnata_, Guenee, not Borkhausen), is
a form with the typical coloration, but with fainter cross bands.

The caterpillar is somewhat similar to that of the last species, but there
is a yellowish tint in the general green coloration, and it is rarely
marked with reddish. It is found chiefly on birch, alder, fir, and larch,
but will eat hawthorn, and probably the foliage of other shrubs and trees.
May and June.

The moth is out in September and October, sometimes later. It may be
dislodged from trees in the daytime, but it seems to be rarely noticed at
rest on the trunks.

The species is so often confused with that previously mentioned that its
distribution in our islands has not, so far, been clearly ascertained.
However, it certainly occurs in the following northern counties of
England--Lancashire (Liverpool district); Cheshire (Delamere Forest);
Yorkshire (Cleveland district); North Durham (Birch woods); Cumberland
(Carlisle). In Scotland it is found in Clydesdale, Perthshire, where it was
first noted by Weaver in 1851, Kincardineshire, Aberdeen, and probably
further north; in Ireland at Belfast and Enniskillen. Prout notes that he
has seen a specimen from Swansea in South Wales. {190}

SMALL AUTUMNAL CARPET (_Oporabia_ (_Epirrita_) _filigrammaria_).

This is most probably a small moorland form of _O. autumnata_, but it
rarely assumes the silvery white typical coloration of that species. A male
specimen and two examples of the female are depicted on Plate 77, Figs. 10
[male], 11, and 12 [female].

The caterpillar, which feeds in the spring on bilberry and heather, is
green, with yellow lines, a line of darker green between the two central
yellow lines along the back; head, green, inclining to brown above.

The moth appears in August and early September, and may be found on the
moors, resting on rocks, stones, and even on the ground, as well as on the
stems of its food plants.

As a British species it was first recorded by Weaver, who obtained it in
the Isle of Arran in 1841; but Edleston, writing in 1842, states that he
had taken specimens off stone walls near Staley Bridge, in the Manchester
district, "every year for the last three years." It appears to be peculiar
to the British Isles and is found in suitable localities from North
Staffs., through Cheshire, Lancs., Yorks., and northwards over England and
Scotland to the Hebrides and the Orkneys. In Ireland it is known to occur
in Antrim, Derry, Mayo, Galway, and Limerick.

THE WELSH WAVE (_Venusia cambrica_).

This moth, of which two portraits are given on Plate 78, Figs. 9 [male], 10
[female], is known also by the English name of "Cambric Wave." It was not
ascertained to be an inhabitant of Britain until 1839, when it was figured
and described by Curtis from specimens obtained in Cardiganshire in Wales.
{191}

In its typical form the fore wings are white, inclining to greyish, with a
number of brownish or dark-grey cross lines; two pairs on the central area
are marked with black. Sometimes the wings are greatly suffused with smoky
grey, and this tint in examples from the Sheffield and Rotherham districts
of Yorkshire assumes a much darker hue, so that all the markings are
obscured, but the veins are blacker.

The caterpillar is green, marked with some irregular reddish blotches; a
yellowish line along the back. It feeds in August, earlier or later in some
seasons, on mountain ash (_Pyrus aucuparia_), and the moth, which rests by
day on tree-trunks, is out in July and early August. The haunts of the
species are chiefly in hilly localities of the northern counties of
England, but it has also been reported from Gloucestershire (Cotswolds),
Somersetshire (Weston-super-Mare), and Devon (Dulverton). In Wales it
occurs in Merionethshire, as well as in Cardiganshire; and in Scotland it
spreads from Roxburghshire, where it is locally common among mountain ash,
through Clydesdale to Inverness. It is widely distributed in Ireland. The
range abroad extends to Japan and North America.

GREY MOUNTAIN CARPET (_Entephria caesiata_)

The typical greyish form, with blackish wavy cross lines and dark central
band, is shown on Plate 80, Fig. 1 [male] and 2 [female]. Figure 3
represents a specimen from Shetland in which the band is sooty black (ab.
_annosata_, Zetterstedt = _nigristriaria_, Gregson). The interesting
blackish suffused form from the Isle of Arran (Fig. 4) leads up to a still
blacker variety, occurring in the same isle, and also in the Shetlands, in
which the whole of the fore wings is nearly as dark as the central band of
Fig. 3, and the hind wings are also much darkened; such specimens are
referable to ab. _glaciata_, Germar. Ab. _prospicuata_, Prout = _gelata_,
Staud., is a form with the fore wings whitish, and the {192} base and the
central band thereof blackish; some Shetland specimens closely approach
this pretty variety.

The caterpillar is green, with a brownish line along the middle of the
back, and a series of pinkish or purplish-red oblique streaks which nearly
meet at the central line and so form V-shaped marks; a whitish or yellowish
stripe low down along the sides, sometimes edged above with reddish. In
some examples the general colour is reddish brown. It feeds in April and
May, after hibernation, on bilberry, ling, and heath in a wild state, but
may be reared on knot-grass or sallow.

The moth is out from June until early August, and may be found resting,
often in numbers, on rocks and stone walls in mountain and moorland
districts, from Herefordshire, northwards through England, North Wales, and
over the whole of Scotland, including the isles, and Ireland. Kane states
that in the latter country melanic forms, such as those from Yorks, etc.,
are nowhere met with.

YELLOW-RINGED CARPET (_Entephria flavicinctata_).

The general colour of the fore wings of British specimens of this species
(var. _obscurata_, Staud.) is slaty grey; the basal, central, and outer
marginal cross bands are thickly sprinkled with yellowish-brown, and it is
this feature that at once separates this species (Plate 80, Figs. 5, 6)
from that last referred to.

The bristly caterpillar is green, chocolate, or red brown, but always of a
dull shade; on the back is a series of black V-shaped marks, and a central
dark, slender line; the front part of each V-mark filled up with pink or
lilac, forming a triangle, the apex of which is yellow; a yellowish stripe
low down along the side (adapted from Fenn). It feeds in the spring till
April, after hibernation, on saxifrage (_Saxifraga aizoides_, _S.
hypnoides_, etc), and also on stonecrop (_Sedum_), and is most partial to
the flowers of these plants.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 76.
  1,  1a. NOVEMBER MOTH: _eggs and caterpillar_.
  2,  2a. BEAUTIFUL CARPET: _caterpillars and chrysalis_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 77.
   1-4. MOTTLED GREY.
   5-8. TWIN-SPOT CARPET.
  9-12. SMALL AUTUMNAL CARPET.

{193}

The moth flies throughout the summer, possibly in two generations, as, when
reared in confinement, moths appear in May, and from eggs obtained from
these, caterpillars feed in June and July, and attain the perfect state in
August. Like the last species, its chief resting-places are the rocks, in
its favourite haunts, in gorges among the hills and moorlands. It has been
recorded from few parts of northern England, but one specimen is said to
have been taken in Dovedale, Derbyshire. In Lancashire it has been noted as
scarce about Clougha; and in Yorkshire one example was taken on Malham Moor
in August, 1876, and one at Hutton Buscel Moor, near Scarborough, July 16,
1891. It is more plentiful in Scotland; in Clydesdale it is local, but not
uncommon, the localities mentioned being Lochgoilhead, and watercourses
above Ardentinny; more frequent in Perthshire, thence to Sutherland, and it
occurs also in the Hebrides and the Orkneys. In Ireland, it is found in Co.
Antrim; and Mr. Thomas Greer informs me that it is common at Murlough Bay,
Fair Head.

SILVER-GROUND CARPET (_Xanthorhoe montanata_).

Figs. 7 and 8 on Plate 80 represent the most usual form of this species,
which is variable in the amount of clouding on the fore wings and in the
intensity of the cross marking. In some specimens, chiefly from southern
localities, the fore wings are almost clear white, and the central band is
broadly blackish (Fig. 9). Shetland specimens, on the other hand, are much
clouded or suffused with ochreous brown, and the central band is greyish
brown (ab. _shetlandica_, Weir (Fig. 10)). Then there is variation in the
central band, which is often entire, but more frequently broken up by
bandlets; or it may be considerably narrowed, especially from the middle to
the inner margin, and not altogether rarely it is completely severed below
the middle, and the lower part almost or quite absent. A specimen with all
{194} the wings smoky leaden-grey, and the central bar of the fore wings
pale grey-brown, was taken near Longfleet in Wiltshire, in the summer of
1881.

The caterpillar is wrinkled, with a ridge along the sides; in colour it is
pale brown, inclining to purplish with blackish dots; three lines along the
back, the central one dark greyish, the others paler and broader; below the
latter the sides are greyish tinted with a lower edging of pale yellowish
brown. It feeds at night on bedstraw, and various low-growing herbage,
including grass. August to April.

The moth is out in June and July, sometimes earlier in the south. It is
generally distributed, and, as a rule, common, in woodlands, lanes, etc.,
throughout the British Isles.

GARDEN CARPET (_Xanthorhoe fluctuata_).

Of this common frequenter of our gardens four examples are depicted on
Plate 80. Figs. 11 and 13 are the more frequent forms, but specimens with
the central band complete, as in Fig. 12, are not uncommon. Chiefly, but by
no means exclusively, in Southern localities, some examples have the ground
colour almost pure white; often the wings are more or less suffused with
dark grey (ab. _neapolisata_, Milliere), and this is especially the case in
Scotland, where, in Aberdeenshire and in Shetland, a blackish form, ab.
_thules_, Prout, occurs. Fig. 14 represents a specimen of this form from
Aberdeen. Somewhat rarely, the central band is only indicated by a small
spot on the front area of the wing (ab. _costovata_, Haworth), and more
often the band is much narrowed or otherwise modified in the direction of
that aberration. Fig. 4, Plate 61, shows an extreme example of this form.
Specimens vary in size from rather under one inch to one inch and a half in
expanse.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 78.
    1-5. NOVEMBER MOTH.
    6-8. AUTUMNAL MOTH.
  9, 10. WELSH WAVE.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 79.
      1, 1a. ARGENT AND SABLE: _eggs, natural size and enlarged, and
          caterpillar_.
  2, 2a, 2b. WOOD CARPET: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.
          3. GALIUM CARPET: _caterpillar_.
          4. COMMON CARPET: _chrysalis_.

{195}

[Illustration: FIG. 4.

GARDEN CARPET AT REST.

(Photo by H. Main.)]

The caterpillar varies in colour from dark grey through yellowish green to
obscure green, but the underside is always paler; on the back there is a
series of pale blotches, and some black spots on the middle rings; the head
is rather paler than the general colour, and marked with black. It feeds,
at night, on cabbage, horseradish, wallflower, white arabis, and many other
kinds of Cruciferae; and it is said to eat the foliage of gooseberry and
currant. June--October.

There are certainly two broods, and possibly more, as the moths occur in
greater or lesser numbers throughout the year, from late April to October,
but it seems to be most plentiful in May and June, and in August and
September.

Generally distributed over the British Isles. It is also an inhabitant of
North America.

THE GALIUM CARPET (_Xanthorhoe galiata_).

The more usual forms of this species are represented on Plate 81, Figs. 1,
2. Fig. 3 is the portrait of a form occurring in Yorkshire, Sussex, and
probably elsewhere, in which the central band is blackish and
solid-looking; this seems to be referable to _unilobata_, Haworth. Besides
varying in tint of ground colour, and in the amount of freckling or
mottling, there is modification in the width of the central band.

The caterpillar is brown, dotted with black, and striped with blackish
brown on the back, and with pale brown on the sides; the head is light
brown, sprinkled with black, and marked with {196} a dark V. It feeds on
bedstraw in late June and July, and there is a second brood in August and
September. The figure of the caterpillar on Plate 79, Fig. 3, is from a
coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich.

The moth is out in June, sometimes later in the north and earlier in the
south, where it occurs as a second generation in August. It is chiefly
found in chalk and limestone districts, and may be easily put up from the
herbage among which it secretes itself during the day. In the seaboard
counties of England, from Kent to Cornwall, it is especially common on the
coast, but is also to be met with in suitable inland localities in these
counties, and also in Surrey, Middlesex, Herts, Bucks., and Oxford. It is
always rare on the eastern side, but on the west, including Wales, it is
more or less frequent from Somerset and Wilts. to Westmorland. Not uncommon
in Yorkshire, principally in the West Riding, and an odd specimen has been
recorded from Durham. Somewhat rare in Scotland, but it has been noted in
Berwick, Wigtown, Arran, Clydesdale, and Perthshire. In Ireland it is
local, although often plentiful on the coast.

Abroad, the range extends to Eastern Siberia.

WOOD CARPET (_Xanthorhoe (Epirrhoe) rivata_).

The broad, clear white borders of both edges of the dark central band of
the fore wings, coupled with the clearer white of the hind wings, and the
generally larger size of the moth, should distinguish this species from its
very close ally, _X. sociata_; but it must be added that some forms of the
latter species approach the present one exceedingly close. (Plate 81, Figs.
4, 5.)

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 80.
    1-4. GREY MOUNTAIN CARPET.
   5, 6. YELLOW-RINGED CARPET.
   7-10. SILVER-GROUND CARPET.
  11-14. GARDEN CARPET.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 81.
    1-3. GALIUM CARPET.
   4, 5. WOOD CARPET.
    6-9. COMMON CARPET.
  10-12. SMALL ARGENT AND SABLE.

{197} The caterpillar is brown or olive-brown, dotted and freckled with
white; three lines on the back, the central one black, the others whitish,
not seen on rings 5-8, which have dark V-shaped marks enclosing white ones;
sometimes there is a V-mark instead of lines on ring 4; head, large, pale
brown sprinkled with blackish, and marked with a blackish V, the apex of
which appears to meet the central line of the body. It feeds, at night, in
July and August, on bedstraw (_Galium mollugo_, and _G. verum_), but will
thrive very well on cleavers or goose-grass (_G. aparine_). The chrysalis,
which is enclosed in a cocoon of silk coated with earth, is reddish brown,
thorax and wing-cases paler, shining. A coloured drawing of the
caterpillar, kindly lent, with others, for this volume, by Mr. A. Sich, has
been used for the figures on Plate 79, Figs. 2, 2a; but the description of
the caterpillar, and also of the chrysalis (Fig. 2b), are from material
that Mr. Pope, of Exeter, was good enough to furnish. In captivity a second
brood may be reared in August.

The moth is out in July and early August, and although local, is not
uncommon in bushy places on downs, etc., also in lanes, in chalk districts,
in most of the southern and eastern counties. In the north of England it is
far more local and uncommon, but is known to occur in Cheshire, Yorkshire,
and Cumberland, and has been recorded from Durham. It is found in Wales,
and in Scotland has been noted as very local in Roxburghshire and rare in
Clydesdale and Arran. Kane states that in Ireland it is "very rare and
local."

COMMON CARPET (_Xanthorhoe_ (_Epirrhoe_) _sociata_).

The white ground colour of this species is nearly always obscured, to a
greater or lesser extent, by greyish markings and suffusions on the basal
area; the outer margin is broadly bordered with dark grey, and the white
band between this and the dark-grey central band is intersected throughout
its length by a grey line. As shown on Plate 81, Figs. 6, 7, the central
band varies in width; it is often contracted below the middle, sometimes
completely severed at this point, and in ab. _degenerata_, {198} Haworth,
both portions are much reduced in width. Figs. 8 and 9 represent two
specimens from the Isle of Lewis; these brownish-grey examples are var.
_obscurata_, South. There are intermediate modifications leading up to a
form in which the whole of the central third of the fore wings is whitish,
with the usual cross lines dingy grey, and some tiny clouds of the same
colour around the black discal spot.

The caterpillar is very like that of the last species referred to, but it
is rather smaller in size and rougher in appearance. There is variation in
the general colour, from pale fawn through greenish-brown, to dull or
bright green, and sometimes the markings are tinged with reddish (Hellins).

It feeds on bedstraw, in June and July, and a second brood occurs in
September. The figure of the brownish, inclining to reddish, chrysalis
(Plate 79, Fig. 4), is from a photo by Mr. H. Main, and is twice the
natural size.

The moth is out in May and June, and, in the South especially, again in
August and September. It is generally distributed over the British Islands,
but so far has not been noted from the Shetlands.

The range abroad extends to Eastern Siberia and Amurland.

According to Prout, the earliest name for this species is _alternata_
(Muller).

SMALL ARGENT AND SABLE (_Xanthorhoe_ (_Epirrhoe_) _tristata_).

On Plate 81 are shown three examples of this variable species. Fig. 10
represents the typical form from N. Devon. Fig. 11 is a black-marked
specimen from Yorkshire, and Fig. 12 depicts a smoky-brown marked specimen
from Clydesdale, in which the ground colour has a brownish tinge. All these
have the central band more or less entire, but this character may be
broader or narrower, and is sometimes divided into two parts, and these
reduced to very small proportions; the white projections into {199} the
outer marginal border of all the wings is not infrequently enlarged, in
some cases so much so that the borders are separated into two parts, and
also reduced in width.

The caterpillar is grey brown, ochreous brown between the rings and on the
underside; a dark line along the back, and a dark-edged, pale line on each
side; a black dot on each ring at the junction of the dark upper and pale
lower areas; head, grey-brown, with blackish freckles. It feeds, in July
and August, on bedstraw, preferring the heath kind (_Galium saxatile_), but
will eat the large hedge kind (_G. mollugo_).

The moth is out in June, or from late May, and in some parts specimens are
seen in August. Its haunts are moors and upland heaths, and its British
distribution extends from Dartmoor and Exmoor, in Devon, through Western
England and Wales to Westmorland. It appears to be very local in Somerset,
Gloucester, Hereford, Shropshire, and Cheshire; from Staffordshire and
Derbyshire northwards, and through Scotland, it becomes more plentiful; and
has been recorded from the Shetlands. In Ireland it is local, but common
where it occurs.

SHARP-ANGLED CARPET (_Xanthorhoe_ (_Euphyia_) _unangulata_).

This species (Plate 82, Figs. 1, 2) may be recognized by the distinctly
angled outer edge of the blackish central band, which is thrown into strong
relief by the usually broad white stripe following it. Wilkes, who figured
the moth in 1742, called it the "White Stripe." By some authors the species
is referred to _amniculata_, Hubner.

The caterpillar is pale whity brown, with a slightly darker but indistinct
line along the centre of the back, and a black spot on the middle rings; a
pale line on the sides is edged with dark grey; head, brown, marked with
black. It feeds, in July and early August, on chickweed (_Stellaria
media_).

The moth, which is partial to hedges and easily disturbed {200} therefrom,
is out in June and July, and even later in some seasons. The earliest
hatched caterpillars reared in confinement sometimes attain the moth state
in August of the same year. Although certainly local, the species has a
wide distribution in the southern half of England, and is not uncommon in
some localities. Its range extends into Wales, and also northwards to
Cumberland and Westmorland, but it is generally very much scarcer in the
north than in the south. In Ireland it is known to occur locally in
counties Antrim, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Waterford, Kerry, and Galway, but, as a
rule, only sparingly.

Abroad, the distribution includes North Amurland and North America.

CLOAKED CARPET (_Euphyia picata_).

An older English name for this species (Plate 82, Figs. 4, 5) is "The Short
Cloak Carpet," Harris (1782), but that given to it by Haworth is here
adopted. It is also the _biangulata_ of Haworth, Stephens, and others.

As will be observed on referring to the figures, the outer edge of the
blackish central band of the fore wings is twice angled just above the
middle; the basal area and the outer marginal border are dark greyish
brown, more or less tinged with olive; the whitish ground colour only shows
distinctly as a strip immediately beyond the central band, and from this an
irregular streak runs to the tips of the wings; some white wavy cross-lines
through the outer border are often obscure.

The stoutish caterpillar is yellowish brown, or sometimes reddish brown;
there is a series of blackish or dark-brown spots along the back, and a
stripe of dusky freckles along each side; lower down are two slender wavy
lines enclosing a dusky stripe; head, yellowish-brown mottled with darker
brown. It feeds, at night, on chickweed and other kinds of _Stellaria_, in
{201} August and September. One of the mouse-ear chickweeds (_Cerastium
glomeratum_) has also been mentioned as a food plant, and for rearing the
caterpillars this would perhaps be useful, as common chickweed, unless in a
growing state, is difficult to keep in a suitable condition for larval
requirements.

The moth, which is partial to a hedgerow as a hiding-place, is out in June
and July, and may be sometimes reared as a second generation in September.

The species is somewhat local, but it is not scarce in many parts of
England; its range does not appear to extend northwards beyond
Worcestershire on the western side, although it has been recorded from
North Wales; on the eastern side it is found up to Norfolk.

THE ARGENT AND SABLE (_Eulype hastata_).

About one hundred and sixty years ago Wilkes figured this species as "The
Mottled Beauty," but Harris in 1778 gave it its present English name. On
Plate 82 are shown two examples of the typical form (Figs. 7, 8), also two
specimens of the small form (Figs. 10, 11), var. _subhastata_, Nolcken (=
_hastulata_, Hubner); the latter form in Britain occurs chiefly in
Sutherlandshire and the Isle of Lewis. As regards variation there is, in
the small form, a tendency to an increase of black; whilst in the typical
form there is a considerable reduction of the black marking--so much so
occasionally that of the central black band only a few dots remain around
the discal spot, and perhaps a speck or two below it, and a dot or two on
the inner margin (ab. _demolita_, Prout).

The rather stumpy caterpillar is dark olive-green, inclining to blackish,
and somewhat shiny; the skin along the sides puckered and marked with
ochreous; a black line along the middle of the back; head, black and
glossy. It feeds, in July and August, later in the north, on birch,
_Vaccinium_, chiefly {202} _uliginosum_, and sweet gale (_Myrica_). It
spins together the leaves at the tips of the twigs, and so forms a
cocoon-like habitation. The moth is out in May and June, and even July in
the north. It flies in the afternoon sunshine around and over birch trees,
and occasionally alights on the leaves. It has been taken in Kent, and more
frequently in Essex and Suffolk, but it is more plentiful in Oxfordshire
and Berkshire, and from Surrey to Dorsetshire and Wiltshire; also in
Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and on high ground in North Wales,
Staffordshire, and Derbyshire; its range extending through Cheshire and
Lancashire to Cumberland and Northumberland, but only odd specimens have
been reported from the last-named county and from Durham. The egg and the
caterpillar are shown on Plate 79, Figs. 1 and 1a.

It is widely distributed, and often common in places, throughout Scotland.
In Ireland it is local, but has occurred plentifully in some of its haunts
in that country; Kane states that var. _subhastata_ has not been noted.

The range abroad spreads to Amurland, China, Iceland, Labrador, and North
America.

BEAUTIFUL CARPET (_Mesoleuca albicillata_).

The English name of this species (Plate 82, Fig. 13) is exceedingly
appropriate; few of our native moths exhibit such a pleasing combination of
colour and marking. It varies but very little in a general way, but a
specimen taken in York some years ago has the fore wings dark leaden grey
instead of creamy white (ab. _suffusa_, Carrington), and very rarely the
ground colour inclines to yellow.

The stoutish caterpillar (Plate 76, Fig. 2) is green with reddish marks
along the back; a white line low down along the sides is edged below with
purplish red on the first three rings; the last ring, and the claspers,
tinged with purplish red. It feeds {203} at night on bramble and raspberry,
in August and September, occasionally earlier or later. In the daytime it
rests on the underside of a leaf. When full grown it forms a cocoon just
under the surface of the soil, or among rubbish (in the cage), and therein
changes to a dark reddish-brown chrysalis (Plate 76, Fig. 2a).

The moth is out in June, sometimes in late May, and occasionally there
seems to be a few individuals about in August. The species is a denizen of
the woodlands, and is generally to be found in the more open parts of woods
where its food plants are well established. It is widely distributed over
England and Wales, but most frequent in the south of the former country. In
Scotland, it is local in Roxburghshire and Wigtownshire; and it occurs in
many parts of Ireland. The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

THE PURPLE BAR (_Mesoleuca ocellata_).

The whitish fore wings of this species (Plate 82, Fig. 12) are often tinged
with pale ochreous brown on the lower two-thirds of the outer marginal
area, and this tint sometimes invades the central portion of the
bluish-black central band. Rarely the ground colour is almost entirely
white, and the central band is very slender (ab. _coarctata_, Prout), and
perhaps rather more frequently the band is completely severed below the
middle.

The caterpillar, which feeds at night on bedstraw (_Galium mollugo_ and _G.
verum_), is pale ochreous brown, or pale pinkish brown, netted with darker
brown; on the back are a reddish ochreous central line, and some reddish
edged pale V-marks: June and July, and sometimes again in the autumn.

The moth is out in June and early July, occasionally in late May in some
southern localities. Individuals of a second emergence sometimes appear in
August and September. It {204} rests by day on tree-trunks or in hedges,
and flies at night. Widely distributed over the British Isles, but, except
perhaps in the highlands of Scotland, not very common.

BLUE-BORDERED CARPET (_Mesoleuca bicolorata_).

The more usual form of this pretty little species is shown on Plate 82,
Figs. 3 and 6. In the type the central band is only represented by a spot
on the front margin of the fore wings; in ab._parvula_, Retz =
_rubiginata_, Hubner, there is also a portion of the band showing on the
inner margin. Ab. _plumbata_, Curtis, from Scotland has the central band
entire and the ground colour inclining to creamy white. In ab. _fumosa_,
Prout, the usual white parts of the wing are smoky or dark lead colour
(Fig. 9). Barrett mentions a form with all the wings smoothly smoky black;
markings of the fore wings olive brown, margined with slender stripes of
smoky white.

The long, thin, caterpillar is green, with a darker stripe along the back,
and a yellowish green stripe on each side; two points on the last ring. It
feeds on alder, birch, sloe, and crab; also in orchards and gardens on plum
and apple: April to June.

The moth is out in July and August. It appears to occur most freely in
districts where alder is plentiful, but it is not uncommon in country
lanes, especially where these are rather moist. It is one of the earliest
Geometrid moths to get on the wing, as it is generally active well before
dark. Decidedly more common in some districts than in others, but it may be
said to be generally distributed.

The range abroad extends to Eastern Siberia, Amurland, and Japan, but the
ab._fumosa_ is only known from Britain.

PRETTY CHALK CARPET (_Melanthia procellata_).

From almost any well-grown hedgerow, in which traveller's joy, or old-man's
beard (_Clematis vitalba_) is plentiful, throughout the southern counties
of England, this species (Plate 82, Fig. 14) may be disturbed by the
beating stick. It is generally to be met with in July and early August, but
may be obtained in forward seasons, or in sheltered localities, at the end
of June.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 82.
          1, 2. SHARP-ANGLED CARPET.
       3, 6, 9. BLUE-BORDERED CARPET.
          4, 5. CLOAKED CARPET.
  7, 8, 10, 11. ARGENT AND SABLE.
            12. PURPLE BAR.
            13. BEAUTIFUL CARPET.
            14. PRETTY CHALK CARPET.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 83.
            1, 2. RIVULET.
            3, 6. SMALL RIVULET.
            4, 5. BARRED RIVULET.
           9, 12. HEATH RIVULET.
  10, 11, 13, 14. GRASS RIVULET.
            7, 8. PRETTY PINION.

{205} On the fore wings the dark, slender and wavy cross lines are more
distinct in some specimens than in others, and occasionally the blackish
blotch on the front margin is traversed by a white line, sometimes by two
lines.

The caterpillar is pale ochreous brown, with three darker brown lines along
the back, the central one slender, spotted with black on the middle rings;
usual dots, black, encircled with white; head, marked with a reddish brown
triangle. It feeds on _Clematis_ in August and September.

Distribution of the species abroad extends to Amurland, and in Japan,
Corea, and China it is represented by the darker _inquinata_, Butler.

THE RIVULET (_Perizoma affinitata_).

The whitish band crossing the brownish fore wings is generally fairly wide,
sometimes broad, but occasionally it is very narrow; the reduction in width
is mainly the result of brownish suffusion of the outer half of the band,
leaving the inner half white. Kane mentions a smoky form from Co. Derry, in
which the band is absent, and refers this to ab. _unicolorata_, Gregson. In
a specimen from Sligo in my series, the band is tinged with brownish
throughout. The hind wings are usually smoky brown, with a paler central
band, but in some specimens, referable to ab. _turbaria_, Stephens, the
basal two-thirds are whitish. The moths also vary in size (Plate 83, Figs.
1 and 2).

The caterpillar is pinkish-ochreous inclining to brown; three pinkish lines
along the back, and a similar line along the blackish spiracles; a dark
plate on the first and last rings. It feeds in the capsules, on the seeds,
of red campion (_Lychnis_ {206} _dioica_), and will eat those of the white
_L. vespertina_: July to September. When eggs can be obtained early, it is
possible to rear moths from them in August of the same year.

The moth is out in June and July, in some southern districts in late May.

As it conceals itself during the day among its food plant, or other
vegetation around, it may be put up therefrom by gently stirring the
herbage; but it flies freely about sundown, and is then easily netted.

The species is widely distributed over England, Wales, and Scotland, up to
Moray. In Ireland it is local and not plentiful, and the same is the case
in the North of England.

SMALL RIVULET (_Perizoma alchemillata_).

This species (Plate 83, Figs. 3 and 6) is exceedingly close to the last
mentioned, but in a general way it is to be distinguished by its
greyish-brown coloration. A stippled whitish stripe before the central
band, usually only faintly indicated in _affinitata_, is fairly distinct as
a rule. Although the outer edge of the central band is rather more
irregular, the middle tooth is not so prominent as in _affinitata_.

The rather plump caterpillar is purplish above and yellowish green below;
three yellow lines on the back, the central one broad; the spiracles are
black, and a little above them is another yellow line; head, black and
glossy, and there are black shining plates on the first and last rings of
the body, that on the first ring divided by the yellow central line
(adapted from Porritt). It feeds, in August and September, in the seed
capsules of hemp nettle (_Galeopsis tetrahit_), sometimes on the rarer _G.
ladanum_, and is said to eat woundwort (_Stachys_) occasionally.

The moth is out in June and July, and, as in the case of the last species,
may be stirred up from among its food plant or the surrounding vegetation,
in lanes, and around wood borders. The species is widely distributed over
the British Isles, except that it seems not to have been noticed in
Scotland, north of Moray, although it occurs in the Hebrides.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 84.
      1. GRASS RIVULET: _caterpillar_.
      2. WAVED CARPET: _caterpillar_.
  3, 3a. YELLOW SHELL: _eggs and caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 85.
  1, 2. SANDY CARPET.
     3. BARRED CARPET.
   4-9. YELLOW SHELL.

{207}

SANDY CARPET (_Perizoma flavofasciata_).

The pale ochreous-brown, or sandy, markings on the white fore wings of this
species readily distinguish it from either of its allies. Variable in size,
and also in the brownish tint of the markings; the central band is usually
contracted below the middle, and not infrequently it is completely severed
at this point. It is the _decolorata_ of Hubner, and although more
generally known by that name, the earlier _flavofasciata_, Thunberg, will
have to be adopted for this species. (Plate 85, Figs. 1 [male], 2
[female].)

The stoutish caterpillar is pale reddish ochreous with browner lines; head,
brown and shining, plate on first and last rings of the body brown. It
feeds on the flower buds, and on the immature seeds, of the red campion
(_Lychnis dioica_), and the white campion (_L. vespertina_), but is more
partial to the first named; in Ireland it is said to feed on bladder
campion (_Silene inflata_).

In July and August, or even later, the moth may be beaten out of hedgerows,
sandy banks, and borders of woods, and sometimes disturbed from patches of
the campion growing in thickets; in such places it is on the wing about
sundown.

Although local to some extent, it appears to be common enough in most of
the counties of England and Wales. In Scotland, it is more or less
generally common in Roxburghshire and Clydesdale, and is said to have been
an inhabitant of Perthshire (Moncrieffe Hill). It appears to be very local
in Ireland, but is recorded from Antrim, Derry, and Kerry, and noted as
common at Larne in the first-named county. {208}

GRASS RIVULET (_Perizoma albulata_).

Although some English specimens approach the larger and whiter typical
form, the species as it occurs in the British Isles is generally greyer,
var. _griseata_, Staudinger; two examples of this form are shown on Plate
83, Figs. 10 and 11. In the Shetland Isles, the species assumes a darker
coloration, and is either well marked on the fore wings, as in Fig. 14, or
almost plain, as in Fig. 13 (ab. _thules_, Weir), which is an extreme
aberration of the form _subfasciaria_, Boheman. In other examples of a deep
leaden grey, or brown tint, the central area is no darker than the rest of
the wing. In the Isle of Lewis a white form with faint markings is
prevalent, and this leads up to a clear white aberration devoid of
markings, ab. _niveata_, Stephens, = _hebudium_, Weir.

The wrinkled caterpillar, which feeds, in July and August, on the seeds of
the yellow rattle (_Rhinanthus crista-galli_), and lives in the capsule, is
whitish, inclining to greenish, dotted with black, and striped with dark
green on the back and sides; head, black and glossy; plates and first and
last rings of the body dusky. (Plate 84, Fig. 1.)

The moth is out in May and June, sometimes later. It occurs chiefly in dry
meadows where the yellow rattle flourishes, and is to be seen on the wing,
often in large numbers, in the late afternoon about sundown. Generally
abundant in suitable places, throughout the British Isles.

THE BARRED RIVULET (_Perizoma bifasciata_).

Haworth described two forms of this species, and a specimen of each is
shown on our Plate 83. Fig. 4 represents _bifasciata_ (_bifaciata_, the
Double-barred Rivulet), and Fig. 5 depicts {209} _unifasciata_ (the
Single-barred Rivulet). The chief difference appears to be that in the type
(_bifasciata_) the "rivulets" are white and distinct, thus bringing out a
dark band between the central one and the base of the wing.

The stoutish caterpillar is pale brown, inclining to ochreous on the back,
along which are three lines, the central one greyish, and the others
whitish shaded with greyish; a whitish stripe low down along the sides; the
usual dots are black, and the spiracles are black, margined with ochreous
(adapted from Fenn). In September and October it feeds in the seed capsules
of _Bartsia odontites_, and is often plentiful; Mr. G. F. Mathew records
obtaining nearly five hundred from three small bundles of the food plant
gathered in the Harwich district.

The moth is out in July and August, but is not often seen in the daytime,
and is not taken very frequently, even when flying at night, but it comes
to light, and visits flowers.

From chrysalids obtained from caterpillars reared in 1900, Mr. Robert Adkin
bred ten moths in 1901, eleven in 1902, two in 1903, five in 1904, and two
in 1905.

The species is widely distributed over England, Wales, and the south of
Scotland, but it is most frequent in the south of England. Not much is
known of it in Ireland, but it has been noted from counties Dublin, Louth,
and Derry.

HEATH RIVULET (_Perizoma minorata_).

The British form of this species (Plate 83, Figs. 9, 12) is rather smaller
and darker than typical _minorata_, Treitschke, and as Stephens has figured
and described it as _ericetata_, this name should be adopted for our native
race.

The white fore wings have a greyish basal patch and three bands of the same
colour; the outer one is traversed by a more or less distinct wavy whitish
line; the band nearest the basal patch is sometimes very faint; more rarely
the markings are {210} absent from the central area of the wings (ab.
_monticola_, Staud.), and a specimen approaching this form has been taken
in Perthshire.

The caterpillar is pale green with a dark-green edged ochreous brown stripe
along the middle of the back, and green stripes on each side; the usual
dots are black, and the plates on first and last rings are brown, as also
is the head. It feeds, in September, on the seeds of eyebright (_Euphrasia
officinalis_).

The moth is out in July and August, and is found very locally, flying in
the late afternoon among its food plant, on the moorlands and
pasture-grounds of Northumberland, Cumberland, Durham, and Westmorland; and
has been reported from Hawkshead, in Lancashire. In Scotland, it is common
in suitable parts of Roxburghshire and several localities in Clydesdale;
thence widely spread to the Orkneys. Only noted from the Mourne Mountains
in the north-east of Ireland, but probably to be found in other parts of
that country.

PRETTY PINION (_Perizoma blandiata_).

This species (Plate 83, Figs. 7, 8) is also known as _adaequata_,
Borkhausen, the name under which it is catalogued by Staudinger. As a rule
the central band on the whitish fore wings is only represented by a round,
or sometimes triangular, blackish spot on the front margin, a smaller
blackish mark on the inner margin, and some dusky clouding between these
two portions. In specimens from the Hebrides the band is more or less
complete, and in some of them it is very much narrowed, especially towards
the inner margin (ab. _coarctata_, Prout).

The caterpillar is green, with three crimson lines, the outer ones bent
inwards to the central one on the middle of each ring; two lines above and
one below the yellowish spiracular line are pink; head green, tinged and
freckled with pink. It {211} feeds in September on the flowers and seeds of
the eyebright (_Euphrasia officinalis_).

The moth is out from late May to July, and its habits are similar to those
of the last species. In Scotland it appears to be commoner than in other
parts of the British Isles, its range extending from Clydesdale to the
Hebrides, Orkneys, and Shetland; but it has been recorded from Cumberland,
and once from Durham. In Wales it has been taken at Dolgelly, in
Merionethshire. Prout states that in 1902 he secured two specimens near Cwm
Bychan, and that the species has since been captured regularly in the
locality. It is widely distributed throughout Kerry and Galway, and also
recorded from Cork and Derry, in Ireland.

THE BARRED CARPET (_Perizoma taeniata_).

This species is shown on Plate 85, Fig. 3. There are two forms of the
central band of the fore wings, which in the type as figured by Stephens is
broad, but is narrow in ab. _arctaria_, Herrich-Schaeffer =
_angustifasciata_, Staud. The colour of the bands may be greyer or browner
than in the specimen figured, and the ochreous general colour of the fore
wings is more tinged with brown in some specimens than in others.

The rather bristly caterpillar is light brown with a pinkish tinge; the
back is marked with browner diamonds and some black dots, and there is a
yellow stripe along the sides. It feeds on moss (Hodgkinson, _Entom._
xxviii. 241) growing in damp places, hibernates when quite small, and
reappears about April, when it seems to prefer the fruit of the moss, but
will also thrive on chickweed. The moths appear from the end of June, and
may be found, but in wasted condition, up to early September.

The species is extremely local, and in its secluded haunts may be found on
the trunks of holly and yew trees, or it may {212} be disturbed from the
branches of such trees, or from hedgerows, etc.

In Britain the species seems to have been first noted in Castle Eden Dene,
Durham (1825), and subsequently in Cumberland (Flimby, near Maryport),
Westmorland, Lancashire (Arnside and Silverdale), Yorkshire (Scarborough),
Derbyshire (Dovedale), Arthog in North Wales, and Tintern in Monmouthshire.
The only English locality for it south of Monmouth is Watersmeet, near
Lynton, in North Devon. In Scotland, it has been noted from Rannoch and
Pitlochrie, in Perthshire, and from Dalmallin, in Argyllshire. It has a
wide distribution in Ireland, and is common in some parts of that country,
as at Killarney, Co. Kerry, and Rockwood, in Sligo.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland; it is represented in Japan by
_fulvida_, Butler, and in North America by _basaliata_, Walker.

YELLOW SHELL (_Camptogramma bilineata_).

This very common and generally distributed species is subject to a good
deal of variation in the tint of ground colour, and also in the greater or
lesser amount of black marking. On Plate 85 six specimens are shown; Figs.
4, 5 represent the more frequent form in most localities, but in many
districts ab. _infuscata_, Gumppenberg (Fig. 6), is hardly less common; in
some specimens the central band is entirely blackish, and occasionally the
middle area of the band is partly or wholly whitish. Sometimes the wings
are uniformly yellow without markings, but such aberrations are scarce, or
have not been noted often. A small form occurring in the Hebrides and the
Shetlands, var. _atlantica_, Staud., has the wings generally darkened;
Figs. 7-9 depict three specimens from the Isle of Lewis. Portraits of two
very local Irish forms will be found on Plate 61; one is ab. _hibernica_,
Prout (Fig. 5), and the other approaches the dark ab. _isolata_, Kane (Fig.
6).

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 86.
     1-6. JULY HIGHFLYER.
    7-10. MAY HIGHFLYER.
  11, 12. RUDDY HIGHFLYER.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 87.
  1. JULY HIGHFLYER: _eggs and caterpillars_.
  2. MAY HIGHFLYER: _caterpillar_.

{213} The eggs, which are laid loosely, are yellowish or pale straw colour
(Plate 84, Fig. 3a). Caterpillar, stoutish, green inclining to yellowish;
three lines on the back, the central one dark green, and the others
yellowish, as also are the ring divisions; a pale wavy line low down along
the sides. In some examples the general colour is pale greyish-brown,
inclining to reddish brown. It feeds on grass, dock, chickweed, and various
low-growing plants, from August to May, and is often abundant in hay
meadows (Fig. 3, Plate 84, is from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich). The
moth occurs throughout the summer, and is very plentiful (often a pest) in
almost every hedgerow and most bushy places.

JULY HIGHFLYER (_Hydriomena furcata_).

Some idea of the variable character of this species (_sordidata_, Fab., and
_elutata_, Hubner) may be formed from the selection of half a dozen
examples shown on Plate 86. The typical form has the fore wings greyish,
with dark bands as in Fig. 1, and a modification without the dark bands
seems to be ab. _cinereata_, Prout. In the form _sordidata_, Fabricius, the
general colour of the fore wings is greenish, and the bands are dark; ab.
_obliterata_, Prout, is of the same colour, but the bands are absent. Ab.
_fusco-undata_, Donovan, has the general colour reddish, with dark bands;
without dark bands it becomes _testaceata_, Prout. Blackish or sooty forms
are referable to _infuscata_, Staud. (Fig. 4). Frequently in the green
forms, and less often in the reddish, there is a broad whitish central
stripe, and a narrow one on the basal area; in the green form again the
basal and central areas are occasionally crossed by red bands, and this is
one of the prettiest forms of the species and, so far as I know, occurs
only in the large sallow-feeding race; {214} it possibly represents ab.
_fusco-undata_, which is most frequent in the smaller moorland race.

The egg (Plate 87, Fig. 1b) when figured, February 8, 1908, was whitish as
regards the shell, but the interior was dark greenish. In April the
caterpillar appeared to be formed, but it did not leave the shell until
early in May.

The full-grown caterpillar (Plate 87, Figs. 1, 1a) is brownish, inclining
to blackish; whitish between the rings, white lines along the back and
sides, and tinged with red along the spiracular region. It feeds, in May
and June, on sallow, willow, poplar, hazel, bilberry, and heather. The moth
is out in July and August, but I have seen the small bilberry-feeding form
(Plate 86, Figs. 5, 6) on a corner of Exmoor, North Devon, in great
profusion in late June, whilst in the same district the sallow-feeding,
larger form appeared about a fortnight later, at which time specimens among
bilberry were not numerous, and rather shabby in appearance.

Except perhaps in the Shetlands, this species is to be found in all parts
of the British Isles. It is very common in hedgerows, and around the
margins of woods; the smaller race frequents woods where bilberry is
established, and also occurs on mountains and moors.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland, China, Japan, and also to North
America.

MAY HIGHFLYER (_Hydriomena impluviata_).

The typical and commoner form of this species is shown on Plate 86, Figs. 7
and 8. The ground colour, usually pale green, is sometimes almost white,
but more frequently it is tinged with greyish brown, thus leading up to the
blackish ab. _infuscata_, Prout (Figs. 9, 10).

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 88.
      1. ROYAL MANTLE.
    2-4. SHOULDER-STRIPE.
   5, 6. BARBERRY CARPET.
   7, 8. THE STREAMER.
  9, 10. THE FLAME.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 89.
  1, 1a. SHOULDER-STRIPE: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.
  2, 2a. STREAMER: _eggs and caterpillars_.

{215} The caterpillar is brownish grey, or purplish grey, dotted with black
and dappled with dark brown; of the three lines along the back, the central
one is black and swells out on the middle of each ring, the others are
pale; a clear stripe of the ground colour below the black spiracles, and a
slender line above them. The general colour is sometimes pale pinky brown
or ochreous. It feeds on alder throughout the summer and autumn, and may be
found in its domicile of spun-together dry leaves even in November, and
sometimes later. Occasionally, a few caterpillars will feed up quickly, and
attain the moth state in July or August, but the bulk do not become
chrysalids until later in the year, and the moths emerge therefrom in May
and early June. (Plate 87, Fig. 2.)

The species seems to occur, more or less freely, wherever there are alders
throughout the greater part of the British Isles.

Abroad, the range extends to Eastern Siberia and Amurland.

RUDDY HIGHFLYER (_Hydriomena ruberata_).

This species is most readily distinguished from the last by the short
oblique black streak on the tips of the rather narrower fore wings; there
are also black streaks between the veins and below the tips of the wings,
as in the last species, but they are generally shorter and often hardly
traceable.

The ground colour ranges from pale grey (sometimes with a green tinge),
through brownish grey to reddish brown; usually central and outer marginal
bands of a darker shade are present, but these characters may be very
indistinct or entirely lost in the general coloration. (Plate 86, Figs. 11
and 12.)

The caterpillar is pale brown, dappled with grey; three dark greyish lines
along the back; spiracles and the usual dots black, the latter with fine
hairs; head, reddish brown, plates on first and last rings of the body
light brown. It feeds, at night, during the summer and autumn, on sallow
and willow, spinning together the leaves at the top of a twig to form a
retreat during the day. {216}

The moth is found in hedges, woods, and on heaths, in May and June; it may
be occasionally beaten out of sallow bushes, but flies in the early
evening, and is then more readily obtained. The species is widely
distributed, but not generally common, in England and Wales, and in
Scotland to Perthshire and probably further north, as it is found in
Orkney, where specimens are numerous but rather small in size, and the
caterpillars, according to McArthur, feed on heather as well as on sallow.
Decidedly uncommon in Ireland, but it has been met with, in most instances
singly, in Armagh, Tyrone, Westmeath, Kerry, Galway, and Sligo.

ROYAL MANTLE (_Anticlea cucullata_).

This species (Plate 88, Fig. 1) is also known as _sinuata_, Hubner. The
white fore wings have a blackish patch at the base and a blackish mark on
the front margins beyond the middle; the former is separated into two parts
by a pale reddish-brown band, and there is a reddish band, most distinct on
the front area, beyond the black mark; in some specimens these bands are
greyish.

The caterpillar is green, sometimes inclining to yellowish, with two black
or purplish stripes, enclosing a broader pale yellow one, along the back;
head, green, freckled with black. It feeds on the flowers of bedstraw
(_Galium mollugo_, and _G. verum_), in July and August, or later in some
seasons.

The moth is out in late June and in July, and occasionally may be disturbed
from its food plant or the surrounding herbage. About dusk it is on the
wing, and later is attracted by light. It seems to occur in most of the
English counties from Kent to Cornwall; also in Berks., Oxon., Herts, and
the eastern counties. Always local, and except in the east, where it is
found in the Breck-sand area, most frequent in chalky localities. Barrett
notes a specimen from Knowle, Warwickshire, and there are at {217} least
two records from Scotland (Perthshire). In Ireland, Mr. W. F. de V. Kane
took one example from a wall in co. Clare, and another has been recorded
from Galway.

The range of the species abroad extends to Siberia and Amurland; and it is
represented in Corea and Japan by _A. yokohamae_, Butler.

THE SHOULDER STRIPE (_Anticlea badiata_).

The ground colour of the fore wings is pale ochreous brown, inclining to
whitish; there are three dark-edged black cross-lines, the first of them
sharply bent below the front margin, the second is rather oblique, and the
third is wavy and often not clearly defined towards the inner margin; the
outer marginal area is broadly bordered with pale reddish brown or dark
purplish brown, there is a black streak from the more or less indistinct,
whitish submarginal line to the tips of the wings, and a white mark about
the middle of the line; the ground colour is most in evidence on the
central area of the wings, but even here it is frequently reduced to a
slender band, or occasionally only a patch near the front margin of the
wing. (Plate 88, Figs. 2-4.)

The caterpillar (Plate 89, Fig. 1) is green, inclining to yellow between
the rings; the spiracles are black, and there is sometimes a pinkish brown
or purplish stripe along their area. Varies in general colour, and also in
marking. It feeds, at night, on wild rose, and may be beaten from the
bushes from May to July. When full grown it forms an oval cocoon in the
earth, and therein changes to a chrysalis (Plate 89, Fig. 1a), which is
dark reddish brown, inclining to blackish on the thorax, wing-cases, and
the front edges of the body rings.

The moth appears in March and April, and may be obtained from almost any
hedgerow, where wild rose is plentiful, throughout the British Isles,
except that it seems not to extend north of Moray in Scotland. {218}

BARBERRY CARPET (_Anticlea berberata_).

The fore wings are greyish or whitish, tinged with grey; there are two
dark-edged black lines on the basal half, and a black line beyond the
middle of the wings; the latter has a conspicuous tooth in its upper half,
but the lower wavy half is indistinct; there is a black streak in the tip
of the wing. (Plate 88, Figs. 5, 6.)

The stout and roughened caterpillar is brown, with indistinct darker
stripes along the back; the head is brown, checkered with darker brown. It
feeds, in June and July, on barberry (_Berberis vulgaris_); there is a
second brood in late August and September.

The moth is out in May and early June, and again in August. Although it
certainly has been noted from other parts of England, the species seems at
present to be confined to the eastern counties. Barrett gives Somerset
also.

THE FLAME (_Anticlea rubidata_).

The markings on the reddish fore wings of this species (Plate 88, Figs. 9
and 10) are somewhat similar to those of the last mentioned, but there is
no black streak in the tips of the wings, and the upper part of the outer
black line is not toothed. The lower central area is often greyish, and the
reddish ground colour is sometimes obscured.

The caterpillar is pale brown, sometimes greyish or greenish tinged, with
obscure darker diamond-shaped marks on the back; a black central line,
indistinct on the middle rings; under side striped and lined with pale and
dark brown; head, with a black V-shaped mark. It feeds, in July and early
August, on bedstraw (_Galium mollugo_ and _G. verum_), and will eat
cleavers or goosegrass (_G. aparine_) in confinement.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 90.
  1. BLOMER'S RIVULET: _caterpillar_.
  2. SMALL WHITE WAVE: _caterpillar_.
  3. HAWORTH'S PUG: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 91.
   1, 3. DINGY SHELL.
   2, 4. SMALL YELLOW WAVE.
   5, 6. SMALL WHITE WAVE.
   7, 9. WAVED CARPET.
  8, 10. BLOMER'S RIVULET.

{219}

The moth flies in June and July, and in the daytime may be readily
disturbed from hedges in localities on the chalk in the southern half of
England and Wales, especially in the seaboard counties from Kent to
Cornwall. It has been recorded from Derbyshire and Yorkshire, and once from
the Isle of Arran (_Entom._ xv. 250).

THE STREAMER (_Anticlea nigrofasciaria_).

The two examples of this species depicted on Plate 88 show the ordinary
form with the central area of the fore wings greyish brown (Fig. 7, Essex),
and a New Forest specimen in which the central area is whitish (Fig. 8).

The long caterpillar is green, inclining to yellowish between the rings; a
purplish, or reddish-brown, stripe along the back is broken up into spots
on the middle rings. It feeds on the flowers and leaves of wild rose, and
can be found or beaten out in May and June. (Plate 89, Figs. 2, larva, 2a,
ova.)

The moth is out in April and early May, and is often seen at rest on
palings, etc., but it occurs chiefly in hedgerows, along which it flies at
dusk.

This species (also known as _derivata_, Borkhausen) is pretty well
distributed over England, Wales, and Scotland up to Sutherlandshire. In
Ireland it seems to be local.

DINGY SHELL (_Euchoeca obliterata_).

This pale ochreous brown species (Plate 91) is in the male (Fig. 1) more or
less sprinkled and shaded with darker brown, and the three brown cross
lines are consequently often obscure, and rarely as distinct as in the
female (Fig. 3).

The green caterpillar has a yellow line running down the middle of a black
stripe along the back, and this stripe is {220} bordered on each side with
yellow, and broken up by the yellow ring divisions; head, with a black spot
on each side. It feeds, in July and August, on alder.

The moth is out in June and early July, and will be found in almost every
locality in England where the alder flourishes, most plentifully, perhaps,
on the eastern and western sides. It has been recorded from North and South
Wales, but it does not seem to have been noted from Ireland or Scotland.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

SMALL WHITE WAVE (_Asthena candidata_).

The delicately lined white moth shown on Plate 91, Figs. 5 [male] and 6
[female], is chiefly a woodland species. It is generally common in the
south of England, occurs more or less frequently throughout the northern
half, and is widely distributed in Wales. In Scotland, it is said to be
locally common in Clydesdale, and to be found in Arran and in Perthshire.
It is plentiful at Dromoland, co. Clare, Ireland, not uncommon in parts of
Galway, and once recorded from Wicklow.

The caterpillar is found, in July and August, on birch, hazel, and wild
rose. In general colour it is green, inclining to bluish at each end, and
tinged with yellowish along the ridge on the sides; the back is marked with
crimson. (Plate 90, Fig. 2, after Hofmann.)

The moth is out in May and June, and sometimes July, and individuals of a
second generation occasionally appear in August or September.

SMALL YELLOW WAVE (_Asthena luteata_).

This pretty little species (Plate 91, Figs. 2 and 4) has the pale yellowish
wings marked with ochreous brown lines, which vary in thickness, and a dash
of the same colour on the fore wings, from the central pair of lines to the
middle of the outer margin.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 92.
  1. GREY PUG: _egg and caterpillar_.
  2. LIME SPECK PUG: _caterpillars_.
  3. COMMON PUG: _caterpillar_.
  4. NETTED PUG: _caterpillar_.
  5. WHITE-SPOTTED PUG: _caterpillar_.
  6. CURRANT PUG: _caterpillar_.
  7. BORDERED PUG: _chrysalids_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 93.
         1, 4. LIME SPECK PUG.
  2, 5, 8, 11. NETTED PUG.
        7, 10. FOXGLOVE PUG.
         3, 6. TOADFLAX PUG.
            9. MARBLED PUG.
           12. DWARF PUG.

{221} The caterpillar, which feeds in August and September, on maple, and
in the northern counties on alder, is green, inclining to whitish between
the rings.

The moth is out in June and early July, sometimes from mid May in warm
localities. It is widely distributed over England and Wales, and in the
southern counties of England it occurs in hedges wherever the maple grows,
but in the midlands and northwards it is chiefly found among alder. In
Scotland it is local and rare in Clydesdale, and is known to occur in
Perthshire.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland and Japan.

WAVED CARPET (_Asthena testaceata_).

The typical, greyish-dusted, white form is depicted on Plate 91, Figs. 7
[male] and 9 [female]. Mr. E. R. Bankes states (_Entom._, xl. 33) that in
one restricted area in mid-Kent this species varies in the direction of
melanism, and he describes two forms as under: ab. _intermedia_ has the
usual coloration, but the wings are thickly dusted with dusky brown,
chiefly along the front edge of the fore wings, and the cross lines are
more distinct than in the type. In ab. _goodwini_ all the wings have the
whitish ground colour largely obscured by dusky brown powdering.

The rather spindle-shaped caterpillar is purplish brown, inclining to
greenish on the sides and below at each end; on the back of the middle
rings are whitish V-marks, and the last three rings incline to purplish red
above (adapted from Fenn). It feeds on the young leaves of alder, birch,
and sallow, in July and August. The moth is out in June, and hides by day
among the bushes, but may be seen occasionally {222} on tree-trunks. Its
haunts are in damp woods and plantations, and it occurs in most of the
English and Welsh counties, although it is rarely common, except in the
south of England. In Ireland it has been noted as scarce in counties
Wicklow, Kerry, Galway, and Sligo.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

BLOMER'S RIVULET (_Asthena blomeri_).

The earliest British specimens of this species (Plate 91, Figs. 8 [male]
and 10 [female]) were taken in Castle Eden Dean, Durham, and among the
first to detect these was Captain Blomer, after whom Curtis named the
species in 1832. It is still found in that locality, but is also known to
occur in Cumberland, Lancs., Yorks., Derby, Staffs., Merionethshire,
Worcester, Hereford, Glamorgan, Gloucester, Somerset, Devon, Wilts.,
Oxford, and Bucks.

The slender caterpillar is yellowish green, generally marked with
pinkish-brown on the back, but most or all such markings may be absent. It
feeds, on wych elm (_Ulmus montana_) (Plate 90, Fig. 1), in August and
September. The moth is out in June and July, earlier or later in some
seasons. As a rule, it sits on the trunks of beech trees, but I have seen
it on the stems of cherry and fir, though hardly ever on wych-elm.
Occasionally, newly emerged specimens have been noted on the leaves of
dog's mercury (_Mercurialis perennis_).

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

LIME-SPECK PUG (_Eupithecia oblongata_).

The characteristic features of this white, or greyish white, species (Plate
93, Figs. 1 and 4) is the bluish grey blotch on the front margin, in the
lower end of which is the black discal {223} spot. Occasionally, the blotch
is much reduced in size, but it is usually large, and sometimes there are
indications of a dusky stripe from it to the inner margin.

When freshly laid, the egg is whitish, but changes to pale orange. The
caterpillar (Plate 92, Figs. 2, 2a) is greenish, with more or less
connected reddish marks on the back, or green inclining to yellowish, or
bluish, without markings. It feeds through the summer on flowers of
ragwort, knapweed, scabious, yarrow, golden rod, etc.

The moth, which is often common in gardens, is out from May to August, and
specimens of a second brood occur in September and October.

It is widely distributed over the British Islands, but in Scotland it does
not, apparently, extend north of Perthshire.

FOXGLOVE PUG (_Eupithecia pulchellata_).

The fore wings are pale ochreous brown with a dusky basal patch limited by
a black line; a greyish central band inclining to blackish near the costa,
and clouded with ochreous below the middle; the black-and-white edges are
wavy; a reddish stripe across the wing before the central band, and a
similar, but more irregular, one beyond the band. The hind wings are
whitish grey, with several dark-grey bands (Plate 93, Figs. 7 [male], 10
[female]).

In var. _hebudium_, Sheldon, from the Hebrides, the usual reddish stripes
are replaced by narrower dark-brown ones; the space left by the reduction
in width is white, giving the insect a decidedly grey appearance.

The caterpillar lives in the flowers of the foxglove (_Digitalis purpurea_)
and feeds therein upon the stamens and the immature seeds. It enters by
boring through the side walls, and then secures the longer lobe of the
blossom to the shorter upper one with a few silken threads. Tenanted
flowers have {224} a rather faded look and are easily detected. July is the
best month, but the caterpillar may be found earlier as well as later.

The moth is out in May and June, and is found in almost every part of the
British Isles where the foxglove is common.

TOADFLAX PUG (_Eupithecia linariata_).

Very similar to the last species, but generally smaller, neater and more
glossy looking. The central band of the fore wing is blacker, without
ochreous clouding below the middle, and the edges are not wavy. The hind
wings are darker, and the only distinct band is a whitish one beyond the
middle (Plate 93, Figs. 3, 6).

The caterpillar is yellowish green, with a series of dull olive or rust
coloured spots or bars along the back, bordered on each side by a dusky
olive line; in some examples the markings are absent (Crewe). It feeds in
the flowers of yellow toadflax (_Linaria vulgaris_), and may be reared on
flowers of the snapdragon (_Antirrhinum_). It is hardly necessary to
examine each blossom separately to find the caterpillar, except, perhaps,
to make sure when doubtful about the quarry being there. Probably, a
handful of the flower sprays gathered in August or September in any
locality in the southern half of England where the food plant abounds would
furnish moths in the following May or June. The _Linaria_ should be secured
on a dry day for choice, but when brought home it need not be put in water;
just throw it into an airy breeding cage, and hopefully await emergence of
the perfect insects in due course. Sometimes caterpillars attain the moth
state the same year.

The range of the species in England extends to Durham, but it seems to be
rather uncommon from the Midlands northwards. It is found in Wales, and has
been recorded once from Scotland (Inverurie), and once from Ireland
(Dublin). {225}

MARBLED PUG (_Eupithecia irriguata_).

The fore wings are whitish and rather shining, the discal spot is black and
very distinct, but the dark grey-brown markings, which are only well
defined on the front and outer marginal areas, vary in intensity (Plate 93,
Fig. 9).

The long, slender and roughened caterpillar is dull yellowish green; three
lines along the back, the central one reddish and expanded on the middle
rings, the others yellowish; head, reddish. It feeds on oak, in late May
and in June. The moth is out in April and May, and is sometimes found on
fences or palings in the neighbourhood of oak woods, but may be jarred from
the oak boughs, on the undersides of which it usually sits.

The New Forest in Hants is, perhaps, the best British locality for the
species, but it has been found in Dorset (Glanville's Wootton), Devon
(Exeter district, Tiverton, etc.), Sussex (Abbots Wood, St. Leonard's
Forest, etc.), Wilts. (Savernake Forest); also oak woods in Surrey, Berks.,
Gloucester, Hereford and Glamorgan. On the eastern side it occurs in
Suffolk (Bury and Needham), and Norfolk.

DWARF PUG (_Eupithecia pusillata_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 93, Fig. 12) are pale greyish white,
discal spot black, cross lines irregular dark grey inclining to brownish,
usually most distinct on the front margin.

The long, slender caterpillar is orange-red or dull ochreous green; three
dusky olive lines along the back, the central one often only distinct on
the front rings; a yellow line low down along the sides. It feeds, in June
and early July, on spruce (_Picea excelsa_). The moth is out in May and
June, and rests by day among the branches of the spruce. {226}

The species is very local, but is found in Kent (West Wickham, etc.),
Surrey (Mickleham district), Hants (New Forest), Devon (Exeter district,
Plymouth), Wilts. (Watlington district), and Suffolk.

OCHREOUS PUG (_Eupithecia indigata_).

Captured specimens of this pale greyish-ochreous-brown species nearly
always have a washed-out appearance, and even freshly emerged examples are
unattractive. In some specimens, cross lines are more or less traceable on
the fore wings; in others four or five tiny dusky dots will be noted on the
front edge; as a rule, the only clearly defined character is the black
discal spot (Plate 96, Fig. 1).

The long caterpillar is greenish-yellow or yellowish-red; three lines on
the back, the central one brownish, but often only distinct on the front
rings; the others, and also one low down along the sides, yellowish; head,
reddish (adapted from Crewe). It feeds, in June and July, on pine and
larch, or may be reared on juniper.

The moth is out in May and June, and sometimes there seems to be another
emergence in the latter part of the summer. It frequents pine-woods, where
it rests upon the trunks and branches of the trees.

Generally distributed over the whole of England; has been found in South
Wales, and occurs in Perthshire, in Scotland. In Ireland, it has been noted
from Tyrone, Derry, and Galway.

PINION-SPOTTED PUG (_Eupithecia insigniata_).

The greyish white fore wings have a blackish basal line, and three slender
double lines between this and the outer margin; three blotches on the front
margin of the wings, the middle one blackish, the others brown with dashes
of the same colour below; discal spot, black and streak-like (Plate 96,
Fig. 2).

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 94.
  1. PLAIN PUG: _caterpillars_.
  2. DARK SPINACH: _caterpillars_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 95.
         1. PIMPINEL PUG.
         4. THYME PUG.
         7. BLEACHED PUG.
  3, 6, 10. WORMWOOD PUG.
         9. CURRANT PUG.
     2, 12. LING PUG.
         5. CAMPANULA PUG.
     8, 11. JASIONE PUG.

{227} The long, slightly roughened caterpillar is green, inclining to
yellowish, especially between the rings; reddish marks on the back
connected by a slender line of the same colour; head, green, flecked with
reddish. It feeds, on apple, eating flowers and leaves, in May and June.
Also said to eat hawthorn and sloe. The moth is out in April and May, but
it is rarely met with in the open. If, however, one is lucky enough to
capture a female, and fertile eggs are obtained, moths should hardly fail
to result. From these the stock might go on increasing year by year for
quite a long period. Ten specimens presented to the National Collection of
British Lepidoptera in 1904, by the late Mrs. Hutchinson, were bred in
April of the previous year, and were the direct descendants of a female
captured in 1874, at Grantsfield, Herefordshire.

Other counties in England from which the species has been recorded
are--Worcester (Birchwood), Gloucester, Somerset, Wilts., Hants (Hayling
Island), Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Berks., Bucks., Huntingdon, Cambridge (once
bred from mixed larvae beaten from hawthorn on the "Gogs"), Suffolk (beaten
from hawthorn at Brandon, Tuddenham, etc.), and Norfolk.

As _insigniata_, Hubner, is claimed to be at least two years older than
_consignata_, Borkhausen, the former name will have to be adopted for this
species.

NETTED PUG (_Eupithecia venosata_).

This moth has also been named by the old authors "the Pretty Widow Moth."
On Plate 93 are shown four examples; the typical form (Fig. 2), in which
the fore wings are pale greyish, with black cross lines, two of which are
edged with whitish; var. _fumosae_, Gregson = _nubilata_, Bohatsch (Fig.
5)--the Shetland race--is brownish grey, with the markings obscure; Fig. 8
{228} represents a variegated modification of the last form, for which the
name _bandanae_ was proposed by Gregson; Fig. 11 depicts another specimen,
which in its light-brown colour closely approaches the Orkney form var.
_ochracae_, Gregson = _orcadensis_, Prout.

Specimens from North Devon have a rather darker tone of the typical
coloration, and those from North Wales and from Ireland incline to
brownish.

The rather stumpy caterpillar is greyish brown above, and pale greenish or
yellowish below; three darker brown lines along the back; head, blackish.
It is found from late June to early August, in the seed capsules of
catchfly (_Silene inflate_, _S. maritima_, etc.). Plate 92, Fig. 4, from a
coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich.

The moth is out in May and June, and is widely distributed over the British
Isles.

PIMPINEL PUG (_Eupithecia pimpinellata_).

A portrait of this species, which, as a British insect, was first noted in
Suffolk nearly sixty years ago, will be found on Plate 95, Fig. 1. The fore
wings are pale brownish, except on the front edge, which is greyish; the
black discal spot is distinct and rather long; the median vein and its
branches are dotted with black, and most of the cross lines are only
distinct on the front margin, where they are blackish; the rather wavy
whitish submarginal line is sometimes marked with blackish. In some
specimens the costal half of the fore wings is greyish, and the other
portion only tinged with pale brownish.

The long caterpillar is green, with three purplish lines along the back,
the central one wider and more distinct than the others; the head is
purple. Sometimes purple, with two lines of a deeper shade on each side of
the back (Crewe). It feeds, in the autumn, on flowers of burnet-saxifrage
(_Pimpinella_). {229} The moth is out in June and July, and in the late
afternoon is occasionally put up from among its food plant or the herbage
around, but such specimens are rarely worth keeping, unless of the female
sex, when eggs may be obtained.

The species has a wide distribution in England, especially in the southern
half; it occurs in Wales, and also in Ireland, but not in Scotland.

THYME PUG (_Eupithecia distinctaria_).

This delicately marked species, better known, perhaps, as _constrictata_,
Guenee (Plate 95, Fig. 4), has the fore wings whitish grey, with three
slender blackish curved cross lines, and some less distinct greyish ones;
the outer margin is slightly darker, and traversed by a wavy whitish line;
discal spot black and conspicuous.

I have not seen specimens from the Hebrides, but, according to Barrett,
these have a more decided grey tint.

The rather long, wrinkled caterpillar is dark green, inclining to yellowish
between the rings, with a broad purplish red line along the back. It feeds
on the flowers of wild thyme (_Thymus serpyllum_), in August and September.

The moth is out in June and July, and inhabits dry places where there is an
abundant growth of wild thyme. It is easily alarmed, and quickly rises on
the wing from its hiding-place among the herbage.

The species is, or has been, found in most of the southern counties of
England, from Sussex to Cornwall, on the western side from Somerset to
Westmorland, including North Wales and the Isle of Man; also recorded from
Buckinghamshire, Yorkshire (Richmond), and Northumberland. In Scotland it
occurs chiefly on the west to Ross, and in the Hebrides; in Ireland it is
widely spread, but most frequently met with on the coast. {230}

BLEACHED PUG (_Eupithecia expallidata_).

The ample wings light brown in colour, with large black discal spot, and
smaller black marks on the front edge of the fore wings, distinguish this
species (Plate 95, Fig. 7) from its closest British allies.

The caterpillar feeds, in September and October, on flowers of golden rod
(_Solidago virgaurea_), but it will thrive on those of michaelmas daisy,
and probably the asters of the garden. It varies in ground colour, but this
is usually some shade of green, and there are brownish spots and lines on
the back.

The moth is out from late June until August, and may be put up from among
golden rod during the day, or netted as it flies about the plant in the
gloaming.

It is rather local, but occurs in most of the southern counties of England,
from Kent to Devonshire, and westward from Somerset to Hereford and South
Wales; also recorded from North Lancashire. Rare in Scotland, and only
noted from Perthshire and Aberdeenshire. Reported from a few localities on
the coast in Ireland.

CURRANT PUG (_Eupithecia assimilata_).

This species (Plate 95, Fig. 9) is similar in marking to that next
mentioned, but the wings are shorter and rounder; the fore wings are a
trifle redder in tint, and the white mark at the termination of the
submarginal line is usually more conspicuous.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 96.
     1. OCHREOUS PUG.
     2. PINION-SPOTTED PUG.
  3, 4. EDINBURGH PUG.
   5-8. SATYR PUG.
     9. WHITE-SPOTTED PUG, VAR. _ANGELICATA_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 97.
      1. WHITE-SPOTTED PUG.
   2, 5. BORDERED PUG.
      3. LARCH PUG.
   4, 7. COMMON PUG.
      6. GREY PUG.
  8, 11. TAWNY SPECKLED PUG.
      9. PLAIN PUG.
     10. GOLDEN-ROD PUG.
     12. SCARCE PUG.
     13. TRIPLE-SPOTTED PUG.
     14. SHADED PUG.

{231} The rather slender caterpillar, figured on Plate 92, Fig. 6, from a
coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich, is yellowish green, inclining to yellow
between the rings; three darker green lines on the back, the central one
most distinct, the others rather broad and not well defined; sometimes the
central line is tinged with brown, as also is the front edge of each ring.
It feeds on currant and hop, and is said to eat the leaves of gooseberry
also. The first brood is in June and July, and the second in the autumn.
The moth is out in May and June and in August. It frequents gardens, and
hides among the foliage, or occasionally sits on walls or palings; from
hedges where the wild hop grows freely it may be beaten out in the daytime,
but it flies in the twilight, sometimes in numbers, around the hop bines.

Widely distributed over England, Wales, and Scotland up to Ross; in Ireland
it has been noted from Tyrone, Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Sligo.

WORMWOOD PUG (_Eupithecia absinthiata_).

The fore wings are reddish or purplish brown; cross lines indistinct, but
represented on the front edge by black marks; discal dot black, submarginal
line whitish interrupted, often indistinct, except above the inner margin
(Plate 95, Figs. 3, 6, 10). The short, stout, and roughened caterpillar
varies in colour, and may be yellowish green, deep rose colour, or dirty
reddish brown; a series of lozenge-shaped reddish spots on the back, faint
towards each end (often absent in green forms); oblique yellow stripes on
the sides form borders to the marks on the back (adapted from Crewe). It
feeds, in the autumn, on the flowers of ragwort, golden rod, aster, yarrow,
hemp agrimony, etc. The moth is out in June and July.

The species is generally common in the south of England, and is widely
distributed over the rest of that country, Wales, and Ireland. In Scotland
its range extends to Moray.

Abroad, the distribution spreads to Amurland.

LING PUG (_Eupithecia goossensiata_).

The fore wings are rather narrower and more pointed at the tips than those
of the last species; the ground colour of the fore wings is of a paler
reddish brown, and frequently tinged {232} with greyish; the hind wings are
usually greyish-brown (Plate 95, Figs. 2, 12). The caterpillar, which feeds
in August and September on the flowers of heath (_Erica_), and ling
(_Calluna_), is pinkish with dusky marks on the back, most distinct on the
middle rings; a yellowish line low down along the side has dusky marks upon
it; head, dusky olive, marked with white (adapted from Crewe).

It may be mentioned here, that _knautiata_, Gregson, which was described as
a distinct species, is by some authorities considered to be a form of this
species, whilst others refer it to _absinthiata_. The caterpillar is
stouter than that of _goossensiata_, varies in colour from whitish to
green, and even purplish-brown, but not to pinkish; it feeds on the flowers
and seeds of _Knautia arvensis_. The moth is out in June and July, and
occurs on heaths and moors throughout England, Wales, and Ireland. In
Scotland, it is obtained freely in some parts of the south, and its range
extends to the Orkneys.

This species is the minutata of Guenee and other authors, but this name,
being a synonym of _absinthiata_, will have to be discarded in favour of
_goossensiata_, Mabille (1869).

CAMPANULA PUG (_Eupithecia denotata_).

The faint reddish tinged pale-brown fore wings distinguish this species
(Plate 95, Fig. 5). The blackish marks on the front edge are minute, the
cross lines are usually indistinct and often absent; the discal spot,
however, is black and conspicuous, and the whitish submarginal line is very
wavy. In general colour, the caterpillar is pale brownish; lines and marks
on the back, dark brown or blackish. It feeds on the seeds of the
nettle-leaved bell-flower (_Campanula trachelium_), and may be reared on
the flowers of the various kinds of _Campanula_ grown in gardens: August
and early September. {233} The moth is out in July, but is rarely seen in a
state of nature. Caterpillars, however, are not uncommon, where the food
plant is plentiful, in several of the English counties from Worcestershire
southwards to Kent and Cornwall; also in Norfolk.

This species is the _campanulata_ of most British authors.

JASIONE PUG (_Eupithecia jasioneata_).

Except that the ground colour inclines to dark greyish brown, and the cross
markings are rather more in evidence, this species is somewhat similar to
that last mentioned, pale specimens especially (Plate 95, Figs. 8, 11). The
caterpillar feeds in the seed heads of sheep's bit (_Jasione montana_), is
very like that of _denotata_ (_campanulata_), and occurs in the same
months. Possibly this insect, which is regarded as purely British, may
eventually be reduced to varietal rank. As pointed out by Mr. Prout, it is
in its paler form not easily separable from _atraria_, Herrich-Schaeffer, a
mountain form of _denotata_, Hubner. Whether species or variety, it is
equally interesting to the student of British Lepidoptera from the fact
that, up to the year 1878, it seems to have been unknown to entomologists.
From its close allies, it stands out more distinctly than do _absinthiata_
and _goossensiata_ from each other, and the latter can hardly escape a
similar fate if _jasioneata_ is degraded.

The moth is out in May and June, but it is very rarely seen at large,
though caterpillars are found locally in Devon and Somerset, England; at
Barmouth, in Merionethshire, North Wales; and in Cork and Kerry, Ireland.
Possibly, it awaits discovery in several other parts of the British Isles,
and almost certainly in the west of England. In ascertaining new localities
for the species, the best method of investigation would be to search for
the caterpillars. {234}

WHITE-SPOTTED PUG (_Eupithecia albipunctata_).

This greyish brown species (Plate 97, Fig. 1) will be recognised by the
white spot at the lower end of the whitish submarginal line on the fore
wings; not infrequently there is a second white spot placed on the line
about the middle, and sometimes a third near the front margin; the hind
wings have a white dot at the anal angle, and, occasionally, a second is
placed a little beyond. Ab. _angelicata_, Barrett, occurring with the type
in the north of England, is blackish with the discal spot and the veins
showing blacker, but without white spots. (Plate 96, Fig. 9.) The
caterpillar is pale lemon yellow, or yellowish green; three brown lines
along the back, the central one with brown marks upon it; some brownish
marks on the sides. Variable in general colour, and the markings sometimes
absent. It feeds on the flowers of angelica (_Angelica sylvestris_),
hogweed (_Heracleum sphondylium_), and other Umbelliferae. It has also been
reared on a diet of elder leaves: August, September, or even later. Our
figure (Plate 92, Fig. 5) is from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich. The
moth emerges in May and June, sometimes earlier in confinement, and then a
second generation has resulted in July.

Widely distributed in England, in many localities the caterpillars are not
uncommon, although the moth may never be seen at large. Also occurs in
South Wales, in Scotland to Aberdeenshire; and in Ireland it has been found
in Sligo and Cork.

COMMON PUG (_Eupithecia vulgata_).

This pug varies in colour from pale grey brown through reddish brown to
blackish. In some of the lighter coloured specimens, the darker cross lines
and the whitish submarginal lines are all well defined; more frequently,
perhaps, most of the markings are indistinct or absent, but the small black
discal dot and a white spot above the outer angle of the fore wing remain
fairly clear. (Plate 97, Figs. 4, 7, ab. _subfuscata_, Haw.) The
caterpillar (Plate 92, Fig. 3) is brownish, inclining to reddish, dotted
with white; a series of dirty green marks along the back, and a pale yellow
wavy line low down along the sides. It feeds on the leaves of sallow,
hawthorn, bramble, bilberry, ragwort, golden-rod and various other plants.
There are at least two broods in the year, one in June and July, and the
other in the autumn. The moth flies in May and June, and again in August,
and is often common, almost everywhere, over the greater part of the
British Isles.

The range abroad extends to Eastern Siberia and Amurland.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 98.
  1. LEAD-COLOURED PUG.
  2. HAWORTH'S PUG.
  3. VALERIAN PUG.
  4. MARSH PUG.
  5. SLENDER PUG.
  6. MAPLE PUG.
  7. ANGLE-BARRED PUG.
  8. ASH PUG.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 99.
    1, 2. NARROW-WINGED PUG.
       3. BRINDLED PUG.
       4. MOTTLED PUG.
       5. OAK-TREE PUG.
    6, 7. JUNIPER PUG.
    8-10. DOUBLE-STRIPED PUG.
  11, 12. CLOAKED PUG.

{235}

GOLDEN-ROD PUG (_Eupithecia virgaureata_).

The fore wings of this obscurely marked species (Plate 97, Fig. 10) are
pale greyish brown inclining to ochreous; the discal spot is black, the
veins are marked with dark brown and white, and the whitish submarginal
line terminates in a white spot above the inner angle.

The caterpillar varies in colour from grey brown or purplish grey to
reddish brown; a series of blackish triangular spots on the back, and
yellowish oblique stripes on the sides. It feeds on the flowers of the
golden-rod (_Solidago virgaurea_), in the autumn; also on ragwort
(_Senecio_). The moth is out in May and early June, but in captivity there
is apparently a second emergence in July and early August. The caterpillars
from which these smaller and rather darker specimens result, hatch from the
egg in May and feed on the flowers of beaked parsley (_Anthriscus
sylvestris_).

Widely distributed in England, Wales and Ireland.

The range abroad extends to north-east Siberia; and the species has been
recorded from Japan. {236}

TRIPLE-SPOTTED PUG (_Eupithecia trisignaria_).

The most noticeable markings on the rather shiny, pale-brown fore wings of
this species (Plate 97, Fig. 13) are the black discal spot and two blackish
clouds above it on the front margin.

The stoutish caterpillar is green, with three darker green lines along the
back, and a wavy yellowish line low down along the sides; head, black. It
feeds, in the autumn, on flowers and seeds of angelica and cow-parsnip, but
the former is its chief food.

June and July are the months for the moth, but it is rarely met with in the
open. The only English counties in which the species has been noted are
Surrey, Sussex, Dorset and Devon in the south; from Herefordshire in the
west its range extends through Worcester, Warwick, Leicester, and Derby to
Lancashire and York. In Scotland, Renton records it as common at Hawick, in
Roxburghshire; and it was recorded from Argyllshire in 1902. Hardly known
in Ireland.

LARCH PUG (_Eupithecia lariciata_).

This species (Plate 97, Fig. 3) is very like that next referred to, but the
fore wings are rather longer, the ground colour is whiter, and the
dark-grey or blackish cross lines are rather more angled and slanting; the
hind wings are paler, and especially so on the front margins.

The long caterpillar is bright green, with a darker green line along the
back, merging into reddish on the last ring; sometimes reddish ochreous
with the line along the back brownish. It feeds, in June and July, on
larch, and will also eat spruce.

The moth is out in May and early June, and may be jarred from larch trees,
or sometimes be found at rest on their stems. {237}

As a British species, it was first met with in Surrey, in 1862, then it was
noted in Sussex, and shortly afterwards in Yorkshire. At the present time,
it will probably be found in any locality where larch is plentiful.

GREY PUG (_Eupithecia castigata_).

Although, as the English name suggests, this insect is greyish, there is
always a tinge of ochreous in the composition of its general colour (Plate
97, Fig. 6). Not infrequently the ground colour is decidedly brownish in
tint. The markings vary in clearness, but are most distinct in the paler
forms. A blackish form occurs in the north of England, and in the
Clydesdale district of Scotland, and was formerly known as the "Paisley
Pug."

The longish caterpillar (Plate 92, Fig. 1) is pale or dusky olive, varying
to reddish brown, with a series of darker marks on the back. It feeds, from
August to October, on the foliage of almost any plant.

The moth is out in May and June, and occasionally a few specimens emerge in
the autumn. Generally distributed over the British Isles, but apparently
not noted in the Orkneys and Shetlands.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland.

PLAIN PUG (_Eupithecia subnotata_).

The fore wings of this species are pale ochreous brown, inclining to pale
reddish on the outer marginal area; the most distinct markings are a pale
cross band beyond the black discal dot, and a pale winding submarginal
line. The hind wings are smoky grey, with whitish wavy cross lines, the
most distinct being the outer (Plate 97, Fig. 9). The stoutish and somewhat
{238} stumpy caterpillar is green, or pale yellowish brown, with three
darker lines and marks on the back; a yellowish line low down on the sides.
It feeds on flowers and seeds of orache (_Atriplex_), and goosefoot
(_Chenopodium_): August and September. Figured on Plate 94, Figs. 1, 1a,
from coloured drawings by Mr. A. Sich. In July, the moth may be disturbed
from its food plant or adjacent herbage, or it may be seen resting on
palings or fences. It flies at night, and will come to light.

Not uncommon in many places in the southern half of England, and found in
the rest of the country, chiefly on the coast, to Hartlepool in Durham,
also in Wales. Once recorded from south Scotland, and only noted from the
coast near Dublin, in Ireland.

SCARCE PUG (_Eupithecia extensaria_).

The conspicuously marked insect represented on Plate 97, Fig. 12, is, so
far, only known to occur, in Britain, on the coasts of Norfolk and
Yorkshire. It was first discovered in the latter county more than thirty
years ago; about twelve years later it was found on the Norfolk coast, and
caterpillars were also obtained from the sea wormwood (_Artemisia
maritima_) in the autumn.

The long caterpillar, which feeds on the flowers and foliage of its food
plant, is green, with three lines along the back, the central one dusky and
the others whitish; a white stripe low down along the sides is edged below
with rosy brown. It will thrive on the cultivated southernwood or "lad's
love" (_Artemisia abrotanum_).

The moth is out in June and July, and may be found in its haunts among the
sea wormwood, not only on the coast of Norfolk, but quite possibly, here
and there, in suitable places on the east coast from Essex to the Humber.
Caterpillars may be obtained in August and September. [Illustration]

  2 Pl. 100.
     1. V. PUG.
   2-6. GREEN PUG, _and vars_.
  7, 8. BILBERRY PUG.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 101.
  1. MAGPIE: _caterpillars and chrysalis_.
  2. CLOUDED MAGPIE: _eggs, natural size and enlarged, and caterpillars_.

{239}

EDINBURGH PUG (_Eupithecia helveticaria_).

The two examples of this species on Plate 96, Figs. 3, 4, are from the
Pentland Hills, Scotland, and are referable to _anglicata_, Milliere. In
this form, which is smaller than the type, the fore wings are grey brown,
more or less tinged with reddish, and sometimes inclining to purplish; the
whitish edged dark cross lines, especially the basal first and second, are
usually distinct, and the veins are often marked with black and white. Ab.
_arceuthata_, Freyer, a paler grey form, occurs in Buckinghamshire, and has
also been reported from Surrey. The specimens from the latter county, at
least those from the Dorking district, were subsequently referred to _E.
satyrata_.

The stoutish and rather rough caterpillar is green, with three lines along
the back, the central one dark green, and the others white; a broad
yellowish stripe low down along the sides. It feeds on juniper, in June and
July, and sometimes again in September and October. The moth is out in
April, May, and June, and a second brood may appear in August and
September. The species seems to occur among juniper, in Scotland, from
Roxburghshire to Sutherland. It is local in North Lancashire, has been
reported from near Llandudno, North Wales, and, as adverted to above,
occurs in Bucks.

SATYR PUG (_Eupithecia satyrata_).

Four specimens are depicted on Plate 96. Fig. 5 represents the typical pale
brownish grey form, in which the cross lines are indistinct, and the veins
are marked with white and dusky. Fig. 6 shows the rather browner, moorland
ab. _callunaria_, Doubleday, and Figs. 7 and 8 depict two forms of the
Shetland race, known as var. _curzoni_, Gregson. A much rarer form than
{240} any of the above is the pale brownish ab. _pernotata_, Guenee
(_cauchyata_, Meyrick).

The caterpillar is greenish with a series of purplish-brown edged, dusky
green, Y-shaped marks along the back; above the yellow spiracular line is a
row of slanting purplish blotches; sometimes the general colour is paler,
and the markings on the back and sides rosy; occasionally, the whole of the
back is rosy (adapted from Crewe). It feeds on the flowers of knapweed
(_Centaurea nigra_), scabious, hawkweed (_Hieracium_), heath, sallow, etc.,
etc.: August and September.

The moth is out in May and June, and is found in woodlands, and on heaths
and moors. It is widely distributed over the British Isles.

BORDERED PUG (_Eupithecia succenturiata_).

The fore wings are white, clouded and suffused with dark grey on all the
margins. The greyish clouding sometimes covers the whole area of the wings,
except a very limited space under the black discal spot (ab. _disparata_,
Hubner). Plate 97, Figs. 2, a specimen from Lancs., 5, one from Surrey.

The caterpillar is reddish brown, paler in some specimens than in others; a
series of blackish spear-head marks along the back, connected by a blackish
line, and a dusky line on each side; a whitish line along the spiracles. It
feeds, in September and October, on mugwort (_Artemisia vulgaris_), tansy
(_Tanacetum vulgare_), and yarrow (_Achillea_). It may be reared on garden
Chrysanthemum. Chrysalis, dark buff, inclining to brown; wing cases olive
green; figure 7 on Plate 92 is from a photo by Mr. Main, and is enlarged to
twice the natural size.

The moth is out in July and early August; it is not readily put up from its
hiding-place among herbage, but at night, when on the wing, it will come to
light. {241}

The species is most frequent, perhaps, on the coast, but it is widely
distributed over England and Wales. Rare in Ireland, and only noted from
counties Armagh, Louth, and Dublin; Kane states that he met with it in some
numbers on Lambay Island. Once reported from Ayrshire, Scotland.

The Surrey specimen (Fig. 5) appears to be referable to _exalbidata_,
Staudinger, a form occurring chiefly in Asia, but occasionally found in
Germany and elsewhere in Europe.

TAWNY SPECKLED PUG (_Eupithecia subfulvata_).

Two forms of this species are shown on Plate 97. Fig. 8 represents the
reddish typical form, and Fig. 11 (from Lancs. coast) the dark ab.
_oxydata_, Treitschke. Between these two extremes, there are various
intermediate forms, showing more or less distinct cross lines.

The caterpillar is reddish brown, with a chain of oval, olive-brown spots
along the back; there are also two brownish interrupted lines; the
spiracular line is white. Sometimes the general colour is ochreous brown,
or grey brown. It feeds, in September and October, on yarrow, and will
thrive on tansy, and the flowers of garden chrysanthemum.

The chrysalis of this species is said to differ from that of _E.
succenturiata_ in being of a rich red colour, inclining to buff on the wing
cases.

In July and August, the moth may sometimes be seen resting on fences, but
it is more frequently hidden away among herbage. At night it will visit
flowers, especially those of the ragwort.

The species is widely distributed over England and Wales, and in Scotland
up to Moray. In Ireland, it is found on the coast from Louth to Cork.

By some entomologists, _subfulvata_, Haworth, and its variety, _oxydata_,
are set down as forms of the preceding species. {242}

SHADED PUG (_Eupithecia scabiosata_).

The grey, or greyish-brown lined, whitish species shown on Plate 97, Fig.
14, has been known by three names in Britain. It was named and described by
Stephens, in 1831, as _piperata_ (The Speckled Pug), from a specimen, or
specimens, taken at Riddlesdown, near Croydon, Surrey; later, it was
supposed to be the _subumbrata_, of the _Vienna Catalogue_ (1776), and
certainly of Guenee. The name given to it by Borkhausen, in 1794, appears
to be the correct one, and is here adopted.

Crewe describes the caterpillar as yellowish green, with three dark lines
on the back, the outer one not clearly defined; a yellow line on each side
of the head, and of the last ring of the body.

It feeds on flowers of one of the hawkbits (_Leontodon hispidus_), and
hawk's-beard (_Crepis taraxacifolia_), etc., from July to September. In
June and early July, the moth may be started up from the herbage, as the
collector walks over rough ground inland, or more frequently on the coast.
It also occurs in fens, marshy places in woods, etc.

The species occurs in Bucks., Berks., Surrey, and in the seaboard counties
from Norfolk in the east to Gloucestershire in the west, also in South
Wales; in the north it is found in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham, and
Northumberland. It is not common in Scotland, but has been reported from
various parts, extending from Wigtown to Argyll and Aberdeen. In Ireland it
is also a coast insect, from Donegal to Cork.

HAWORTH'S PUG (_Eupithecia haworthiata_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 98. Fig. 2) are pale greyish, with
dark cross lines, and still darker narrow bands; hind wings, similar, but
markings less distinct. Resembles {243} the last species in size, but the
wings are somewhat rounder, darker, and not so silky in appearance; the
body, near the thorax, is ochreous brown. Also known as _isogrammaria_,
Herrich-Schaeffer, but _haworthiata_, Doubleday, is stated by Prout to be
the older name.

In July and August the caterpillar (Plate 90, Fig. 3) may be found in the
flower-buds of the traveller's joy or old man's beard (_Clematis vitalba_).
It is green, with a bluish or pinkish tinge, and there are generally three
darker stripes along the back, but these are sometimes absent; occasionally
the ground colour is yellowish.

The moth is out in June and July, and may be seen flying about clematis in
the sunshine, but such specimens are not often worth taking. It is easily
reared from caterpillars, which will thrive on flowers of garden
_Clematis_, and may be obtained by the score, either by beating, or by
searching for discoloured or black-specked flower buds of the traveller's
joy.

The species is most frequent in the south of England, but it occurs in all
the eastern, some of the midland, and also in the northern counties to
Lancashire and Yorkshire; in the last-named county, Porritt states that the
caterpillars were found in profusion on _Clematis_ near Wadworth,
Doncaster, in 1901, It inhabits South Wales and Ireland.

Abroad, the species ranges to Amurland and China.

VALERIAN PUG (_Eupithecia valerianata_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 98, Fig. 3) are brownish grey, with
indistinct darker cross lines, and a wavy whitish submarginal line; the
latter is sometimes not clear, except towards the inner angle.

Caterpillar, rather short, bright green, with three darker green lines
along the back; a whitish line low down along the sides, and the
ring-divisions are yellow. It feeds, in July {244} and August, on flowers
and seeds of all-heal, or cat's valerian (_Valeriana officinalis_).

The moth is out in May and June; its haunts are in fens, marshes, and damp
spots affected by its food plant, but, as a rule, is only found in the
caterpillar state. A local, but widely distributed species in England;
occurs also in Wales and in Ireland.

LEAD-COLOURED PUG (_Eupithecia plumbeolata_).

The small, obscurely marked species, represented on Plate 98, Fig. 1, has
the fore wings whitish grey, sometimes assuming a yellowish tinge; a number
of rather wavy, darker cross lines, and a more or less clearly defined pale
band beyond the middle; discal spot always tiny and rarely distinct.

The stumpy caterpillar is yellowish green, with three purplish-red lines
along the back, the central one swollen on each ring, and the others
irregular; sometimes the back is suffused with purplish-red. It feeds on
the flowers of cow-wheat (_Melampyrum_) in July and August.

The moth is out in May and June, and is readily induced to fly out from
among cow-wheat, or the other herbage around. It may be found in most of
the English counties, wherever its food plant abounds; in South Wales; in
Scotland to Argyll and Aberdeen, and in Ireland from Cork to Donegal.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

MARSH PUG (_Eupithecia pygmaeata_).

This species (Plate 98, Fig. 4) may be distinguished from _haworthiata_,
which it approaches in size and general appearance, by its more pointed
fore wings and the white dot at the inner angle of these wings. {245}

The long, thin caterpillar is yellowish green; a pale olive line along the
middle of the back, connecting a series of urn-shaped blotches of the same
colour; two pale olive, irregular lines on each side. It feeds, in June and
July, on flowers of stitchwort (_Stellaria holostea_).

The moth is out in May and June, sometimes later; examples of a second
brood have been obtained in August and September. It flies in the
afternoon, but only when the sun shines, and where the food plant grows
freely.

The species occurs in all the eastern counties of England, in Bucks., and
in the northern counties to Cumberland and Northumberland. In Wales it has
been recorded from Colwyn, Denbighshire; in Scotland it is widely spread to
Perthshire; it is local and scarce in Ireland.

SLENDER PUG (_Eupithecia tenuiata_).

The fore wings are rather rounded; grey, more or less tinged with brownish,
and with ochreous or reddish brown along the front edge; the latter with
dusky clouds upon it; the cross lines are dark grey brown and fairly
distinct, and the discal spot is black (Plate 98, Fig. 5). A large grey
form from Moray, in Scotland, has been named _cinerae_, Gregson.

Caterpillar, rather stumpy, and dingy yellowish green in colour, the sides
and middle of the back rosy; a series of dusky spots, edged by black lines
or short streaks, along the back; and a row of pinkish oblique stripes on
the sides. It feeds, in the spring, in sallow catkins, and the moths may
often be bred in numbers, in June and July, from those catkins which fall
most readily from the bushes when we go "a sallowing." Moths frequently
rest on the stems, and where there is a clump of well-grown sallows, a good
series may be obtained.

The species is partial to fens and marshy places, and is found in such
situations over the greater part of the British Isles. {246}

MAPLE PUG (_Eupithecia inturbata_).

The fore wings are greyish brown, with many darker cross lines; the outer
margin is darker and traversed by a pale line; discal dot, dark grey and
not very distinct (Plate 98, Fig. 6). This species was long known as
_subciliata_, Guenee, but is now referred to _inturbata_, Hubner.

In May and June the caterpillars may be beaten from maple, which is
apparently the only food plant, and of which they have a decided preference
for the flowers. When full grown the larva is yellowish green with a
purplish stripe along the back, and whitish lines along the sides.

The moth may be jarred from the branches of the maple in July and August;
it is occasionally seen resting on fences, etc. It seems to be found in
England and Wales, in most places where there is a mature growth of maple.

THE ANGLE-BARRED PUG (_Eupithecia innotata_).

The greyish-brown fore wings of this species (Plate 98, Fig. 7) are crossed
by darker oblique lines, which are angled on the front margin; the
submarginal line is white and irregular, especially at each end.

Caterpillar, ochreous grey, inclining to pinkish, marked on the back with
white-edged, purplish- or reddish-brown blotches, and on the sides with
reddish or purple spots; a whitish line low down along the sides. It feeds
on the flowers of wormwood and mugwort (_Artemisia_), from August to
October.

The moth, which is uncommon and very local in England, is out in July. It
occurs in Devonshire (Exeter district), Kent (Wye), Essex (Shoeburyness),
Lincolnshire (Skegness, etc.), Worcestershire (Malvern), Lancashire and
Cheshire (coast sand-hills, Macclesfield, etc.), and Durham (Hartlepool).
{247}

ASH PUG (_Eupithecia fraxinata_).

Very similar to the last mentioned, but smaller, and the markings are less
distinct (Plate 98, Fig. 8).

The caterpillar is variable, but generally some shade of green,
occasionally purplish red; lines on the sides yellowish, and sometimes
there are dusky purplish marks on the back. It feeds, in August and
September, on ash, and is said to eat _Artemisia_, _Laurustinus_, and the
flowers of scabious. The moth is out in late June and July, and sometimes a
second generation appears in the autumn.

This species, which by some entomologists is considered to be a form of _E.
innotata_, is widely distributed over England, south Scotland, and Ireland.
_Tamarisciata_, Freyer, is also considered by some authorities to be a form
of _E. innotata_.

Some moths reared from larvae obtained, in 1905, from Tamarisk, in
Cornwall, have been referred to _tamarisciata_.

NARROW-WINGED PUG (_Eupithecia nanata_).

The rather variable species represented on Plate 99, Figs. 1 and 2, will
easily be recognised by its long pointed fore wings, which in colour are
whitish grey, darkened by brownish cross-stripes; a whitish spot before the
small, black discal dot.

The long, thin, caterpillar, which feeds on ling or heather in the autumn,
is whitish with a greenish tinge: the sides are marked with red, and there
are some reddish spots on the back.

On almost all heather-clad ground throughout the British Isles, this pretty
little moth will be found, more or less commonly, during the months of May
and early June, and sometimes there is a second flight in July and August.
{248}

BRINDLED PUG (_Eupithecia abbreviata_).

The ochreous grey fore wings of this species (Plate 99, Fig. 3) are crossed
by dark, bent lines, and marked with black on the veins; the central area
is sometimes whitish, and generally paler than the ground colour.

Caterpillar, slender, ochreous brown in colour, with browner lines and
redder V-shaped marks on the back. It feeds on oak, in June and July. The
moth is not uncommon in oak woods, in April and May, and may be beaten from
the boughs in the daytime, and not infrequently found resting on the
trunks. Generally distributed, but in Scotland not noted north of
Perthshire.

OAK-TREE PUG (_Eupithecia dodoneata_).

This species (Plate 99, Fig. 5) differs from the last in being smaller,
paler in colour, more distinctly marked, and with a rather larger and more
conspicuous discal spot.

The caterpillar feeds, in June and July, on young leaves of oak, the
flowers of the evergreen oak (_Quercus ilex_), and hawthorn. It is orange,
or ochreous red, with blackish marks connected by a line of the same colour
along the back, and yellowish stripes and lines on the sides.

The moth is out in May and early June, and occurs in some of the woods in
most of the southern counties of England, and on the west to
Worcestershire. It has been recorded from Yorks. and Cumberland; from
Glamorganshire, South Wales; and from counties Armagh, Dublin, Wicklow, and
Sligo, in Ireland.

MOTTLED PUG (_Eupithecia exiguata_).

In some respects this species (Plate 99, Fig. 4) is not unlike _E.
abbreviata_, but the general colour of the fore wings is pale grey
inclining to brownish; a good character is the blackish {249} band before
the submarginal line, which is interrupted by patches of the ground colour,
one above, and the other below, the middle; the submarginal line is whitish
towards the inner margin.

Caterpillar, long and thin; dark green; a series of yellow dotted reddish
marks on the back, and a yellow-edged reddish line low down along the
sides. It feeds, in the autumn, on hawthorn, sloe, currant, sallow, ash,
etc.

The moth is out in May and June, and is sometimes seen at rest on the stems
and branches of trees, fences, etc., and may be beaten out of hedgerows.

Widely distributed throughout England, Wales, Scotland to Perthshire, and
Ireland.

JUNIPER PUG (_Eupithecia sobrinata_).

Two specimens are shown on Plate 99: Fig. 6 represents a more or less
typical example from the Surrey downs, and Fig. 7 a pale form from Forres
in Scotland. The species varies in tint of ground colour, and in the
strength of marking, in all its localities; but in Scotland there is a
greater tendency to pale forms than in England. Mr. H. McArthur, during the
present year, obtained an extensive and most variable series from heather,
at Aviemore, in Inverness. A pale-brownish tinged white pug found in Kent
and the Isle of Wight, at one time referred to _E. ultimaria_, Boisduval,
and afterwards known as _stevensata_, Webb, is really, according to Prout,
_anglicata_, Herrich-Schaeffer. Whether this is a form of the present
species or specifically distinct is still left in doubt, but personally I
believe it to be a variety.

The dark-green, sometimes reddish marked, caterpillars may be beaten from
juniper bushes, from April to early June. The moth is out from late July to
early October, and may be found {250} in nearly all parts of the British
Isles where the food plant occurs, and occasionally in localities from
which juniper appears to be absent.

DOUBLE-STRIPED PUG (_Gymnoscelis_ (_Eupithecia_) _pumilata_).

[Illustration: FIG. 5.

DOUBLE-STRIPED PUG, AT REST.

(Photo by W. J. Lucas.)]

This species varies a good deal in the tint of the ground colour and the
cross markings. Three forms are depicted on Plate 99: Fig. 8 is a typical
male, and Fig. 9 shows a female with distinct red bands (ab.
_rufifasciata_, Haworth); both specimens are from Surrey. The greyish
example without red markings (Fig. 10) is from Ireland, and approaches ab.
_tempestivata_, Zeller, in form.

The caterpillar ranges in colour from yellowish-green to reddish; on the
back there is a dark-green or blackish line, and often a series of marks of
the same colour; the lines on the sides are yellowish. It feeds chiefly in
or on the flowers of furze, broom, holly, clematis, hawthorn, etc., from
May to September. There are certainly two broods, possibly more. The
specimens of the first, or spring, generation are usually larger in size
and more strongly marked than those of the summer brood.

The moth is most frequent, perhaps, in April, May, July, and August, but it
may be met with in either of the months from April to November. Pretty
generally distributed over the British Isles, including the Hebrides and
the Orkneys. {251}

CLOAKED PUG (_Eucymatoge togata_).

Over sixty years ago, this fine pug (Plate 99, Figs. 11 and 12) was
detected in England. It was first noted in a plantation of spruce fir at
Black Park, Buckinghamshire, in mid-June, 1845, and for many years this was
the only known British locality. At the present time it is obtained more or
less regularly in the New Forest, and has been recorded, chiefly in single
specimens, from Wiltshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Yorkshire, and
Durham. It is not uncommon in Scotland up to Inverness, but is most
plentiful in Perthshire.

Kane (_Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Ireland_) states that it is
spreading over an extensive area in Ireland, as a result of the planting of
spruce fir.

The caterpillar, which feeds in the spruce cones, and eats the immature
seeds, is dingy white with a pinkish tinge, and suffused with blackish
above; the lines along the back and sides, when present, are whitish but
not distinct; head, and raised dots on the body, black; a brown plate on
the first ring: July and August. Cones containing caterpillars may be
secured by visiting a known locality for the species towards the end of
August, especially immediately after a gale.

The moth may be dislodged from its resting place among the branches of the
spruce in June, sometimes earlier or later.

V-PUG (_Chloroclystis coronata_).

This is "_Phalaena_" _v-ata_, Haworth, and also the V-Pug of that author. A
later English name for the species is "The Coronet Pug," an Anglicism for
the Latin specific name, and has reference to the black upper part of the
outer cross line which is twice angled and bears a fanciful resemblance to
a {252} coronet; the lower angle is, however, most distinct, therefore
Haworth's English name seems most suitable as it indicates the V-mark,
which is a noticeable character of this delicate green species. (Plate 100,
Fig. 1.)

The caterpillar is yellowish green, with three reddish lines along the
back, the central one most distinct and sometimes forming triangular marks,
or lozenges. The ground colour varies, and may be greener, yellower, or
occasionally greyish; and the markings are not always present.

There are two generations, the first in June and July, and the second in
the autumn, and in confinement a third brood is sometimes obtained. The
blossoms of various plants are eaten, but those of hemp-agrimony
(_Eupatorium cannabinum_), golden-rod (_Solidago_), clematis, and purple
loosestrife (_Lythrum salicaria_), are perhaps favourites. Hawthorn and
bramble have also been mentioned as food plants.

The moth is out in most of the months from May to August, but seems to be
most frequent in the first named.

Generally distributed in the southern half of England, extending into South
Wales, rare in Yorkshire and in Roxburghshire, Scotland. Widely distributed
in Ireland. The range abroad extends to Japan.

GREEN PUG (_Chloroclystis rectangulata_).

Of this variable species five examples are shown on Plate 100. Figs. 2 and
3 represent the typical and more usual forms; 3 varies in the direction of
ab. _subaerata_, Hubn., and Fig. 4 is the greyish ab. _cydoniata_, Bork.
Ab. _nigrosericeata_, Haworth (Fig. 6), is blackish with white submarginal
line; and an intermediate form (Fig. 5) may be referable to ab.
_sericeata_, Haworth.

The stumpy caterpillar is of a pale yellow green colour, with {253} a more
or less distinct reddish or dark-green line along the back, and reddish
ring-divisions. It feeds in flowers of the wild apple or crab, and of
apples and pears grown in orchards and gardens. It is found in April and
May, and the moth is out in June and July.

The species is common throughout the greater part of England and Wales, and
its range extends to Ross in Scotland. It has a wide distribution in
Ireland.

BILBERRY PUG (_Chloroclystis debiliata_).

As a British insect, this species (Plate 100, Figs. 7 and 8) was first
found in Devonshire, and was then known by the English name of "The Devon
Pug." As the yellowish green caterpillar, marked with a darker line along
the back and a yellowish one low down on the sides, feeds on bilberry, in
April and May, and is by no means confined to Devonshire, the popular name
here adopted is more suitable.

When quite fresh the moth, which is out in June and July, has a very
delicate tinge of green, but this quickly fades out, leaving a pale greyish
white insect. In the typical form (Fig. 7) the black central lines are
fairly well defined, but in ab. _nigropunctata_, Chant (Fig. 8), the lines
are represented by a series of dots.

The species is common in some of the sheltered hollows among the hills in
Devon and Somerset, and I used to find it in abundance in the Martinhoe
district, in the former county. The moths were rarely disturbed from the
food plant during the day, but towards dusk they flew in numbers around
small trees of mountain ash. Other counties in which it is known to occur
are--England: Cornwall, Worcester, Staffordshire, Leicester, and Lancashire
(formerly on Chat Moss). Wales: Glamorgan and Pembroke. Scotland: Aberdeen.
Ireland: Wicklow, Waterford, Cork, Kerry, and Sligo. {254}

DENTATED PUG (_Collix sparsata_).

At one time this greyish brown species (Plate 102, Figs. 1, 2) was known by
the English name of "Broom Scallop," but it is now usually referred to, in
the vulgar tongue, as the Dentated Pug. The hind wings have their outer
margins toothed rather than scalloped, and the insect has nothing to do
with broom.

The rather long caterpillar is pale green, with four white lines along the
back, and one on each side; a whitish stripe along the black spiracles.
Head, pale brown, rather flat above. (Adapted from Porritt.) It feeds on
the yellow loosestrife (_Lysimachia vulgaris_), in July and August, or even
later. Fens and marshy woodlands are the haunts of the moth, which is out
in June and early July. It hides among the coarser vegetation, and is not
always easily disturbed therefrom; neither is it often noticed when on the
wing at night, although it is sometimes found at the flowers of buckthorn.

Localities for the species are the fens of Cambridge and Norfolk, the boggy
parts of the New Forest, Hants; Dorset (Bloxworth and Hyde, etc.); Cheshire
(Delamere Forest); Yorkshire (bogs near York, and Thorne Waste).

The range abroad extends to Japan.

DARK SPINACH (_Pelurga comitata_).

The darker banded, pale ochreous species shown on Plate 102, Figs. 3
[male], 4 [female], varies in the colour of the band to brownish; the
central area of this band is almost always pale ochreous or whitish, to a
greater or lesser extent.

Caterpillar, stout and roughened; ochreous inclining to reddish, and tinged
above with greenish; a series of V-shaped marks along the back, yellow
oblique darker on the sides, and a greyish edged pale wavy line low down
along the sides. {255} The figures 2, 2a, on Plate 94 are from coloured
drawings by Mr. A. Sich.

It feeds in the autumn on the flowers and seeds of various kinds of
goosefoot (_Chenopodium_), also on Orache (_Atriplex_). The moth is out in
July and August, and may be found among its food plants and other low
herbage growing in waste places, more particularly those on sandy coasts.
Around the borders of market gardens, especially those in the south of
London, and in Kent and Surrey, it is often very common. The species
probably occurs more or less freely in suitable places almost throughout
the British Isles.

Its range abroad extends to East Siberia.

SLENDER-STRIPED RUFOUS (_Phibalapteryx lapidata_).

The rather pointed fore wings are pale brownish, and are crossed by several
fine wavy and rather darker lines, and three more distinct, slightly curved
lines, one of which is at the base and two are on the central area. The
outer margin of the hind wings, which are pale brown, more or less shaded
with dusky, is irregular. (Plate 102, Fig. 6.)

Caterpillar, whitish-yellow above, inclining to pale buff below; lines of
grey freckles along the back and sides, the lower one broader and darker;
head, grey, freckled with darker. According to Hellins, who reared it from
the egg, it feeds in May and June, on traveller's joy (_Clematis vitalba_).
The natural food is doubtful, but is said to be grass, whilst Kirby states
that in the South of France the caterpillar eats evergreen oak.

The moth is out in September and early October, and is found in Scotland on
the hills, in rough grassy and rush-covered spots, at elevations ranging
from 300 to 800 feet. In Ireland, it is not uncommon in Antrim, Donegal,
Sligo, Mayo, Galway, {256} and Limerick. Barrett states that a specimen has
been taken at Shap Fell in Westmorland.

Abroad, the range extends to East Siberia.

MANY-LINED MOTH (_Phibalapteryx polygrammata_).

The female example of this species, represented on Plate 102, Fig. 5, is
from Germany; the male is somewhat paler and the central markings less
distinct. This form is var. _conjunctaria_, Lederer, and most of the
specimens formerly obtained in the Cambridgeshire fens, chiefly Burwell and
Wicken, were referable to it. The species has not been seen in its old
fenland haunts for very many years, and it is probably now extinct in
Britain. Specimens have been in the past (and still continue to be)
recorded from other British localities, but these on investigation are
found to be cases of mistaken identity. _C. vittata_ = _lignata_ bears a
strong likeness to _P. polygrammata_, and is often confused with it, but in
the latter the outer band does not run to the tips of the fore wings, as it
does in the former species.

SMALL WAVED UMBER (_Phibalapteryx_ (_Coenocalpe_) _vitalbata_).

At first sight this moth (Plate 102, Fig. 7) might be mistaken for a small
specimen of the Waved Umber (_Hemerophila abruptaria_), but it will be
noted that the dark stripe on the fore wings starts from the middle of the
inner margin, and runs to just below the tips of the wings; the outer
margin of the hind wings is not wavy, and the antennae of the male are not
pectinated.

The caterpillar, which feeds on traveller's joy (_Clematis vitalba_), in
June-July, and in September-October, is greyish {257} brown, with three
blackish lines along the back, the central one broader than the other two,
especially on the middle of each ring, where it swells out into a black
spot.

In May and June, and again in August, the moth may be disturbed from the
food plant growing in masses in hedgerows, etc. It occurs in most of the
southern counties of England, westward to Herefordshire and South Wales,
and eastward to Suffolk. Forsythe states that it is local in the Lancaster
district.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

THE FERN (_Phibalapteryx_ (_Coenocalpe_) _tersata_).

The general colour of this species (Plate 102, Fig. 8) is pale brown, with
a tendency to reddish in some specimens, and to greyish in others.

Caterpillar, pale brownish inclining to ochreous; on each side of an
irregular blackish line along the centre of the back is a pale yellowish
line, and there are white spots on the back of the middle rings. It feeds
on _Clematis_, in August and September. The moth is out in June and July,
and will be found in similar localities to those mentioned for the previous
species, and, except that it has not been recorded from Lancaster, its
range in England is much about the same.

The distribution abroad extends to Japan.

OBLIQUE CARPET (_Coenocalpe vittata_).

This species, also known as _lignata_, Hubner, is usually pale brown in
ground colour, tinged with ochreous or pinkish; the darker oblique stripes
vary in width and in intensity. (Plate 102, Figs. 9 [male], gen. 1; 10
[male], gen. 2.)

The caterpillar is of a yellow-green colour, inclining to {258} ochreous
brown on the upper portions of the middle rings; a darker irregular line
along the back, and a whitish line on each side, the latter edged above and
below with a fine black line; below the spiracles is a pale pinkish brown
stripe. Varies in the tint of ground colour and in the markings. It feeds,
after hibernation, on bedstraw (_Galium palustre_, _G. saxatile_, etc.),
and caterpillars from eggs laid in June may be reared on clematis, wild or
cultivated.

The moth is out in May and June, sometimes later, and a second generation
appears in August and September; the individuals of the later brood are
often smaller than those of the first brood. Its haunts are fens, marshes,
and water-meads, but in Middlesex I have taken a specimen or two flying
along a weedy ditch. Widely distributed throughout the British Isles, but
not noted in Scotland north of Moray.

THE GEM (_Percnoptilota fluviata_).

Also known in the vulgar tongue as "The Narrow-barred Carpet." As will be
seen on reference to Plate 102, the male (Fig. 12) is pale brown with a
dark central band; and the female (Fig. 11) is purplish brown, the central
band rather blackish, and on it is the discal mark, a black centred white
spot. The specimens figured are rather small.

The following aberrations have been named--ab. _marginata_, Mathew, with
the fringes of all the wings conspicuously pinky-grey; ab. _olivacea_,
Mathew, a form of the female with olive brown fore wings; ab. _obsoleta_,
Mathew, a form of the male with the dark central band nearly or quite
absent.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 102.
    1, 2. DENTATED PUG.
    3, 4. DARK SPINACH.
       5. MANY-LINED.
       6. SLENDER-STRIPED RUFOUS.
       7. SMALL WAVED UMBER.
       8. THE FERN.
   9, 10. OBLIQUE CARPET.
  11, 12. THE GEM.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 103.
  1-5. MAGPIE MOTH.
  6-8. CLOUDED MAGPIE.

{259} The caterpillar is greyish, sometimes tinged with pink, and sometimes
with green; three dusky lines on the head and first three rings of the
body, a series of blackish outlined, whitish marks on the middle rings, and
blackish marks on the other rings, which are pale in colour; a blackish
line above the black-edged spiracles is broken up into dashes on the middle
rings. Several other forms of the caterpillar, which is a variable one,
have been described by Hellins. The food comprises groundsel, knotgrass,
chrysanthemum, and various other plants. There are several generations
during the year, and in hot weather the caterpillars feed up rapidly, so
quickly indeed that in about a month the whole round of changes from egg to
moth is effected. The species is migratory in habit, and there is little
doubt that the specimens taken in this country in late spring or early
summer are immigrants; those examples obtained later in the year are
probably the descendants of such aliens. It is more frequently noted from
southern England, chiefly from the seaboard counties, but it has been
recorded from Lancashire and Yorkshire; also from Wales, and from several
parts of Ireland: April to November.

BOARMIINAE.

CLOUDED MAGPIE (_Abraxas sylvata_).

A more or less typical example of each sex of this variable species will be
found on Plate 103. Fig. 7 represents a male, and Fig. 8 a female; the
slightly marked specimen (Fig. 6) somewhat approaches the continental
species _A. pantaria_, L., in appearance, and it is probable that such
individuals have done duty for the species just named in some of the older
collections of British lepidoptera. On Plate 104 are shown the leaden
tinted form (Fig. 6), sometimes not infrequent in certain Yorkshire
localities; a specimen with smoky fore wings (Fig. 7), taken with a few
other examples of the same form in a wood in Buckinghamshire, in 1907, when
also the strongly banded form (Fig. 8) was secured by Mr. A. J. Scollick.
Between these {260} extremes and the more typical forms all kinds of
intergrades occur, but it is not possible here to discuss these in detail.

The pale greenish yellow eggs and two caterpillars are figured on Plate
101, Figs. 2, 2a. The latter are whitish, inclining to yellowish on the
back, and lined with black; stripe below the black spiracles, yellow; head,
black and glossy. The food is wych-elm (_Ulmus montana_), but beech and
hazel are said to be eaten at times: August to October. The moth is found
in May and June, sitting about on the leaves of dog's mercury, and other
vegetation in its woodland haunts. Although it sometimes occurs sparingly
in the southern seaboard counties, it is far more frequent in the west,
ranging from North Devon to Cumberland, and including Wales. It is common
in Bucks., and northwards to Northumberland, and extends into South
Scotland. In Ireland, not uncommon at Killarney, and reported from a few
other localities.

THE MAGPIE (_Abraxas grossulariata_).

[Illustration: FIG. 6.

MAGPIE MOTH, DRYING WINGS.

(Photo by H. Main.)]

Except that the specimen represented by Fig. 2 has traces of a yellow band
on the hind wings, Figs. 1-3 on Plate 103 show this highly variable species
in its typical and most frequent form. Figs. 4 and 5 depict examples of the
ordinary darker forms leading up to ab. _hazeleighensis_, Raynor, in which
the whole of the fore wing area between the orange bands is blackish,
except two tiny white specks near the front margin. Not infrequently the
black spots on the outer margin of the fore wings exhibit a tendency to
spread inwards, as in Figs. 2 and 5, and very occasionally they unite with
the series of spots outside the orange band, as in Plate 104, Fig. 1, which
represents a specimen (kindly lent by Mr. R. Adkin) with blackish tinged
hind wings. Sometimes the ground colour of all the wings is yellowish (ab.
_lutea_, Cockerell), but the markings {261} are of the usual pattern. The
example of this form (Plate 104, Fig. 3) was reared from a large number of
caterpillars I collected at Purley, in Surrey, a year or two ago, and was
the only example among the moths resulting therefrom that was worth
retaining. The very fine variety shown on Plate 104, Fig. 5, is ab.
_varleyata_, Porritt, which occurs in Yorkshire, but is mostly reared in
captivity from eggs obtained from a wild female in the first place, and
subsequent pairings; the specimen figured is an especially fine example of
the female sex, raised among others of the same form by Mr. G. T. Porritt
of Huddersfield, who has been good enough to lend it for the purpose.
Several other varieties of this species have been named and described by
the Rev. Gilbert H. Raynor, but reference can only be made here to two of
these; one is ab. _melanozona_, a Scottish form, in which there is a black
blotch with traces of yellow in it at the base of the fore wings; a large
black discal spot in the white central area; a black band, widening towards
the front margin, before the faint yellow band, the latter followed by four
black spots; hind wings with central black spot, and two series of black
{262} spots beyond, seven in each series, separated by a well-defined white
area. Fig. 2 on Plate 104 represents a specimen that approaches this
variety. The handsome cream-coloured specimen (Plate 104, Fig. 4) is ab.
_lacticolor_, Raynor, and I am obliged to Mr. Adkin for the loan of these
insects also.

The caterpillar and chrysalis are figured on Plate 101, Figs. 1, 1b; the
former is creamy white, marked on the back with black blotches and dots,
and lines of black dots on the sides; between the lower two rows is a broad
reddish line; head, black; sometimes the whole body is black. It occurs in
gardens, and sometimes is a serious pest where currants and gooseberries
are cultivated; it frequently abounds on _Euonymus japonicus_. In the open
country it feeds on sloe and hawthorn; sometimes it is found on elm (low
growth in hedges), apple, navelwort (_Cotyledon umbilicus_), orpine (_Sedum
telephium_), and in the Hebrides, on ling (_Calluna_). August to May, or
early June, are the months in which it is found as a rule; occasionally it
does not hibernate, but feeds up and attains the moth state in the autumn
of the year that it hatches from the egg. The moth is out, normally, in
July and August, and is generally distributed over the greater part of the
British Isles.

The range abroad extends to East Siberia, China, and Japan.

CLOUDED BORDER (_Lomaspilis marginata_).

Figs. 1 and 2 on Plate 107 represent the more usual forms, in both sexes,
of this rather common, but pretty, little moth. Occasionally, specimens are
obtained in which, with the exception of a dark patch or two on the front
margin, the wings are entirely white or slightly tinged with pale yellowish
(ab. _pollutaria_, Hubner); a modification of this form is shown in Fig. 3.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 104.
  1-5. MAGPIE MOTH VARIETIES.
  6-8. CLOUDED MAGPIE VARIETIES.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 105.
  1. SCORCHED CARPET: _caterpillar_.
  2. CLOUDED BORDER: _caterpillar_.
  3. COMMON WHITE WAVE: _caterpillar_.

{263}

Ab. _nigrofasciaria_, Schoyen, has a rather broad blackish band across the
central area of each wing, and indications of such bands, in the shape of
spots or dots, are seen in many examples of the species; occasionally, the
irregular dark border of the outer margin of the wings is traversed by an
interrupted whitish line.

The caterpillar is yellowish-green, with three dark-green double lines on
the back, the central one blotched with purplish brown on the last ring;
head, green, marked with purplish brown. The figure (Plate 105, Fig. 2) is
from a drawing in colour by Mr. Sich. It feeds on sallow, willow, and
aspen, and may be found almost throughout the summer from June. The moth is
also met with during the summer months, but seems to be most frequent in
May and June. The species prefers moist localities where sallows abound,
and in such places seems to occur pretty generally over the British Isles.
In Scotland, however, it has not, apparently, been noted north of Moray.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

THE SCORCHED CARPET (_Ligdia adustata_).

The bluish-grey band on the outer third of the fore wings varies in width,
and the velvety black marking thereon varies in amount; this area of the
wings is also more or less clouded with reddish brown, and the underside of
all the wings is much suffused with reddish brown, which gives the insect
the burnt or scorched appearance to which both Latin and English names
refer. (Plate 107, Figs. 4 [male] and 5 [female].) In June and early July,
and again in late August and September, the red-spotted, bright-green
caterpillar may be beaten from the spindle bushes (_Euonymus europaeus_) in
hedgerows. (Fig. 1, Plate 105, is from a coloured drawing by Mr. Sich.)
{264}

The moth is out in late April sometimes, but it is more frequent in May and
June, and as a second generation in August, earlier or later in some
seasons. It may be knocked out of hedges in which spindle is growing. The
species is not uncommon in most of the southern English counties, but in
the northern ones its occurrence is more casual. It has been recorded from
North Wales; in Ireland it is fairly common in some western and southern
counties, and rare in the east and north; in Scotland, only noted from the
south-east, Arran, and the Hebrides.

Abroad, its range extends to Japan, where it is represented by var.
_japoniata_, Staudinger.

THE SLOE CARPET (_Aleucis_ (_Bapta_) _pictaria_).

This blackish-grey species (Plate 107, Fig. 6) has been confused in the
past with _pictaria_, Thunberg, which is referable to _Cleora lichenaria_,
and it was then known by the popular name of "The Grey Carpet." As the
caterpillar feeds on the foliage of the sloe, and the moth is fond of
resting on the stems and twigs, and appears at the time the bushes are
wreathed in their snowy blossoms, the sloe carpet seems to be rather more
suitable than are most of the names by which our moths are popularly known.

The caterpillar is dusky brown, with blackish V-shaped marks upon the back,
white marks on rings 7 and 8, and a black line on the last ring. It feeds
at night, in June and early July, and as it remains on the bushes during
the day, it may be obtained by beating. At night the moths fly about the
bushes for a short time, and then sit on the twigs, when they may be
secured. Of course, a lantern will be a necessity.

Barrett states that stunted bushes on open heaths and hillsides are
preferred to hedgerows. {265}

The species is very local, but generally not uncommon where it occurs, as,
for example, in the New Forest, Hampshire; the Loughton and Colchester
districts, Essex; and in some parts of Kent. It has been noted from Tilgate
Forest, and other localities in Sussex; and also from Surrey, Berkshire,
and Suffolk.

WHITE-PINION SPOTTED (_Bapta bimaculata_).

The two cross lines on the fore wings of this silky white species (Plate
107, Fig. 9) commence in blackish spots on the front margin; often they are
only indicated by series of dots, and are rarely really distinct.
Occasionally, a greyish submarginal line or band is present.

The darkish green caterpillar has a series of purplish marks on the back;
head, inclining to yellowish, and powdered with purplish. It feeds, in June
and July, on the leaves of wild cherry and plum, and will eat hawthorn; it
may be beaten from its food plant in the daytime. The moth is out in May
and June, and shelters in bushes, etc., in woods and hedgerows. During the
day it is frequently put up from its hiding-places, but its usual time of
flight is the evening, when it is readily seen and not difficult to
capture. It is local, and perhaps most frequently met with in those parts
of South England where the wild cherry flourishes. Occurs more or less
commonly in most of the southern counties, but north of Gloucester, Oxford,
and Norfolk it has only been noted from North Lancashire, Westmoreland, and
Cumberland. In Wales the late Mr. C. G. Barrett found the moth rare in
Pembrokeshire, and there is also a record from Anglesey.

The range abroad extends to China, Corea, and Japan. {266}

CLOUDED SILVER (_Bapta temerata_).

In its silky, white wings this species (Plate 107, Figs. 7 [male], 8
[female]) is similar to the last mentioned. It is, however, rather larger,
and there are greyish clouds on each side of the outer cross line, but
there are no blackish spots on the front edge of the fore wings. The
clouding referred to is heavier and darker in some specimens than in
others, but occasionally, chiefly in the female, is almost absent.

The green caterpillar, when full grown, is ornamented with brown-bordered
reddish spots on the back, but these markings are absent in its earlier
stages. The head is paler than the body, and has a reddish spot on each
side. It feeds, in July and August, on sloe, plum, and bird cherry in this
country, but the continental authors give birch, willow, rose, etc. The
moth is out in May and June, and occurs throughout England and Wales, to
Cumberland; but it is far more frequent in the south than in the north.
Barrett mentions a single specimen from Wigtownshire in Scotland. In
Ireland, Kane states that it is abundant at Clonbrock, Merlin Park, and in
several other localities in Galway; it is not uncommon at Killarney, Kerry;
and a few specimens have been taken at Powerscourt, Wicklow, and Sligo.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

COMMON WHITE WAVE (_Cabera pusaria_).

In its typical form (Plate 107, Figs. 10, 11) this white species has three
dark-grey almost parallel cross lines on the fore wings and two on the hind
wings. The first or the second of these lines on the fore wings may be
absent, occasionally both may be missing and the third very faint. Not
infrequently in undersized bred specimens the first line approaches the
second line either throughout its length or near the inner margin, and more
rarely the two are united; in most of such aberrations the tips of the fore
wings are rather more rounded than in typical specimens, and these are
referable to ab. _rotundaria_, Haworth (Round-winged Wave). I have over a
dozen examples of this form, all of which were reared from caterpillars
which had been kept on short rations when nearly mature; in some, the outer
margin of the fore wings is distinctly rounded, but in others it is much
the same as in the larger typical form, and one of these is shown on Plate
107, Fig. 12. The ground colour occasionally assumes a greyish tint, and
sometimes this is tinged with pink; more rarely the general colour is
leaden grey.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 106.
      1. BARRED RED: _caterpillar_.
  2, 2a. BARRED UMBER: _egg_, _natural size and enlarged, and caterpillar_.
      3. LIGHT EMERALD: _eggs_, _natural size and enlarged_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 107.
     1-3. CLOUDED BORDER.
    4, 5. SCORCHED CARPET.
       6. SLOE CARPET.
    7, 8. CLOUDED SILVER.
       9. WHITE-PINION SPOTTED.
   10-12. COMMON WHITE WAVE.
  13, 14. COMMON WAVE.

{267} The caterpillar, of which there are two broods, one in July and
another in September, feeds on birch, alder, sallow, etc. It is purplish
brown, spotted with white above, and greenish below on the first three
rings. There is also a green form with purplish brown marks on the back.
(Plate 105, Fig. 3, from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich.) The moth is
out in May, June, and August, and is generally common throughout the
greater part of the British Isles.

Abroad, the range extends to East Siberia and Amurland.

COMMON WAVE (_Cabera exanthemata_).

Somewhat similar to the last species, but sprinkled with ochreous grey; the
fore wings have three greyish cross lines, the first two less regular than
those of _pusaria_, and the outer one distinctly curved; variation in the
lines is pretty much the same as in _pusaria_ and its small form ab.
_rotundaria_. Of the form showing the first and second lines more or less
confluent, I have seven examples reared from collected caterpillars; six
are undersized, but the other is of quite ordinary size (ab. _approximata_,
Haworth); another specimen, also bred, is thinly {268} powdered with
ochreous grey, and the lines are very indistinct. The more usual forms are
shown on Plate 107, Figs. 13, 14.

The caterpillar is green, inclining to yellowish or to brownish; some
purplish-red marks and white-edged black spots on the back; the ring
divisions are yellow, and there are reddish-brown or purplish-red marks on
the sides; the markings vary. It feeds on birch, alder, and sallow, and may
be beaten out at any time from July to September. The moth is out through
the summer from May; its range in the British Isles is very similar to that
of the last species, but it seems to have a preference for moist places.

The distribution abroad extends eastward to Amurland, and a form known as
ab. _schaefferi_, Bremer, occurs in the last-named country, and also in
Corea and Japan.

BARRED UMBER (_Numeria pulveraria_).

Pale ochreous or reddish brown freckled with darker; the central dark
reddish brown band is sometimes much narrowed below the middle; sometimes
only the edges of the band are dark, the enclosed space being but little
darker than the ground colour, or occasionally tinged with greenish; one
example of the latter and two of the former were reared this year (1908)
from larvae received in July, 1907, from Mr. F. Pope of Exeter; a male
specimen bred from the same batch of larvae, but which emerged in August of
the year last mentioned, is distinctly tinged with rosy over all the wings;
the narrow band on the hind wings, not usually extended to the front edge,
is in this specimen entire, whilst the greenish-banded specimen referred to
above is without trace of a band on the hind wings. Two examples which are
without locality, but which, I believe, came from the New Forest, have pale
greyish-brown fore wings banded with brown in which there is a tinge of
olive. Two examples of the male are figured on Plate 108. The eggs (Plate
{269} 106, Fig. 2a) were pale greenish yellow when laid, May 17 to 20; the
larvae hatched out from May 31 to June 2.

The caterpillar, which is also depicted on the plate, is reddish brown,
mottled with yellowish brown. It feeds on birch, sallow, ash, etc., from
June to August.

The moth, as a rule, does not emerge until the following spring, but
sometimes specimens will come out the same year.

Although widely distributed over nearly the whole of the British Isles, the
species seems to be rarely met with in large numbers. The range abroad
extends to Amurland, Corea, and Japan.

BARRED RED (_Ellopia_ (_Hylaea_) _prosapiaria_).

The typical form of this species is depicted on Plate 108, Figs. 4 [male],
5 [female], and Fig. 3 on the same plate represents ab. _prasinaria_,
Hubner, a form not uncommon in Germany (whence came the example figured),
Switzerland, and other parts of the continent, but which is very rare in
Britain, and has been recorded from Kent and Suffolk. Sometimes, but
chiefly in Scotland, the colour varies to a greyish or even yellowish tint;
the cross lines are often parallel or nearly so, and frequently approach
each other about the middle; the usual white edging to the cross lines is
occasionally absent, and the enclosed space in such specimens is hardly
darker than the general colour.

On Plate 106, Fig. 1, will be found a figure of the caterpillar, which is
tawny brown with white-edged, connected reddish marks along the back. It
feeds, from September to May, on Scots pine (_Pinus sylvestris_), and
occasionally on larch. The moth is out in June and July, and sometimes in
September. It may be jarred from the pine boughs, and is not infrequently
seen resting on foliage of the undergrowth. Generally distributed in
fir-woods throughout Great Britain, and widely spread in Ireland.

The range abroad extends to East Siberia. {270}

THE LIGHT EMERALD (_Metrocampa_ (_Eudalimia_) _margaritaria_).

When quite fresh, this species (Plate 108, Fig. 6) is of a delicate
whitish-green colour, but the green tint is apt to fade or to change
colour, so that the wings are almost ochreous white sometimes.

The eggs shown on Plate 106, Fig. 3, were kindly supplied by Mr. Norman
Riley.

The caterpillar ranges in colour from greenish brown to purplish brown, and
is frequently freckled with a darker shade of the general colour; there is
sometimes a pale patch on rings 6 and 7, and the sides are fringed with
fine bristles along the spiracle area. It feeds, from September to May, on
the leaves of oak, birch, beech, elm, etc., and during the winter will
nibble the bark of the younger twigs, and also eat the buds.

The moth, which is partial to the woodlands, is out in June and July, and
is pretty generally distributed over the British Isles, except the
Hebrides, Orkneys, and Shetlands.

LARGE THORN (_Ennomos autumnaria_).

This fine species was first definitely ascertained to occur in Britain in
1855, but it had been reported as British at a much earlier date, and was
figured by Wood in 1839. Up to 1859 it had only been recorded from the
North Foreland and Margate in Kent, and from Brighton, Sussex. In 1862, a
specimen was taken at Brighton and one at Deal, the latter a female. Two
examples were secured at Gosport, Hampshire, in 1865, and one at Deal in
1867. Then, after an interval of ten years, three were captured in Hants
(Alverstoke), and two years later a round dozen were obtained at Gosport.
During the last thirty years specimens have been recorded from Margate,
Deal, Dover, Folkestone, Hythe, and Ashford (1907), in Kent, from
Chichester, Sussex, and from Shoeburyness, Essex (1898). It has been reared
on several occasions from eggs obtained from captured females, and is still
more frequently bred from eggs deposited by the descendants of wild
parents.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 108.
  1, 2. BARRED UMBER.
     3. BARRED RED (GREEN VAR.).
  4, 5. BARRED RED.
     6. LIGHT EMERALD.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 109.
  1, 3. LARGE THORN.
  2, 4, 5. AUGUST THORN.

{271} The eggs are deep olive, with a white ring at one end; and the
caterpillar is brownish in colour, rather shining, and very twig-like. It
feeds on birch, alder, hawthorn, sloe, plum, etc., and has been found on
sycamore and cherry; May to August. The early stages are figured on Plate
106, Figs. 1, 1a. The moth (Plate 109, Figs. 1 [male], 3 [female]), which
varies in colour from pale to deep ochreous yellow, and also in the amount
of purplish brown freckling, usually has the upper part of the outer
marginal area some shade of tawny brown. Specimens of a greyish chocolate
tint have recently been reared by Mr. Newman, of Bexley (Plate 134, Fig.
9). Most of the specimens captured in England have been obtained at light
in the autumn. The range abroad extends to Amurland, Japan, and North
America.

AUGUST THORN (_Ennomos quercinaria_).

The male (Plate 109, Fig. 2) is generally yellower than the female (Fig.
4), and it is in the former sex that brownish or red-brown clouding on the
outer area beyond the second cross line appears most frequently, but it
occurs also in the female (Plate 109, Fig. 5). Sometimes the wings are
partly or entirely dull reddish brown. Two other examples of the type form
showing modification of the cross lines will be found on Plate 111, Figs. 5
[male], 6 [female]. In ab. _carpinaria_, Hubner, the wings are of a reddish
ochreous colour. A hybrid resulting from a crossing of _E. alniaria_ [male]
and _E. quercinaria_ [female] has been named _dartfordi_, Tutt.

The caterpillar (Plate 113, Fig. 3) is generally grey brown, mottled with
reddish or olive; but, according to Fenn, it is {272} sometimes greenish,
without humps or projections. It feeds, in the summer, on lime, birch, oak,
hawthorn, etc. A chrysalis which I took out of its puparium (two leaves
spun together with silk) on July 9, 1907, was green, with the upper surface
tinged with yellowish; a dark-green central line, and a series of
dark-green irregular marks on each side; the tail pointed and furnished
with reddish hooks.

The moth is out in August and September, and may often be seen sitting on
the boles of trees, generally low down. The species is widely distributed
over England, but is much more frequent in the south than in the north. It
has been recorded from Swansea in Wales; from Dumfries, Dunoon, and
Monteith, in Scotland; and from near Derry, Hazlewood (Sligo), Mote Park
(Roscommon), and Clonbrock (Galway), in Ireland.

CANARY-SHOULDERED THORN (_Ennomos alniaria_).

This species (Plate 111, Figs. 1, 2) is generally easily recognised by the
canary yellow coloured hairs of the thorax. The fore wings are yellowish,
sprinkled with purplish grey, and crossed by two curved greyish-brown
lines, which not infrequently fall close together on the inner margin. In
some female specimens that I reared from eggs, received from York, the
wings are more or less tinged with dull tawny brown, especially on the
outer area, and in two of them the thorax is also brownish tinged.

The at first green, and afterwards blackish slate-coloured, egg, with
whitish ring, and the caterpillar are shown on Plate 110, Fig. 2, 2a. The
latter is brownish, mottled with purplish above, and inclining to greenish
below; head, rather paler brown. It feeds, from May to July, on birch,
alder, etc. The moth is out in the autumn, and occurs in suitable woodland
and marshy places over England, Wales, and Scotland to Moray. It has been
found in many parts of Ireland.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 110.
  1, 1a, 1b, 1c. LARGE THORN: _eggs, natural size and enlarged;
      caterpillar, chrysalis and puparium_.
  2, 2a. CANARY-SHOULDERED THORN: _eggs, natural size and enlarged, and
      caterpillar_.
  3, 3a. DUSKY THORN: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 111.
  1, 2. CANARY-SHOULDERED THORN.
  3, 4. DUSKY THORN.
  5, 6. AUGUST THORN.

{273}

DUSKY THORN (_Ennomos fuscantaria_).

Figs. 3 [male], 4 [female], Plate 111, represent the usual form of this
species; in some specimens the outer marginal pale purplish-brown shading
spreads inwards over the fore wings to the base; in other examples it is
only seen on the upper part of the outer area.

The caterpillar (Plate 110, Fig. 3) is green, pretty much of the same tint
as the underside of the ash leaf upon which, and the stalks, it rests by
day. In some examples the general colour inclines to pale brown, or reddish
brown. It may be found during the summer, and where the leaves are seen to
have neat round holes in them, these should be examined, when this
caterpillar will probably be found somewhere adjacent. Ash (_Fraxinus
excelsior_) is the usual food, but possibly privet might answer as a
substitute. The moth is out in August and September, and occurs in most
parts of Southern England where the ash flourishes; its range extends into
South Wales, and northwards to Durham and Northumberland. Only doubtfully
recorded from Ireland, and apparently unknown in Scotland.

SEPTEMBER THORN (_Ennomos erosaria_).

This species, shown on Plate 134, Fig. 6, varies in ground colour from pale
ochreous to pale fulvous; the cross lines approach towards the inner
margin, and sometimes the second line is bent inwards below the middle. The
central spot is generally absent, and when present is exceedingly faint.
The twig-like caterpillar is brownish, with a greenish or purplish tinge.
In its infancy it is a smooth-looking creature, but as it advances in
growth knobs and humps appear, the most prominent of which are on rings 2,
5, 8, and 11; on the {274} last ring there are two points. It feeds on oak
chiefly, but will eat birch, lime, etc.: May to July. The moth is out in
August and September, and occurs more or less frequently in most of the
southern counties of England, but is rather scarce in the Midlands and
northwards. It occurs in South Wales, and has been recorded from the south
of Scotland. Very rare in Ireland.

NOTE.--The species of _Ennomos_ are fond of light, and in suitable spots,
gas and electric lamps, in the streets, or even in the house when windows
are open, will attract these moths. Most of the specimens of _autumnaria_
that have been captured in Britain have occurred at light. _Quercinaria_
is, perhaps, less often noted at light than its allies; but, curiously,
this species is more frequently seen at rest on tree trunks, etc., than are
either of the other kinds. Female moths taken at light may not always be in
first-rate condition, but they will probably lay eggs, and should be kept
for that purpose in a chip box. The caterpillars do not hatch out until the
following spring. Put the eggs in a cool place.

EARLY THORN (_Selenia bilunaria_).

The sexes of the spring or typical form are depicted on Plate 112, Figs. 1
[male], 2 [female], and the paler summer form var. _juliaria_ (July Thorn),
Haworth, is represented by Fig. 3. The underside is shown in Mr. H. Main's
photo of the moth in its natural resting attitude.

The caterpillar is orange or reddish brown, sometimes inclining to
purplish; there are pairs of reddish raised points on the back of rings 7
and 8; as will be seen from the accompanying illustration, which is from a
photograph by Mr. Main, the creature, when resting, is very like a twig. It
feeds on birch, alder, sallow, hawthorn, sloe, etc., in May and June, and
again in August and September. The moth is out in April and {275} early
May. In 1905, a male occurred at Carnforth, Lancs., on June 8; the second
generation appears in July and August. A third has been obtained in
captivity, and the moths of this brood are similar to those of the second.
It has happened that the emergence of some moths of the second, or summer,
form has been delayed until the following February, but these remained true
to their race and did not assume the spring form.

[Illustration: FIG. 7.

EARLY THORN AT REST.]

[Illustration: FIG. 8.

CATERPILLAR OF EARLY THORN.]

(Photos by H. Main.)

Generally distributed throughout England and Wales, and often abundant,
especially in the south. In Scotland, Renton states that it is common in
Roxburghshire, but there is only one brood; the range extends to
Sutherlandshire. Widely spread in Ireland and plentiful in some parts.
{276}

LUNAR THORN (_Selenia lunaria_).

A female of this species is shown on Plate 112, Fig. 4; the male is usually
more clouded with reddish. A second generation is sometimes raised in
captivity, and the males of this brood (var. _delunaria_, Hubner) are
somewhat paler, whilst the females incline to a yellowish tint. In Scotch
specimens, the reddish markings are tinged with purple; and ab.
_sublunaria_, Stephens, from Derbyshire, has the coloration very similar to
that of the spring form of _S. tetralunaria_.

The caterpillar is figured on Plate 113, Fig. 2. The ground colour is
usually some shade of brown, ranging from greyish or greenish to reddish,
variegated with darker or paler clouds, and with traces of pale lines on
the back. It occurs in the open from July to September, but may be reared
both earlier and later in confinement. It feeds on sloe, plum, oak, birch,
etc. The moth, in May and June, is sometimes seen on hedges or on the
plants growing below; or it may be jarred from the branches of trees, when
it is more apt to fall to the ground than to fly. Like others of this group
it is fond of light, and is frequently attracted thereto at night. The
species is rarely plentiful, and always more or less local, but it is
widely distributed over the British Isles to the Orkneys.

PURPLE THORN (_Selenia tetralunaria_).

On Plate 112, Fig. 5 represents a specimen of the spring brood, and Fig. 6
one of the summer brood (var. _aestiva_, Staudinger). The ground colour of
the typical form is whitish, sometimes tinged with grey, and sometimes with
pinkish; the patch at the tip, and the basal two-thirds of the fore wings,
also the basal half of the hind wings, are purplish brown, varying almost
to blackish; or they may be rich red brown. Var. _aestiva_ is rarely
whitish in ground colour, but this is frequently of a pinkish tinge, and
the darker portions of the wings are brownish, inclining to olive;
sometimes the general colour is ochreous brown with dark brown cross lines,
and a rust-coloured lunule at the tips of the fore wings. The hybrid
resulting from a female of this species that had paired with a male
_bilunaria_ has been named _parvilunaria_, Bastel. At the time it is laid,
the egg is pale olive green, but it changes to shining reddish, and just
before hatching to purplish black. (Plate 113, Fig. 1a.)

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 112.
   1-3. EARLY THORN.
     4. LUNAR THORN.
  5, 6. PURPLE THORN.
  7, 8. LILAC BEAUTY.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 113.
  1, 1a. PURPLE THORN: _eggs and caterpillar_.
  2, 2a. LUNAR THORN: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.
      3. AUGUST THORN: _caterpillar_.

{277} The caterpillar is reddish brown, mottled with darker brown, and with
pale greyish. It feeds on birch, alder, oak, sallow, cherry, etc.: June and
July, and again in the autumn. (Plate 113, Fig. 1.)

The moth is out in April and May, and the second generation emerges in July
and August. A few specimens of a third generation have been reared in
October, but this is unusual.

The species is more or less local, and rarely common, at least in the moth
state; it occurs in all the southern counties of England, and a few
specimens have been recorded from some of the midland and northern
counties, and from South Wales. In Scotland, only noted from Rannoch,
Perthshire, and a specimen was reared on April 25, 1901, from a caterpillar
found at Dunkeld, in the same county, the previous autumn.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland and Japan.

LILAC BEAUTY (_Hygrochroa_ (_Pericallia_) _syringaria_).

The sexes of this species are shown on Plate 112, and it will be noted that
the male (Fig. 7) is rather smaller and decidedly more brightly coloured
than the female (Fig. 8). An older English name is "Richmond Beauty,"
Wilkes. Figures of the curiously shaped caterpillar and chrysalis will be
found on Plate {278} 115, Figs. 2, 2a. The former is yellowish brown,
variegated with reddish and violet; it feeds on honeysuckle, lilac, and
privet, and may be beaten or searched for in May and early June, after
hibernation. I have found it commonly on privet hedges in the Mill Hill
district, Middlesex, but in woods, and especially in the New Forest, it is
obtained from honeysuckle. In my experience, the privet-feeding
caterpillars always produce larger moths than those reared from
caterpillars fed on honeysuckle. The moth emerges in June and July, the
former month chiefly in confinement, and from such early moths a second
generation may be obtained in the autumn.

Although most frequent in the southern half of England and Wales, the range
of the species extends to the northern counties; and single specimens have
been recorded from Durham and Northumberland, but the species has not been
noted in Scotland.

The distribution abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

SCALLOPED HAZEL (_Gonodontis bidentata_).

This species varies in ground colour, from pale whity brown through shades
of grey brown, olive brown, ochreous, and dark brown to black; the blackish
cross lines of the fore wings are generally edged with white, but the
edging is sometimes absent, and occasionally it alone remains distinct; the
central space enclosed by the cross lines is often darker than the general
colour, and not infrequently it is faintly reddish. Figs. 1 and 2, Plate
114, represent two of the more usual forms of the species. Fig. 3 is the
black ab. _nigra_, Prout, which occurs on the mosses of Lancashire, and in
Yorkshire.

The yellowish and brown mottled, purplish caterpillar is figured on Plate
115, where also are shown the eggs (turquoise blue, changing to reddish
brown), and the reddish brown chrysalis. The latter, which is twice the
natural size, is from a photograph by Mr. H. Main. The caterpillar feeds on
the foliage of oak, birch, sallow, hawthorn, sloe, plum, larch, etc.; it
grows very slowly, and may be beaten out in most of the months from July to
October. The moth is out in May and June, and sometimes earlier. Pretty
generally distributed over the British Isles, but not noted in the Orkneys
or Shetlands. The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 114.
   1-3. SCALLOPED HAZEL.
  4, 5. FEATHERED THORN.
  6, 7. SCALLOPED OAK.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 115.
  1, 1a, 1b. SCALLOPED HAZEL: _eggs, caterpillar and chrysalis_.
      2, 2a. LILAC BEAUTY: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.

{279}

FEATHERED THORN (_Himera_ (_Colotois_) _pennaria_).

A more or less typical but rather small male specimen is shown on Plate
114, Fig. 4, but the ground colour is frequently more tawny in tint, and
sometimes it is much paler inclining to yellowish; the cross lines may be
either wider apart, or closer together, and the inner one is often clouded
with blackish; sometimes both lines become almost bandlike; the
submarginal, usually interrupted, line is occasionally well defined. The
female, often browner than the specimen depicted (Fig. 5) is frequently
tinged with purple, and occasionally with pink.

The batch of eggs, as deposited, was photographed by Mr. Main. The egg is
olive green with a ring of pale specks around the micropylar end. The
caterpillar is slaty grey inclining to purplish, with a series of not
clearly defined ochreous diamonds on the back and a row of ochreous dots on
each side; the raised points on the last ring are tipped with reddish
(Plate 116). It feeds on oak, birch, poplar, sallow, apple, hawthorn, sloe,
etc. April to June. The moth is out in October and November, but is seldom
noticed in the daytime; at night, the males are frequently seen at gas and
electric light. The species is generally common in woodlands, especially as
caterpillars, over the southern half of England and Wales, and occurs more
or less frequently over the rest of the country, also in Scotland to Moray,
and in Ireland. {280}

SCALLOPED OAK (_Crocallis elinguaria_).

Fig. 6 on Plate 114 shows the usual form of this species, in which there
are blackish dots on the outer margins of all the wings. Fig. 7 depicts a
form with the ground colour paler, and the outer marginal dots absent (ab.
_trapezaria_, Boisduval). The ground colour varies to almost whitish on the
one hand and to reddish buff on the other; the cross lines on the fore
wings are distinct as a rule, but may be faint, and occasionally are
entirely missing; the central space between the lines is most often
brownish, sometimes tawny, but not infrequently this area is but little
darker than the general colour. The blackish discal spot on the hind wings
varies in size and somewhat in shape, but this and also the line beyond,
are sometimes absent. Porritt (_List of Yorkshire Lepidoptera_) mentions
two gynandrous specimens. Eggs, pale grey, with darkish grey marking (Plate
116, Fig. 2b). The caterpillar, of which two figures from coloured drawings
by Mr. A. Sich are given on Plate 116, Figs. 2, 2a, varies from ochreous
grey to dark grey tinged with purple; the front rings are often paler
above, and the back has diamond-shaped marks upon it; the elevation on the
last ring is edged with black. It feeds on the leaves of most trees and
bushes during the spring. The moth is out in July and August, sometimes
earlier. A pretty generally distributed species throughout the British
Isles, but so far it has not been noted from the Hebrides, Orkneys, or
Shetland.

Abroad, the range extends to East Siberia.

ORANGE MOTH (_Angerona prunaria_).

Typical males of this species are orange and the females pale ochreous, all
the wings sprinkled or freckled with purplish grey. (Plate 117, Figs. 1
[male], 7 [female].) Ab. _corylaria_, Thunberg (Figs. 2 [male], {281} 8
[female]), is brownish on the basal and outer marginal areas of the fore
wings, and nearly the whole of the hind wings. The typical ground colour
appears on the fore wings as a central band, but as a rule this does not
quite reach the inner margin. Ab. _pickettaria_, Prout, is a modification
of the _corylaria_ form, in which the typical ground appears on the front
margin above the brownish basal patch, and also along the outer margin,
thus narrowing the brownish border on that area; in one male specimen the
right pair of wings were _corylaria_ and the left pair _pickettaria_.
Another modification has the basal and outer marginal areas "a nondescript
grey shade in the male and a golden brown in the female" (ab. _pallidaria_,
Prout). Ab. _spangbergi_, Lampa, is of the typical form, but is without the
dark freckles. Other aberrations have been named, and at least one
gynandrous specimen is known. The eggs, which are laid in June, hatch in
about twelve days. The caterpillars feed slowly until September or October,
and then hibernate; but it has been noted that when reared in confinement,
and supplied with privet, they nibble the stems during the winter.
Occasionally, a caterpillar will feed up and assume the moth state in the
autumn, but the usual habit is to complete growth in the spring, enter the
chrysalis state in May, and appear as moths about the end of that month, if
in captivity, or in June and July in the open. Various food plants have
been given, among which are hawthorn, sloe, plum, birch, lilac, privet, and
honeysuckle. The caterpillar is figured on Plate 118, Fig. 2.

The male flies in the early evening, but the female not until later. The
species frequents woods, and may be disturbed by day from among the bracken
and other undergrowth. It is more or less common in many woods throughout
the southern half of England, and its range extends northwards to
Yorkshire. In Ireland, it has occurred locally in counties Waterford, Cork,
Kerry, Limerick, Clare, and Galway. It has been {282} recorded from the
Isle of Arran, but not from the mainland of Scotland.

Abroad, the distribution spreads to Amurland, Corea, and Japan.

SWALLOW-TAILED MOTH (_Ourapteryx sambucaria_).

This conspicuous-looking insect (Plate 117, Fig. 6) is frequently seen in
gardens, lanes, and the outskirts of woods, pretty well all over England,
Wales, and Ireland. In Scotland, it seems to be rare and confined to the
south, but has been noted up to Glasgow. Very rarely the cross lines of the
fore wings are placed close together, but, except in the matter of size,
there is, as a rule, little variation.

The caterpillar, of which a figure, from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich,
is given on Plate 118, Fig. 1, is brownish, variegated with reddish or
purplish. It feeds, from August to June, on the foliage of hawthorn, sloe,
elder, etc., but is especially partial to ivy.

The moth is out in July, and sometimes an odd specimen or two will appear
in the autumn; one was captured at Gravesend on October 22, 1904.

The species is represented in Amurland and Japan by the smaller and whiter
var. _persica_, Menetries.

SCORCHED WING (_Eurymene dolabraria_).

The crumpled or shrivelled appearance of the wings, coupled with the brown
coloration of the streaks and other markings on the wings, no doubt
suggested the English name of this species (Plate 117, Fig. 3).

The twig-like caterpillar is brownish, tinged with greenish or reddish, and
variegated with darker, especially along the back of the first three rings,
the hump on ring 8, and a cross stripe on the last ring. It feeds on oak,
birch, and sallow, from July to September.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 116.
  1, 1a, 1b. FEATHERED THORN: _eggs, natural size and enlarged, and
      caterpillar_.
  2, 2a, 2b. SCALLOPED OAK: _eggs, natural size and enlarged, and
      caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 117.
  1, 2, 7, 8. ORANGE MOTH.
           3. SCORCHED WING.
        4, 5. BRIMSTONE.
           6. SWALLOW-TAILED.

{283} The moth, which inhabits woods, and is out in late May and in June,
is sometimes attracted to sugar, but rather more frequently to light. It
is, however, far more rarely seen than the caterpillar, which has been
obtained in almost every English county up to Yorkshire. A specimen of the
moth has been recorded from Darlington, Durham, and one at Meldon Park,
Northumberland. It occurs in Wales and Ireland, but is hardly known to be
found in Scotland.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

THE BRIMSTONE (_Opisthograptis luteolata_).

This generally distributed and often common yellow species (Plate 117,
Figs. 4 and 5) has the front margin of the fore wings marked with reddish,
and occasionally a stripe of this colour extends along the front margin
from the base to the tip; the discal mark is whitish outlined in reddish
brown; the wavy cross lines are often faint, and not infrequently quite
absent. White specimens, ab. _lacticolor_, Harrison, have been recorded
from Cheshire and Durham, and probably have occurred elsewhere, since I
have a specimen said to have been taken in Staffordshire; an orange-yellow
form has occurred in the last-named county. (Also known as _Rumia
crataegata_.)

The twig-like caterpillar is brownish tinged with greenish or purplish;
there is a double-pointed hump on the back of ring 6 and smaller
projections on 8. It feeds on hawthorn chiefly, but sometimes on sloe,
plum, etc. It may be found after hibernation in the spring, and a second
generation occurs in the summer.

The moth seems to have been noted in each month from April to August, but
it is most frequent in May and June. {284}

BORDERED BEAUTY (_Epione apiciaria_).

The orange-yellow moth whose portrait is shown on Plate 119 (Fig. 1) has
the outer margins, beyond the second blackish line, more or less shaded
with purplish grey, inclining to purple near the line; on the fore wings,
the first cross line is angled at the middle, and the second line runs to
the tips of the wings. Gynandrous specimens of this and also the following
species have been noted.

The early stages are figured on Plate 121, Figs. 2, 2a. The eggs, which are
laid in July and August on the food plant, are pale yellow at first, then
reddish, with white dots and patches. The caterpillars generally emerge in
the following spring, but sometimes, at least in captivity, they hatch in
about a fortnight, feed up quickly, and attain the moth state in September
or October.

Caterpillar, brown, with a greenish or ochreous tinge; along the back of
rings 3 to 6 is an ochreous patch, and within this a black mark, and on the
rings following 6 there are more or less distinct ochreous diamonds; a dull
yellowish line low down along the sides; head, dull reddish brown. It
feeds, in May and June, on willow, sallow, alder, etc. The moth is out in
July and August, and is not uncommon in many parts of Southern and Eastern
England. Its range extends through England, Wales, and Scotland to
Sutherland. In Ireland, it is widely distributed, and not at all scarce in
some northern localities.

DARK BORDERED BEAUTY (_Epione parallelaria_).

As will be seen on referring to Plate 119 the sexes of this species are
strikingly different. The male (Fig. 2) is very similar to the last
species, except that the first cross line is curved and reddish brown in
colour; the second line runs to the front margin before the tip, and the
outer margin beyond is almost entirely purple. The female (Fig. 3) has the
ground colour pale yellowish, and the outer borders narrowed, especially on
the fore wings. Very occasionally, the ground colour in the male approaches
that of the female. The eggs (Plate 121, Fig. 1) are pale yellow when
deposited, but afterwards become honey yellow, freckled with reddish, and
later they are red all over. The caterpillar is dingy brown, inclining to
greyish on the back of the first four rings, a dark mark about the middle
of the back, and on each side of this two slender whitish lines are fairly
distinct; underside, whitish tinged with pale violet. It feeds, in May and
June, sometimes later, on dwarf sallow and willow, birch, aspen, etc.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 118.
  1. SWALLOW-TAILED: _caterpillar_.
  2. ORANGE MOTH: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 119.
      1. BORDERED BEAUTY.
   2, 3. DARK BORDERED BEAUTY.
      4. LITTLE THORN.
   5, 6. SPECKLED YELLOW.
      7. PEACOCK.
      8. SHARP-ANGLED PEACOCK.
  9, 10. TAWNY-BARRED ANGLE.

{285} The moth is out in July and August, sometimes later. Although odd
specimens have been recorded from Norfolk, St. Ives (Hunts), Newbury
(Berks), and Arundel (Sussex), the species is a northern one, occurring
chiefly near York (Sanburn Moss).

In 1863, two specimens were secured at Learmouth Bog, near
Cornhill-on-Tweed, and in 1890, Bolam found it at Newham Bog, on the
Northumberland border. Renton states that it is fairly common in good
seasons at Adderstone-lea Moss, Roxburghshire; and Salvage found it widely
distributed in Sutherlandshire.

LITTLE THORN (_Epione advenaria_).

This species (Plate 119, Fig. 4) is usually whitish, freckled and clouded
with grey brown; cross lines rather darker. The markings may be tinged with
ochreous, or with red (Sheffield).

A uniform brown-coloured specimen with white fringes has been bred
(Surrey).

The caterpillar is greyish brown, minutely freckled with blackish; two
white spots on front of ring 5, and two smaller {286} ones on 11; the rings
between 5 and 11 with pale diamonds on the back, and whitish marks on the
sides; head, black, white dotted. It feeds, in July and August, or even
later, on dogwood, bilberry, sallow, etc. Mr. A. J. Scollick, who kindly
provided the caterpillar figured on Plate 121, Fig. 3, informs me that in
rearing larvae from the egg he finds that they prefer dogwood as a pabulum,
and that in the locality where he takes the moth in June there is no
bilberry, but plenty of _Cornus sanguinea_. This local species, which is
out from late May well into June, is generally associated with bilberry,
but by no means confined to localities where this plant flourishes. In some
of its haunts it affects bramble, and in others rose. It occurs, in
woodlands, in Essex, Kent, Surrey (Leith Hill, Horsley, Chilworth, etc.),
Berkshire, and Oxfordshire (near Watlington), Sussex (Abbots Wood, St.
Leonards Forest, etc.), Hampshire (New Forest), Devonshire (Haldon), in the
West to Shropshire, and South Wales; Derbyshire and South Yorks.

The range abroad extends to Amurland, Corea, and Japan; thus it has a more
eastern distribution than either of our other species of _Epione_, which
only reach Amurland.

SPECKLED YELLOW (_Venilia maculata_).

This pretty blackish-spotted yellow species (Plate 119, Figs. 5 and 6)
varies somewhat in the tint of ground colour, but more so in the number and
size of the markings; occasionally some of these are united, forming bands
or blotches; or they may be reduced in number and size, leading up to ab.
_quadrimaculata_, Hatchett (Pinion-spotted Yellow), a form that used to
occur rarely in the Dartford district, Kent, and of which an example is
depicted on Plate 61, Fig. 2.

The caterpillar is green, with white lines and stripes; head, shining
green. It feeds, in July and August, on wood sage (_Teucrium_), woundwort
(_Stachys_), and dead nettle (_Lamium_). {287}

The moth is a lover of the woodlands, and as it flies in the daytime,
especially when sunny, will be almost certainly noted on the wing by any
one rambling through the woods in June, or even late May. It is generally
plentiful in the south and west of England, but although its range extends
through the northern parts of the country, and widely over Scotland to
Sutherland, it is more or less local and often rare in the northern area
indicated. In North Wales and South-west Ireland, it is local, but not
uncommon.

THE PEACOCK MOTH (_Semiothisa_ (_Macaria_) _notata_).

Whitish, with an ochreous tinge, and clouded with ochreous grey; three
indistinct cross lines on the fore wings, commencing as brownish spots on
the front margin; a larger brownish spot, inclining to reddish, on the
front margin beyond the angle of outer line, and a large blackish or
brownish divided spot below it; a shallow notch under the tips of the
wings, edged with dark brown, and fringed with smoky brown. (Plate 119,
Fig. 7.)

The caterpillar is green, with brown markings on the sides, or brownish
with green markings; head, black as a rule, but occasionally green. It
feeds, in late June and in July, on birch and sallow; there is a second
brood in August and September. The moth may be beaten out from birch bushes
in May and June, and again in July and August. Woods are its favourite
haunts, especially those where heather and small birch abound, but it is
very local in the south of England, although it occurs in most of the
counties from Kent to Cornwall. Barrett states that it is rather common in
heathy woods in Staffordshire and Cheshire, and Forsythe gives it as local
and uncommon in the Lancaster district; also recorded from Cambridgeshire,
Suffolk, Herts (Bentley Wood, 1901), and Gloucestershire; Glamorganshire,
South Wales; Inverness and Ross, in Scotland. {288}

SHARP-ANGLED PEACOCK (_Semiothisa alternata_).

Whitish clouded and suffused with greyish; fore wings crossed by three dark
lines, commencing in blackish spots on the front margin; a greyish band
follows the outer line, a reddish brown spot at the costal end, and a
blackish spot about the middle, the spot broken up by the veins, which are
here ochreous; a rather deep notch below the tip is edged with black and
fringed with blackish. Hind wings with a black central dot, and a greyish
band beyond. (Plate 119, Fig. 8.)

Mr. A. J. Scollick has recorded that some caterpillars, presumably about a
week old on June 24, 1905, went into chrysalis July 7 to 12. One moth
emerged July 18, but no other appeared until December 20. A third came up
on January 5, 1906, and a fourth on February 5.

The caterpillar is pale green, with reddish brown blotches on the sides,
and sometimes the back is also reddish brown. It feeds on alder, sallow,
and sloe, in June, and as a second generation in the autumn. (Eggs and a
caterpillar, the latter after Hofmann, are figured on Plate 123.) The moth
flies in May and early June, and occasionally in July or August.

This species, which is always local, is perhaps most frequently met with in
the New Forest, Hants, but it is not uncommon in some parts of the Isle of
Wight, Dorset, Devon, and Kent. Also noted from a few other southern
counties, and from Suffolk, Norfolk, and Westmoreland. In Wales, it has
occurred at Neath, Glamorganshire.

The range of this species abroad, and also that of the last, extends to
Amurland.

TAWNY-BARRED ANGLE (_Semiothisa liturata_).

The more frequent forms of this species are shown on Plate 119, Figs. 9,
10. In some examples the cross lines are almost absent, but in others they
are very distinct and blackish in colour; the orange yellow band in the
outer marginal area varies in width and in strength, but it is usually
present, even in the sooty brown form ab. _nigrofulvata_, Collins (Plate
61, Fig. 7), described from Delamere, Cheshire, also found in Shropshire,
and recorded from "Oakley Wood."

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 120.
           1, 3. EARLY MOTH.
     2, 4, 5, 6. SPRING USHER.
           7, 9. SCARCE UMBER.
  8, 10, 11, 12. DOTTED BORDER.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 121.
      1. DARK-BORDERED BEAUTY: _eggs_.
  2, 2a. BORDERED BEAUTY: _eggs and caterpillar_.
      3. LITTLE THORN: _caterpillar_.

{289} The caterpillar (Plate 123, Fig. 2) is green, with white or creamy
transverse lines and stripes; head, reddish. Another form is pale ochreous
grey or brownish, with pale grey lines and stripes; head, almost black,
with purple tinge. It feeds on the needles of Scots pine (_Pinus
sylvestris_), in July and August, and occasionally in September and
October. A photograph of the chrysalis by Mr. H. Main, enlarged to twice
natural size, is shown on Plate 123.

The moth is to be found in fir woods, where it lurks among the branches or
sits on the trunks, or on the fallen needles on the ground. The moths of
the first generation appear in June and July and, where it occurs, the
second flies in August and September. Widely distributed over the British
Isles, but not noted north of Moray, in Scotland.

EARLY MOTH (_Hybernia rupicapraria_).

Although generally common, and often abundant, over England, Wales, the
south of Scotland, and Ireland, this species (Plate 120, Figs. 1 [male], 3
[female]) hardly ever comes under notice unless hedgerows and hawthorn
bushes are examined in January and February, by the aid of a lantern, after
darkness has set in. Then the males, and almost wingless females, will be
found in numbers, sitting at the ends of the twigs.

The caterpillar is whitish green, clouded with darker green, striped with
white along the back, and marked with white on the sides. The general
colour is sometimes very dark green, approaching black, and in this form
the white markings are {290} more striking. It feeds, in April and May, on
hawthorn, sloe, plum, and bilberry.

SPRING USHER (_Hybernia leucophaearia_).

[Illustration: FIG. 9.

SPRING USHER AT REST.

(Photo by W. J. Lucas.)]

On Plate 120 are shown the typical and more usual forms of this variable
species. Fig. 2 represents the male, and Fig. 4 the female. The form with
blackish base and outer margin is ab. _marmorinaria_, Esper (Plate 120,
Fig. 5). Ab. _merularia_, Weymer, is entirely black, and a modification of
this form is shown in Fig. 6. Between each of these extremes and the type
there are various gradations.

The caterpillar is usually some shade of green, with yellowish lines on the
back, and some have brownish marks on the sides; in others there are dark
brown marks on the back of each ring. It feeds on the leaves of oak, in
April and May.

The moth rests on tree-trunks, fences, etc., and the males may be thus
found during the day in February, earlier or later in some seasons; the
female is less often obtained on trees and fences, but may be beaten,
together with the male, from the dead leaves which remain upon oak and
other bushes.

The species appears to occur, more or less locally, in most of the English
counties; it has also been recorded from Pembrokeshire and Flintshire, in
Wales. In Scotland, it is obtained in {291} the south, and northwards to
Aberdeenshire. There are but two records from Ireland, and these are
doubtful.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland and Japan.

SCARCE UMBER (_Hybernia aurantiaria_).

One specimen of each sex of this orange yellow species will be found on
Plate 120, where Fig. 7 represents the male, and Fig. 9 the female; the
cross lines, in the male, are usually distinct on all the wings, but those
on the hind pair are sometimes very faint, and occasionally absent. The
ground colour is paler in some specimens than in others, and there is
variation in the amount of purplish speckling, in the purplish clouding
following the second line, and in the submarginal series of purplish marks
of the fore wings. The marginal dots are sometimes absent from the hind
wings, most frequently in specimens with faint cross lines on these wings.

The eggs (Plate 125, Fig. 2), when I received them in February, were
purplish, or violet brown.

The caterpillar is yellowish, inclining to ochreous, lined with brown on
the back, and striped with purplish on the sides; underside, dark purplish
brown, inclining to blackish, and striped with yellowish. It feeds in the
spring, sometimes to June, on oak, birch, blackthorn, etc., and may be
found on the leaves during the day. The moth is out in the latter part of
the year, from October, and is best obtained at night, when sitting on the
twigs of trees and bushes, but a specimen or two may be found on
tree-trunks, palings, etc., in the daytime.

The species is widely distributed over England, and in some parts it is
common in woods; also occurs in Wales. In Scotland it is very rare and
local in Roxburghshire; local and uncommon in the Clyde area, and has been
recorded from other parts of the country up to Aberdeen. Rare in Ireland,
but noted from {292} Tyrone (local among birches at Cookstown), Monaghan,
Fermanagh (Enniskillen), and Galway.

DOTTED BORDER (_Hybernia marginaria_).

On Plate 120 four specimens of this rather variable species are depicted.
Figs. 8 [male] and 10 [female] show the more usual form; Fig. 12 represents
the northern English, blackish var. _fuscata_, Harrison, and Fig. 11 an
intermediate form resulting from a cross-pairing of _fuscata_ [female] with
a southern [male]. Somewhat similar forms to the last have been captured in
Wear Dale, Durham.

[Illustration: FIG. 10.

DOTTED BORDER, MALE.]

[Illustration: FIG. 11.

DOTTED BORDER, FEMALE.]

(Photos by H. Main.)

The caterpillar is figured on Plate 125, from a coloured drawing by Mr. A.
Sich. It is described by Fenn as dull yellow, olive green, or greenish
brown; a series of dark grey X-like marks on the back, most distinct on
rings 5-11; the spiracles are white, each placed in a black cloud, and the
spaces between them paler, sometimes yellowish; the last ring is often
brown without marking, and the front rings have a purplish stripe above;
under surface, paler throughout. It feeds, in April and May, as a rule, but
has been found later, on hawthorn, sloe, oak, birch, alder, sallow, etc.,
and may be obtained in the daytime.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 122.
   1-5. MOTTLED UMBER.
   6-8. MARCH MOTH.
  9-11. PALE BRINDLED BEAUTY.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 123.
  1. SHARP-ANGLED PEACOCK: _eggs and caterpillar_.
  2. TAWNY-BARRED ANGLE: _caterpillar and chrysalids_.

{293} The moth is out in March and April; and after their short evening
flight the males may be seen in numbers on hedgerows and the twigs of
trees. It is not infrequent at sallow catkins, and sometimes is not scarce
on palings and tree-trunks. The female may occasionally be detected in the
crevices of bark on tree-trunks, but is more easily obtained on the twigs
at night.

The species is common over the whole of England and Wales, also in Ireland.
As regards Scotland, it is abundant in the south, but its range does not
seem to extend beyond Aberdeen; the var. _fuscata_ occurs in Renfrewshire.

MOTTLED UMBER (_Hybernia defoliaria_).

A female (Fig. 3) and four examples of the male of this variable species
are shown on Plate 122. The ground colour of the fore wings in the male
varies from whitish, through ochreous brown to dull russet brown; the cross
bands (when present) range in colour from reddish brown to dark purplish,
almost blackish, brown; in all the paler specimens the ground colour is
more or less sprinkled or suffused with brownish; the darker specimens are
sprinkled with dark purplish or blackish. Ab. _obscurata_, Staud., is
almost uniformly dull brownish, and an example approaching this form is
represented by Fig. 4.

When deposited the eggs (Plate 125, Fig. 1b) were deep straw yellow. {294}

The caterpillar (figured on Plate 125, Fig. 1, from a coloured drawing by
Mr. A. Sich) has various shades of reddish brown on the back, and yellowish
on the sides and beneath; the line above the red-marked white spiracles is
black, and this has an interrupted edging of white. Fig. 1a shows a pale
form. It feeds on the foliage of birch, oak, and other forest trees, also
on fruit trees, rose, honeysuckle, etc. It often occurs in great abundance,
and is largely responsible for the leafless condition of the trees,
sometimes noticed in May.

The moth appears from October to December, and occasionally in January,
February, or March.

Generally abundant throughout England and Wales; widely distributed, and
often common in Ireland; not uncommon in the south of Scotland, but
becoming less frequent northwards to Perthshire and Aberdeen.

MARCH MOTH (_Anisopteryx aescularia_).

[Illustration: FIG. 12.

MARCH MOTH, MALE.]

[Illustration: FIG. 14.

MARCH MOTH, FEMALE X2.]

[Illustration: FIG. 13.

MARCH MOTH, FEMALE.]

(Photos by H. Main.)

Examples of each sex are shown on Plate 122, Figs. 7 and 8 [male], 6
[female]. The male varies in the general colour from pale to dark grey; the
central area being sometimes smoky tinged. In the north of England, chiefly
in Yorkshire, blackish specimens occur in which the markings are more or
less obscured.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 124.
   1-3. SMALL BRINDLED BEAUTY.
   4-6. BELTED BEAUTY.
  7, 8. BRINDLED BEAUTY.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 125.
  1. MOTTLED UMBER: _egg, natural size and enlarged, and caterpillars_.
  2. SCARCE UMBER: _egg, natural size and enlarged_.
  3. DOTTED BORDER: _caterpillar_.
  4. MARCH MOTH: _caterpillar_.

{295}

[Illustration: FIG. 15.

PALE BRINDLED BEAUTY.

(Photo by H. Main.)]

The caterpillar is pale green with a rather darker line along the back, and
yellowish lines along the sides. It feeds on hawthorn, sloe, privet, lilac,
currant, plum, cherry, rose, etc., also on oak, hornbeam, and some other
trees: April to June. The figure of the caterpillar on Plate 125, Fig. 4,
is from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich.

The moth is out in the spring, and may be found on palings, tree-trunks,
etc., in the daytime, and more freely flying about, or sitting on hedges,
at night, when the spider-like wingless female is more frequently obtained.
The male is attracted by light, and sometimes is not uncommon on gas lamps.

Except that it seems not to have been noted north of Perthshire in
Scotland, the species is generally distributed over the British Isles.

PALE BRINDLED BEAUTY (_Phigalia pedaria_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 122, Figs. 9 [female], 10, 11 [male])
are greyish, tinged with greenish or brown, and sprinkled with darker grey
or brownish; the irregular cross lines are blackish. Occasional specimens
in the north of England are more or less sprinkled with yellow buff or
orange buff, and in these the cross-markings may be present or absent. A
more frequent form of aberration in the north is a general darkening of the
colour in {296} the direction of ab. _monacharia_, Staud., which is smoky
black with the veins black, and occurs chiefly in South Yorkshire.

The caterpillar, figured on Plate 126, Fig. 1, from a coloured drawing by
Mr. A. Sich, is dull reddish brown, relieved with rust red mottling; the
notched head is greyish brown. It feeds, in the spring, on birch, oak, elm,
lime, poplar, sallow, hawthorn, sloe, plum and other fruit trees, rose,
etc.

The moth is out as a rule during the first two or three months of the year,
but it has been noted in November and December, and also in mid-June. It
may be seen in the daytime on tree-trunks, palings, etc., but the female
secretes herself in any convenient cranny, and is not easily detected. The
male flies at night, and comes freely to light.

The species is pretty generally distributed throughout England and Wales,
and Scotland up to Aberdeen. In Ireland, it has a wide distribution, but
Kane states that, except in the Belfast district, it is decidedly scarce in
the country.

SMALL BRINDLED BEAUTY (_Apocheima hispidaria_).

In the male (Plate 124, Figs. 1 and 2) the fore wings are ochreous grey
inclining to brownish, usually much paler on the outer margin; cross lines
black. Hind wings, greyish white, with a blackish central band. Fringes of
all the wings chequered with blackish. Often the central area of the fore
wings, between the first and second lines, is more or less blackish; less
frequently the whole of these wings, up to or just beyond the submarginal
line, is blackish; and sometimes the pale outer marginal area is broken up
by the blackish nervules. Very rarely, the ground colour is almost white,
and the cross-markings on the fore wings dusky grey. The female (Plate 124,
Fig. 3) varies from brown to blackish. {297}

[Illustration: FIG. 16.

SMALL BRINDLED BEAUTY AT REST.

(Photo by H. Main.)]

The caterpillar is brown, inclining to blackish or purplish, the raised
spots are black, and occasionally the sides are freckled with orange (Plate
126, Fig. 2, from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich). It feeds in May and
early June on oak, and will also eat hawthorn, birch, and elm.

The moth, which is out in February and March, appears to be local, but has
a wide distribution through England from Durham to Hampshire, and even
Devonshire. It has also been recorded from Denbighshire, North Wales. A
well-known locality is Richmond Park, in Surrey, and here it is found
resting on oak trunks or on the grass stems, etc., under or around the
trees. The male is attracted by light.

RANNOCH BRINDLED BEAUTY (_Nyssia lapponaria_).

The sexes of this species are shown on Plate 134, where Fig. 3 represents
the male, and Fig. 5 the female. It was not known to occur in the British
Isles until 1871, when a male specimen was captured in Perthshire, on April
20 of that year. Mr. William M. Christy, in 1895, bred some moths from
larvae obtained in the Highlands of Scotland, and he sent eggs to Mr. F. W.
Frohawk, who worked out the life history, and described and figured all the
stages from egg to perfect insect (_Entom._ xxviii. 237). In July, 1900 and
1901, Mr. E. A. Cockayne found {298} caterpillars, in Perthshire (Rannoch
district), on ling, heath, and bog-myrtle; and in June, 1904, he published
(_Entom._ xxxvii. 149) some interesting observations on the habits of the
species in its native haunts. The greenish yellow eggs are laid in batches
of 10 to 150 in the dry corollas of the cross-leaved heath, and less
frequently between the stem and sheath of reeds, or in cracks in dead
bracken stems, etc. The caterpillar (Plate 126, Fig. 3) is pale drab,
inclining to a yellowish tint; irregular yellow stripes along the back and
sides, and lines of blackish streaks between the stripes. It will eat
birch, sallow, and hawthorn, in captivity; but in the open it feeds on
heather and bog-myrtle: May-July. The chrysalis is reddish brown, rather
paler on the wing covers (figured on Plate 126 from a photo, twice natural
size, by Mr. H. Main). The moth is out in April and May, and sits on the
twigs of heather and the stems of bog-myrtle. It has only been recorded
from Perthshire, and is there very local, frequenting damp places near
streams.

Mr. A. W. Mera has obtained hybrids from a crossing of this species with
_N. zonaria_.

BELTED BEAUTY (_Nyssia zonaria_).

Two males and a female of this species are depicted on Plate 124 (Figs. 4,
5 [male], 6 [female]). There is variation in the ground colour of the male,
from white to greyish, and the markings are sometimes greyish brown and
sometimes blackish. Kane states that, in Ireland, a large number of
Connemara specimens have the fore wings entirely white, broken by dark
veins, front margin, and three streaks parallel to the outer margin. The
caterpillar is greenish, with dusky grey lines and freckles on the back,
and a yellow stripe low down along the sides; the latter is edged below
with blackish; the underside is black and striped with grey; head, greyish,
freckled with darker. It feeds on sallow, dandelion, dock, plantain,
clover, yarrow, grass, etc.: May to August. (Plate 126, Fig. 4; chrysalis,
Fig. 4a; eggs, Plate 133, Fig. 4.) The moth is out in March and April, and
rests by day on or among herbage. The male has been known to fly in the
sunshine, but its more usual time of flight is the early evening.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 126.
          1. PALE BRINDLED BEAUTY: _caterpillar_.
          2. SMALL BRINDLED BEAUTY: _caterpillar_.
  3, 3a, 3b. RANNOCH BRINDLED BEAUTY: _egg, natural size enlarged.
      caterpillar and chrysalis_.
      4, 4a. BELTED BEAUTY: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 127.
  1-3. OAK BEAUTY.

{299} The species is locally common on sand hills, on the coast of
Cheshire, Flintshire, and Carnarvon; Wallasey is a noted locality, and the
earliest British specimens were taken in that district about 1832; it also
occurs on the Lancashire coast, in the Liverpool and Blackpool districts.
In Ireland, it was first noted in Co. Antrim, where caterpillars were found
at Ballycastle, and about twenty-two years ago moths were captured at the
same place. Other Irish localities are Achill Island, off the coast of
Mayo; Slyne Head and Roundstone, Connemara coast. There are records of its
occurrence in the Isles of Skye and Tiree.

BRINDLED BEAUTY (_Lycia hirtaria_).

A male and a female are shown on Plate 124 (Figs. 7 [male], 8 [female]),
and these represent the more usual form of the sexes in the London
district. Some specimens are paler, others are darker; and not infrequently
the wings are sprinkled with yellowish.

On Plate 1 (Figs. 4, 6, 8) will be found figures of a female and two male
examples of a large race taken by Mr. H. McArthur this season (1908) at
Aviemore, in Scotland. One of these males is of a remarkable ochreous
coloration, whilst in the other the contrast of grey ground and black
marking is equally striking. The female is blackish sprinkled with
ochreous.

The caterpillar is purplish grey or reddish brown clouded and freckled with
darker, and spotted with yellow on rings 5-8; the first ring is also marked
with yellow in front, the head is freckled with black, and about the jaws
with yellow. It feeds on lime, elm, willow, and fruit trees, especially
plum and pear, {300} in May, June, and July. For the example figured on
Plate 128, Fig. 1, I am indebted to Mr. Norman Riley; an Aviemore example
is shown in colour on Plate 1, Fig. 7. The chrysalis (Plate 128, Fig. 1a)
is dark reddish brown inclining to blackish. The moth comes out in March
and April and is often a common object on tree-trunks, etc., in the London
parks, squares, and gardens. Its range extends over the south of England,
and northwards to Yorkshire and Cumberland, but it is nowhere so plentiful
in England as throughout the Metropolitan area. It occurs in Wales, in
Ireland, and in Scotland up to Inverness.

OAK BEAUTY (_Pachys_ (_Amphidasys_) _strataria_).

The fore wings of this species (Plate 127, Figs. 1-3) are white, sprinkled
and cross lined with black; the first line is bordered inwardly, and the
second line outwardly with brownish; frequently these two lines fall
closely together on the inner margin, and sometimes they are united by a
blackish blotch at this point; the brownish borders of the lines vary in
width, and in some specimens the outer area beyond the second black line is
almost entirely brownish; in other specimens the central and outer areas
are almost free of black speckling, and in such examples the brownish
borders of the lines stand out conspicuously. The caterpillar (Plate 128,
Fig. 2) is usually some shade of brown--greyish, violet, or
purplish--mottled and freckled with a darker hue. It feeds on oak, birch,
and elm, will also eat sloe, plum, rose, etc., and is found from May to
July. In confinement, larvae hatched in early May have gone down to pupate
during the second week in June.

The moth is out in March and April as a rule, but has been noted in late
February, and also in early May. It may be seen resting during the day on
trunks of trees, palings, etc., generally near the ground; when on the wing
at night the male will come to light. Although not generally common it is
widely distributed over England and Wales. In Ireland it has occurred in
Wicklow, Westmeath, and Cork, and has been reared from pupae obtained at
Glenmalure in the former county.

Hybrids resulting from a cross between _strataria_ [male] and _betularia_
[female] have been named _herefordi_, Tutt.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 128.
  1. BRINDLED BEAUTY: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.
  2. OAK BEAUTY: _eggs, natural size and enlarged, and caterpillar_.
  3. PEPPERED MOTH: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 129.
  1-3. PEPPERED MOTH.

{301}

PEPPERED MOTH (_Pachys betularia_).

Typically (Plate 129, Figs. 1 [male], 3 [female]) the wings are white,
"peppered" with black, and with more or less distinct cross lines, also
black. The black speckling varies in amount, in some examples it is almost
absent, whilst in others it is so dense that the wings appear to be black
sprinkled with white. Specimens of the last form are intermediate between
the type and the melanic ab. _doubledayaria_, Milliere (Fig. 2). This black
form, which seems to have been unknown about sixty years ago, is now much
commoner than the type in the South-west Riding of Yorkshire, and has
spread into Lancashire, Cheshire, and southwards to Lincolnshire. On the
wolds of the latter county, and on Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, it is said
to be the dominant form of the species. The aberration also occurs in the
eastern and the southern counties of England to Hampshire. Northwards, the
form has extended to Clydesdale in Scotland, where one was reared from a
caterpillar obtained near Paisley. In Wales _doubledayaria_ is in the
ascendant at Newport, Monmouth, and in Ireland one example of this variety
together with some intermediate and typical specimens were reared from
caterpillars collected at Castle Bellingham, Co. Louth. Possibly the
liberal distribution of the eggs of _doubledayaria_ may have had something
to do with the comparatively rapid extension of this form, at least to
districts far away from its original locality.

What is known as the buff var. of this species dates back to {302} the year
1874, when a buff female, paired with a black male, was captured at Heaton
Park. From the eggs she deposited caterpillars hatched, and in due course
pupated, but the moths reared from them were all either typical, or black.
Some of the female moths were, however, given to other collectors to pair
with black males with the result that buff specimens appeared among the
moths reared by seven collectors. Subsequently, by breeding only from buff
males and females 80 per cent. of this form were said to be obtained. By
the year 1880, however, the race was extinct. In all the examples of the
buff var. that I have seen, including a pair in my own collection, the
ground colour is normal, but the usual black markings of the wings are
brownish buff; I understand, however, that there are specimens in which the
ground colour is ochreous. The vapour of chlorine will change an ordinary
specimen to a buff var.; and it is said that caterpillars reared in an
apartment where this vapour is present will produce these buff varieties.
Mr. Mansbridge has recently described ab. _ochrearia_, and in this form the
typical black markings are present on an ochreous ground. The specimen, a
female, was captured at St. Annes, Lancashire, June, 1891.

Gynandrous examples have been obtained, and seven of these abnormal forms
occurred in a single brood reared from eggs by Mr. A. Harrison.

The caterpillar (Plate 128, Fig. 3, from a photo by Mr. H. Main) is green,
brownish green, or purplish brown; in the green form, which is minutely
dotted with white, there is generally a faint purplish line along the back,
two purplish knobs on ring 8, and a purplish patch enclosing two ochreous
spots on ring 11; the deeply notched head is ochreous, shaded with
purplish; the last ring of the body is tinged with purplish, as also are
the two small points thereon. It feeds, from July to September, on oak,
birch, elm, beech, sallow, plum and other fruit trees; also on rose,
bramble, etc. The moth is out in May and June, {303} sometimes in July. The
species is generally distributed, and sometimes common in the caterpillar
state, but seems to be absent from the Scottish Isles.

WAVED UMBER (_Hemerophila_ (_Synopsia_) _abruptaria_).

[Illustration: Fig. 17.

WAVED UMBER AT REST.

(Photo by W. J. Lucas.)]

A male and a female specimen are figured on Plate 130. The males are
usually darker than the females, but they vary in the amount of darker
clouding and suffusion. Three forms of the species have been named as
follows--ab. _brunneata_, Tutt, a modification of the female rather more
strongly coloured than the darkest typical male. Ab. _fuscata_, Tutt, sooty
brown, tending to blackish; both sexes somewhat paler in central area of
fore wings. Ab. _unicolor_, Tutt, similar to ab. _fuscata_, but without
pale marking; the thorax is also darker. (Plate 134, Fig. 7, ab.
_fuscata_.) The eggs, furnished by Mr. Norman Riley, were verdigris green
when laid, but on the third day changed to greyish.

In general colour the caterpillar is greyish brown sometimes tinged with
green; pinkish brown blotches along the back, often united on the front and
hind rings. In some cases the caterpillar is almost black, with a lighter
mark on front of the first ring. It feeds on privet and lilac, and is said
to eat currant, broom, and jasmine: May to August. (Plate 133, Fig. 3.)

The moth is out in April and May, and is fond of resting on palings, trees,
and even walls. It appears to be most plentiful {304} in the London
district, in the north and east of which the dark forms occur; but it is
found more or less frequently over the greater part of England, and in
South Wales; single specimens were taken at Hartlepool, Durham, in 1874 and
1875. One example has been recorded from Kincardineshire, Scotland; and one
from Enniskillen, Ireland.

RINGED CARPET (_Boarmia cinctaria_).

Two specimens are shown on Plate 130. Fig. 3 represents the more or less
typical form, and Fig. 4 depicts an example in which the central area is
almost free of dark speckling, so that the whitish ground colour comes out
distinctly. There is a good range of variation in the direction of both
darker and paler forms than those figured. In some specimens with a clear
white central area, the basal and outer marginal areas of the fore wings,
and the outer area of the hind wings, are black or blackish; similar
aberration is sometimes found in the more speckled specimens also.
Occasionally, there is a projection from below the middle of the second
black line to the basal band.

The caterpillar is green, with darker green and whitish lines along the
back and sides. It feeds on birch, sallow, and heath (_Erica cinerea_), and
may be reared on knot-grass. The moth is out in May, sometimes late April
or early June. The New Forest in Hampshire is the district _par excellence_
for this species, the most favoured locality being the heathy tract near
Lyndhurst, where the moths are very common, in some years, on tree-trunks,
especially birch, and on heather. Other localities in England are Poole
Heath, Parley Heath, and Bloxworth in Dorset; Tilgate Forest, etc., in
Sussex; Reading district in Berks, first noted in 1891. In Ireland, it is
widely distributed, and is abundant at Killarney and some other parts of
Kerry.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 130.
  1, 2. WAVED UMBER.
  3, 4. RINGED CARPET.
  5, 6. WILLOW BEAUTY.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 131.
  1. WILLOW BEAUTY: _eggs and caterpillar_.
  2. MOTTLED BEAUTY: _caterpillar_.

{305}

WILLOW BEAUTY (_Boarmia gemmaria_).

The two portraits on Plate 130 represent the best known forms of this
species. Stephens in 1831 referred the smoky or dark slaty grey form (Fig.
6), which is the ordinary one in the London district, now as then, to
_rhomboidaria_. Newman subsequently named this form _perfumaria_, and he,
and other entomologists of the time, considered it as a species distinct
from _gemmaria_ = _rhomboidaria_. We now know that the smoky grey specimens
are not peculiar to the metropolitan area, but occur in other parts of
England (Warwickshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, etc.), and are found, with
the type, at Howth and other localities in Ireland. The more general forms
throughout England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland up to Perthshire, are pale
brown, or greyish brown (typical), sometimes ochreous tinged (Fig. 5); the
latter is referable to ab. _consobrinaria_, Haworth. Black forms have been
recorded from Norwich in Norfolk, and blackish specimens have been noted
from Ashdown Forest, Sussex; from Cannock Chase, Staffordshire; and from
the south of Scotland.

The eggs (Plate 131, Fig. 1a) are green at first, changing to pink mottled
with green, and finally to dark grey; the latter change indicates early
hatching of the caterpillar, which usually occurs about a fortnight after
the eggs are deposited.

The caterpillar (Plate 131, Fig. 1, after a coloured drawing by Mr. A.
Sich) is dull reddish brown, mottled more or less with ochreous; traces of
diamond-shaped marks on the back, the latter sometimes well defined. It
feeds on ivy (in London gardens especially), hawthorn, birch, privet,
lilac, rose, clematis, broom, and many other shrubs, and also on yew and
fir, in August, and after hibernation in the spring. The moth is out in
July and August; sometimes a second brood occurs in September. {306}

This species is the _gemmaria_ of Brahm (1791), but _rhomboidaria_,
Schiffermuller (1776), although only a catalogue name until figured by
Hubner, about 1797, is adopted by some authors.

SATIN CARPET (_Boarmia abietaria_).

As an inhabitant of Britain this species was first noted from Hampshire,
and in 1825 was figured and described by Curtis as _Alcis sericearia_. Two
specimens of this form, from the New Forest, are depicted on Plate 132,
Figs. 1, 2; but paler, and also darker, examples are found in this
locality, and, occasionally, melanic specimens occur as well. The latter
form, some examples of which might be described as sooty black with black
veins, is more prevalent among the yews and firs of Surrey.

The caterpillar, for the example of which (and also the egg), figured on
Plate 138, Figs. 1, 1a, I am obliged to Mr. Arthur J. Scollick, is, in one
form, ochreous brown with paler cream-coloured patches on the back; and in
another dark grey-brown with paler patches, sometimes of a light cinnamon
brown; a pale, thin line along the middle of the back runs through a series
of brownish diamonds; there are other pale lines on the back and sides, and
these are edged with brownish, and partly with blackish; spiracles outlined
in black. (Adapted from Buckler.) It feeds on spruce, pine, yew, oak,
birch, sallow, etc., from August to June. A larva has been found on
bilberry in Devon.

The moth is out from late June to early August, but captured specimens are
not often suitable for the cabinet, they are generally more or less frayed
or scarred.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 132.
  1, 2. SATIN CARPET.
   3-6. MOTTLED BEAUTY.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 133.
  1. DOTTED CARPET: _caterpillars_.
  2. BRUSSELS LACE: _caterpillars_.
  3. WAVED UMBER: _caterpillar_.
  4. BELTED BEAUTY: _eggs_.

{307} Beside Surrey and Hants, previously mentioned, the species occurs in
Sussex (Tilgate Forest), Buckinghamshire (Halton), and has been recorded
from Berkshire; Egg Buckland, Oxton, Bickleigh Vale, and other Devonshire
localities; also from Cornwall, Somersetshire, Gloucestershire (the
Cotswolds), and Monmouthshire.

Staudinger and other recent authors have adopted _ribeata_, Clerck, for
this species.

MOTTLED BEAUTY (_Boarmia repandata_).

Two examples of the more ordinary mottled form of this species are shown on
Plate 132, Figs. 3 [male], and 4 [female]. Fig. 6 represents ab.
_destrigaria_, Haworth (_muraria_, Curtis); and Fig. 5 depicts a specimen
near var. _sodorensium_, Weir, from the Isle of Lewis. Dark-brown forms,
inclining to blackish, are not uncommon in the London district, but in
South Yorkshire coal-black specimens with whitish submarginal lines occur;
a sooty black example from the Sheffield district is figured on Plate 134,
Fig. 4, and, it may be added, these melanic forms are referable to ab.
_nigricata_, Fuchs.

Two forms of ab. _conversaria_, Hubner, will be found on Plate 134, where
Fig. 1 depicts a specimen from the New Forest, and Fig. 8 represents an
extreme example from North Devon. The _conversaria_ form occurs chiefly in
the south and west of England, and is perhaps most plentiful along the
North Devon coast; also in South Wales; Durham (rarely, on the coast).
Broad dark banded specimens are recorded from Arran and Argyll.

The caterpillar (figured on Plate 131, Fig. 2, after Sich) is brownish
inclining to ochreous; a dark brownish line along the middle of the back,
and a series of brownish diamond-shaped marks most distinct on the back of
the middle rings; a line of blackish marks along the sides shows up in the
paler examples. Sometimes the general colour is dark reddish brown,
freckled with dark brown; but in all cases the underside is paler than the
upper, and is striped and lined with dark and pale brown. {308} It feeds on
hawthorn, birch, elm, hazel, bilberry, heather, etc., from July to May.

The moth is out in June and July, and specimens of a second generation have
been reared in September. Generally common throughout the British Isles.

GREAT OAK BEAUTY (_Boarmia roboraria_).

[Illustration: FIG. 18.

CATERPILLAR OF GREAT OAK BEAUTY.

(Photo by "A. Forester".)]

The fine Boarmid moth shown on Plate 135, Fig. 2, has all the typical
markings well defined. Occasionally the black cross lines are more
distinct, but sometimes they are more or less absent, or obscured. An
almost black specimen is mentioned by Barrett as taken in the Reading
district, Berkshire; and the same author states that a black example was
captured in the Midlands about the year 1887, but no other specimen was
observed until 1893, when a female was obtained, and from eggs deposited
smoky black moths were reared.

The caterpillar is very like an oak twig in shape, especially when in
repose. (See Fig. 18.) In colour it is reddish brown, inclining to ochreous
brown; brownish grey on the humps on rings 5 and 11, and on the skin folds.
It feeds on oak during the autumn, and, after hibernation, in the spring.
The moth is out in June and July, and may be found on oak trees rather high
up the trunks. When on the wing at night it will visit the sugar patch.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 134.
  1, 4, 7, 8. MOTTLED BEAUTY, VARS.
           2. SPECKLED BEAUTY.
        3, 5. RANNOCH BRINDLED BEAUTY.
           6. SEPTEMBER THORN.
           9. LARGE THORN, VAR.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 135.
     2. GREAT OAK BEAUTY.
  1, 3. PALE OAK BEAUTY.

{309} The species occurs most frequently in the New Forest, Hampshire,
where, in some years, it is very common. Other English counties in which it
has been found, or still exists, are--Devon (Cann Woods), Dorset (Cranborne
and Bloxworth), Wilts. (Savernake Forest), Sussex (Abbots Wood, Charlton
Forest, Holme Bank, etc.), Surrey (Addington, June, 1902), Kent, Essex
(Epping Forest), Berks., Bucks., Warwick (Princethorpe Wood), Worcester
(Wyre Forest), Stafford (Cannock Chase), Cheshire (Dunham Park), York (wood
near Selby), Lancashire (Corporation and Quernmore Woods).

PALE OAK BEAUTY (_Boarmia consortaria_).

Some specimens are rather greyer, and the cross markings are occasionally
less distinct than in Figs. 1 [male], and 3 [female] on Plate 135, which
represent the typical forms of this species in England. Examples of a
blackish form have been noted from a wood in West Kent, and these are
apparently referable to the melanic ab. _humperti_, Humpert, but the
Kentish specimens I have seen had the second line of fore wings edged with
white, and a white submarginal line.

The caterpillar, which in shape is somewhat like that of the last species,
varies in colour. One form is greenish grey, with three lines, the central
one darker than those on each side. In another the colour is pale brown
mottled with reddish and a darker brown. It feeds on oak, birch, and
sometimes sallow, in July and August.

The moth is out in June and July, and specimens have been recorded as
captured in September. It may be found on the trunks of oak and fir trees,
and will come to sugar and light at night. Although local it is not
uncommon in the New Forest and other woods in Hampshire; also in Sussex,
Surrey, Kent. {310} and Berkshire. It has been recorded from
Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire, and Dorsetshire; and as local and scarce in the
Lancaster district.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan, and in both countries it is
represented by var. _conferenda_, Butler.

SPECKLED BEAUTY (_Cleora angularia_).

Stephens, who in 1831 figured this insect as _Cleora viduaria_, Wien.
Verz., remarks, "All the examples I have seen of this beautiful species
were captured in the New Forest: the first about June, 1822, the remainder
in 1825 and 1826: I believe in the vicinity of Lyndhurst." Barrett states
that the late Mr. Samuel Stevens obtained a number of specimens "by
sweeping the upper branches of oak trees in the New Forest with a long
pole." This was in 1849; and between that year and 1872, about which time
it seems to have disappeared, the moth was found, by those who knew where
to look for it, in the Forest between Brockenhurst and Lyndhurst. Specimens
have also been taken, in the past, in Tilgate Forest, Sussex, by the late
William Tester, and by Mr. Merrifield, at Holm Bank, near Henfield, in the
same county. There have been recent rumours of its reappearance in the New
Forest, but I have been unable to ascertain anything definite about this.
The specimen depicted in Plate 134, Fig. 2, has been kindly lent by Mr. R.
Adkin.

The caterpillar, stated by Hofmann to feed on lichen growing upon oak and
birch, is brownish variegated with paler shades.

BRUSSELS LACE (_Cleora lichenaria_).

The greenish grey species shown on Plate 136, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female],
varies in tint; the fore wings are often clouded with olive, and
occasionally with blackish; there is frequently a tinge of {311} ochreous
between the black cross lines, but sometimes this area is flushed with
orange.

Two figures of the caterpillar will be found on Plate 133, Fig. 2. In
colour and marking it so closely resembles the greenish-grey lichen upon
which it feeds, that its detection thereon is not always easy. May and June
are the best months in which to collect the caterpillars (although they may
be found during the autumn and early spring), and they may then be jarred
from the lichen (_Usnea barbata_), etc., growing on branches of trees and
bushes, or searched for among the lichen on the tree trunks, or on wooden
pales and fences.

The species is widely spread over the southern half of England, but is more
or less rare from the Midlands northwards. It has occurred in South Wales;
and Kane states that it is widely distributed and locally common in
Ireland. In some parts of South Scotland it is not uncommon, and its range
extends to Aberdeen and Ross.

THE DOTTED CARPET (_Cleora jubata_).

This species (Plate 136, Figs. 3, 4) has long been known as _glabraria_,
Hubner, but as authorities are agreed that _jubata_, Thunberg, is an
earlier name, it must be adopted. The general colour is whitish, powdered
with dark grey and black; there are four black spots on the front margin
and from these blackish markings cross the wings, but only the first line
is generally distinct, although a second line, beyond the large black
discal spot, is sometimes clearly defined and entire; occasionally a
central shade and a submarginal line are both in evidence. The hind wings
have a black central spot and a blackish line beyond, but the latter is
often absent. Exceptional aberration takes the form of leaden black
blotches, clouds, and streaks on the fore wings, and dusky clouding on the
hind wings, chiefly on the basal area. {312}

The caterpillar is of a faint bluish green, inclining to greenish white on
the back; a row of black spots along the back, and a broken black narrow
stripe along each side. It feeds on tree lichens (_Usnea barbata_), etc.,
from September to June or July. Three figures of this caterpillar are given
on Plate 133, Fig. 3.

The moth is out in July and August, and may be found at rest on tree trunks
now and then, but is more frequently obtained by jarring the lichen-clad
branches of oak. Although it is known to occur very locally and somewhat
rarely in the counties of Wilts., Dorset, and Devon, the New Forest in
Hampshire is the English district where one is most likely to meet with
this species. It has been recorded from Cornwall (Falmouth district, 1904),
Hereford, Pembrokeshire, Carnarvonshire (Beddgelert), and Cumberland.
Charlton Forest, Sussex, has also been mentioned. In Scotland, Renton
states that it is generally common in Roxburghshire; it occurs in several
of the woods in Clydesdale, and has been noted from Argyllshire.

THE ENGRAILED (_Tephrosia bistortata_).

In the following brief remarks on _T. bistortata_, Goeze (= _biundularia_,
Borkhausen), I have included reference to _crepuscularia_, Hubner (=
_biundularia_, Esper). The former (which is also named _abietaria_,
Haworth, and _laricaria_, Doubleday) appears on the wing in March and
April, and there is a second flight in July and August. Moths of the second
generation are few in number and small in size, and are referable to abs.
_consonaria_ and _strigularia_, Stephens. A third generation of still
smaller moths has been reared. _Crepuscularia_ is out in May and June,
rarely in April; its caterpillar feeds in June and July or later; according
to Barrett, a second generation of the moth has occurred in August. One or
two moths have been captured in September or October, but whether these
were referable to _bistortata_ or _crepuscularia_ is not quite clear.

[Illustration: FIG. 19.

SMALL ENGRAILED, AT REST.

(Photo by W. J. Lucas.)]

By some authorities the double-brooded _bistortata_ is {313} considered
specifically distinct from the, normally, single-brooded _crepuscularia_;
others hold the opposite view. The March and April moths are generally
rather browner in colour than those appearing in May and June, but I have
some specimens taken in Wiltshire at the end of March, which are quite as
pale as any example in the May-June series. Probably, we should be right in
regarding _crepuscularia_ as the older stock from which the double-brooded
race, _bistortata_, has sprung. The former has a more extensive range, as
it inhabits Northern Europe (Sutherlandshire in British Isles), whilst
_bistortata_ seems to be confined to Central Europe. A Perthshire form of
the May-June race is shown on Plate 136, Fig. 7; and an example of ab.
_delamerensis_, White, from Delamere Forest, Cheshire, is represented by
Fig. 8. Figs. 6 [male], 7 [female], represent examples of the March and
April race. Black or blackish forms, with the sub-marginal line more or
less distinctly white, occur in both races, chiefly in Glamorganshire,
South Wales.

{314}

A photograph, by Mr. H. Main, of the caterpillar, is reproduced on Plate
138, Fig. 3. The general colour is grey, inclining to yellowish or
brownish; sometimes it is reddish brown; two broken dark-grey lines on the
back, and some pale blotches on the sides. The caterpillars of the first
race (_bistortata_) feed in May and June, and again in August and
September. Those of the second race in June and July, or later. They seem
to eat the foliage of trees, including those in orchards.

NOTE.--Cross-pairings between _bistortata_ [male] and _crepuscularia_
[female] resulted in the ab. _ridingi_, Tutt, whilst the offspring of a
crossing of _crepuscularia_ [male] and _bistortata_ [female] have been
named _bacoti_, Tutt. Pairings of _bistortata_ [male] and _delamerensis_
[female] produce ab. _ridingi-suffusa_, Tutt; and those of _delamerensis_
[male] and _bistortata_ [female] = _bacoti-suffusa_, Tutt. Further,
_bacoti-suffusa_ will pair with _ridingi-suffusa_, or the last named with
_crepuscularia_; the progeny being in the first case _mixta_, Tutt, and in
the latter, _reversa_, Tutt.

BRINDLED WHITE-SPOT (_Tephrosia luridata_).

Two examples of this species (also known as _extersaria_, Hubner) are
depicted on Plate 137, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female]. There is variation in
the amount of black speckling and in the strength of the cross lines.

The caterpillar is dull hazel or chocolate brown, often tinged with green;
a row of whitish dots on each side of a series of pale spots along the
middle of the back; rings 4 and 8 barred with black-brown or dusky rust
colour. Sometimes the general colour is green. (Adapted from Fenn.) It
feeds in July and August, or even later, on oak and birch, sometimes on
alder and sallow. The moth is out in May and June, earlier or later in some
seasons. In Britain apparently confined to England, where it occurs
locally, in woods, from Worcestershire {315} southwards to Kent and
Cornwall, and eastward to Norfolk and Suffolk. In the New Forest,
Hampshire, where it is often plentiful, it may be seen on the boles of
trees, but is more easily obtained after dark when it comes to the sugar
patch.

SQUARE SPOT (_Tephrosia consonaria_).

Two examples of this species will be found on Plate 137, Figs. 3 [male], 4
[female]. There is variation in the greyish or brownish speckling of the
wings, and this in some typical examples is so sparse that the wings appear
to be almost white with brownish basal band and brownish markings on the
outer area; the most conspicuous of the latter being the middle square spot
between the second and submarginal lines, more or less distinct in all
forms, to which the English name refers. In other specimens the wings are,
especially the front pair, densely covered with the dark speckling. Some
Surrey specimens, chiefly from the Leith Hill district, have an ochreous
tinge; and quite recently a black form of the species has occurred in a
wood near Maidstone, in West Kent. The last phase of aberration seems to be
unknown in any other part of Britain, and also, I believe, elsewhere.

The egg (Plate 138, Fig. 2) is yellowish green when laid; later it becomes
yellow, and orange red markings appear, chiefly at one end.

The somewhat wrinkled caterpillar is ochreous brown above, inclining to
greyish between the rings; an ochreous line along the middle of the back is
only clearly defined on the front rings; the under side is greenish
ochreous, and sometimes this colour extends to the upper side also; the
head, which is notched on the crown, is pale ochreous, more or less marked
with brown. It feeds at night, in June and July, on birch, beech, oak,
pine, etc. {316}

The moth is out in May and June, earlier in some districts. In the daytime
it may be seen on the trunks or boughs of trees, most frequently at too
great a height to be easily secured; but still a few sit low enough for
capture, especially on the trunks of fir trees. The species is a decidedly
local one, and seems to be largely confined, in Britain, to the southern
parts of England, Wales, and Ireland. It occurs in some of the woods of
Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Dorsetshire, Devonshire, Cornwall,
Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, and
Suffolk. Edwards notes the species as rare at Malvern, Worcestershire.
Forsythe, in "A List of the Macro-Lepidoptera of Lancaster and District"
(_Entom._ 1905, p. 12), states that the moth may be found sitting on the
fir-tree trunks at the end of May, at Witherslack and Quernmore; and a
single specimen has been recorded from Upton, near Birkenhead, Cheshire.
The occurrence of _T. consonaria_ in the north of England seems open to
question. The only county in Wales appears to be Glamorganshire, as
mentioned by Barrett. Kane (_Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Ireland_)
noted the species from Derrycunihy, and Mucross, Killarney, where he has
taken it in moderate abundance; he also gives Clonbullogue, in King's
County.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan.

GREY BIRCH (_Tephrosia punctularia_).

Three examples of this greyish species are shown on Plate 137. The wings
are usually whitish grey in the ground colour, and sprinkled or dusted with
darker grey; there are three blackish, or black dotted, cross lines on the
fore wings, often indistinct, but rarely entirely absent, and even then
represented by black marks on the front margin. Sometimes the first and
third lines may be well in evidence and the central one absent;
occasionally the second line is placed quite close to the first; the
sub-marginal line is whitish, inwardly shaded with dark greyish, especially
at the middle and towards the front margin. The hind wings have two cross
lines corresponding with the first and third on the fore wings. There is a
good deal of variation in the amount of dark speckling, and this is
occasionally so heavy that the insect becomes dark grey in colour; I have
taken such specimens at Oxshott in Surrey. Dark aberrations are perhaps
more frequent in the north of England, but the species is more local and
less plentiful in that part of the country.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 136.
  1, 2. BRUSSELS LACE.
  3, 4. DOTTED CARPET.
  5, 6. SMALL ENGRAILED.
  7, 8. THE ENGRAILED.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 137.
  1, 2. BRINDLED WHITE-SPOT.
  3, 4. SQUARE SPOT.
   5-7. GREY BIRCH.
  8, 9. HORSE CHESTNUT.

{317} The caterpillar, which may be beaten from birch, and sometimes alder,
in July, is bright apple green with yellowish lines on the sides and back;
the ring divisions are yellow, and the head is tinged with that colour.
(Adapted from Porritt.) Sometimes the caterpillars are brownish, or
greenish grey in general colour. The moth, which is out in May and June,
will be found in woods, or on heaths, where birches grow. It rests on the
trunks of the trees and may be boxed, as a rule, with ease. On some
occasions, however, it is very lively, and the net will have to be brought
into action for its capture.

The distribution of this species extends through England, but it is far
more plentiful in the south than in the north, although it has been
recorded from several places in Yorkshire, and from Coal Law Wood in
Northumberland. It is found also in Wales, and in Scotland up to Moray. In
Ireland it is not frequent, but has been noted from Mucross, and the Upper
Lake of Killarney, in Kerry, and from Tinahely in Wicklow; Kane also gives
Clonbrock in Galway, and adds that "some specimens from this locality have
the spots very large on a clear whitish ground, so that they have a
superficial resemblance to _Cleora glabraria_."

The range abroad spreads to East Siberia, Amurland, and Japan.

NOTE.--Staudinger places the last four species in _Boarmia_, Treitschke;
but Prout and others refer them to the genus _Ectropis_, Hubner. The latter
will probably have to be adopted. {318}

HORSE CHESTNUT (_Pachycnema hippocastanaria_).

The rather long and somewhat oval fore wings of this species (Plate 137,
Figs. 8, 9) are brownish grey, inclining to purplish grey; the two cross
lines are blackish, edged with whitish, but generally indistinct; when the
lines are well defined, the enclosed central area is sometimes darker than
the other parts of the wings; there is a black central dot, and
occasionally there is a well-marked dusky central shade. Hind wings,
whitish, more or less tinged with smoky grey; frequently there is a dusky,
curved line beyond the middle, and this is sometimes outwardly edged with
whitish.

The caterpillar is greyish brown, dotted with black, and marked on the back
and sides with reddish brown. When at rest on the twigs of its food plant,
heather or ling (_Calluna vulgaris_), this caterpillar agrees so well with
its surroundings that it is not at all easy to see; at least, we may see
it, but fail to distinguish it from the twigs of the plant. It may be
obtained in June and July, and again in the autumn. (Figured on Plate 140,
after Hofmann.)

The first flight of the moth occurs in April and May; the second in August,
but specimens of the later generation are usually small in size and in
number, as compared with those of the early brood.

In Britain, this species has so far only been found on the heaths of Kent,
Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Dorsetshire, Somersetshire, Berkshire, and
Suffolk; in all these counties it is more or less local, but it abounds in
some of its haunts. It has been recorded from Hereford, and Edwards states
that it occurs rarely in the Malvern district of Worcestershire.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 138.
  1. SATIN CARPET: _egg and caterpillar_.
  2. SQUARE SPOT: _eggs_.
  3. THE ENGRAILED: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 139.
   1-3. ANNULET.
  4, 5. SCOTCH ANNULET.
  6, 7. BLACK MOUNTAIN MOTH.

{319}

THE ANNULET (_Gnophos_ (_Sciadion_) _obscurata_).

In a general way, all the grey specimens of this species are referable to
the type form _obscurata_, Schiffermuller; the true type, however, appears
to be rare in Britain, even if it occurs at all. It is, perhaps, best
represented by well-marked dark specimens from limestone districts, or the
lighter ones from peaty ground. At Folkestone and in other chalky
localities on the Kentish coast, the bulk of the specimens are pale grey
inclining to whitish, usually with the black cross lines showing more or
less clearly. Sometimes the lines are obscured by heavy freckling (ab.
_woodiata_, Prout); not infrequently, at Folkestone chiefly, the inner and
outer areas are pale, more or less free of freckling, but the central area,
defined by black lines, is densely freckled; this is the banded form (ab.
_fasciata_, Prout). A form occurs on the chalk hills at Lewes in Sussex, in
which the wings are almost white, without freckling, but with distinct
black lines and rings (ab. _calceata_, Staudinger); a modification of this
whitish form from Lewes has been described by Prout as ab. _mundata_,
"Almost pure whitish, with virtually no markings, excepting the annulets."
On heaths in Surrey and Hampshire, and on the mountains of Aberdeen and
Perthshire, a blackish form occurs (ab. _obscuriorata_, Prout =
_obscuraria_, Hubner, 146); and sometimes specimens are found in which the
wings are of "an intense and almost uniform black" (ab. _saturata_, Prout).
In Devonshire and Cornwall, the species is darkish grey inclining to
brownish (ab. _anthracinaria_, Esper); whilst on the coasts of North Devon
and Wales it is of a slaty grey, more or less tinged with brown, and almost
without markings; the Welsh specimens are large, and the wings are rather
shining (ab. _uniformata_, Prout). A form, which I have not seen, of "a
sandy or reddish colour" is referred by Prout (_Trans. City of Lond. Ent.
Soc._, 1903, p. 39) to ab. _argillacearia_, Staudinger; it {320} occurs in
sandstone localities. (Plate 84, Figs. 1, Folkestone; 2, New Forest; 3,
Lewes.)

The rather rough and dumpy caterpillar is dark greyish brown above,
inclining to purplish brown beneath; the raised dots are capped with white,
and there is a pair of white-capped warts on the last ring (adapted from
Barrett). It feeds on rock rose (_Helianthemum_), cinquefoil
(_Potentilla_), salad burnet (_Poterium_), etc.; or the larvae may be
reared on groundsel, chickweed, and strawberry, both wild and cultivated:
September to May. (Plate 140, Fig. 2.)

Mr. A. J. Scollick kindly gave me some eggs, laid by a female taken in
Surrey; they were yellowish green at first, but changed to pale brownish.
The caterpillars hatched and seemed to thrive on groundsel, but they died
during the winter.

The moth is out in July and August, and is widely distributed in England,
but except that it occurs in Surrey, Berkshire, Herefordshire, and
Worcestershire, it seems to prefer the seaboard counties, and in them
chiefly affects localities near the sea. It is found in Wales, and in
Scotland up to Moray; but in both these countries and also in Ireland it is
most frequent on the coast.

SCOTCH ANNULET (_Gnophos myrtillata_).

This species (Plate 139, Figs. 4 [male], 5 [female]) was introduced, as a
species new to Britain, by Curtis, who described and figured it as
_Charissa operaria_ in 1826, from specimens captured in Scotland.
Subsequently, it was found to be the _obfuscaria_, of Hubner, and also the
_obfuscata_ of the Vienna Catalogue (1776). The latter, however, being only
a bare name without description, was not generally accepted, although, if
valid, it would be prior to Hubner. Still later the species was ascertained
to be the _myrtillata_ of Thunberg (1792), and as this name is much earlier
than _obfuscaria_ it is here adopted. As a matter of fact, both names are
in use, as that of Hubner applies to our ashy grey form of the species,
whilst that given by Thunberg belongs to the typical fuscous grey form.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 140.
  1. HORSE CHESTNUT: _caterpillar_.
  2. ANNULET: _caterpillar_.
  3. BORDERED WHITE: _caterpillar, and chrysalis (enlarged)_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 141.
  1, 2. NETTED MOUNTAIN MOTH.
     3. FROSTED YELLOW.
   4-7. COMMON HEATH.
  8-10. BORDERED WHITE.

{321} The rather stout caterpillar is grey with darker lines and V-shaped
marks along the middle of the back, and dark-edged pale lines on the sides;
two erect whitish points on ring 12. It feeds on heather (_Calluna_), broom
(_Sarothamnus scoparius_), and needle furze or petty-whin (_Genista
anglica_), but it may be reared on knot grass. September to June, sometimes
later.

The moth is out in July and August, and frequents heaths, moor, and
mountain, in Scotland from Clydesdale (including Bute and Arran) to
Aberdeen and Ross, and the Isle of Lewis. A male specimen has been recorded
from Ireland (Dowros Head, co. Donegal, 1898). It may be found resting upon
rocks, stone walls, etc.; where these have suitable holes, crannies, or
projections they are selected as hiding places. Sometimes the moth has been
noted on the wing during the day, but at night it flies freely, and will
then visit light.

BLACK MOUNTAIN MOTH (_Psodos coracina_).

The smoky-grey species represented on Plate 139, Figs. 6 [male] 7 [female],
has two black lines on the fore wings; these are often edged with whitish,
and the space between them blackish; the submarginal line is whitish, and
the discal spot is black; the hind wings have a black central spot and two
pale lines or bands. The female is rather smaller and much paler. In both
sexes the central band of the fore wings is generally narrowed below the
middle, and sometimes it is completely divided at this point.

As regards the British Isles, this species is known only to occur in the
Highlands of Scotland. It is a day flyer, and very fond of sunshine, but
its favourite haunts are situated at elevations of from 2000 to 4000 feet.

{322}

NOTE.--Newman (_British Moths_, p. 68) figures this species as The Dusky
Carpet (_Mniophila cineraria_), and the insect, then known by the latter
name, is figured as _Psodos trepidaria_, a synonym of the present species.
In referring to this transposition of names, it may be well to add that _M.
cineraria_, catalogued as British by Doubleday, and stated by Stainton
(_Manual_ ii., p. 31) to have once occurred at Tenby, South Wales, can only
be regarded as an "accidental." The specimen, which is in the Natural
History Museum, at South Kensington, appears to be _Tephronia sepiaria_,
Hufnagel, which is the _cineraria_ of Hubner.

A moth, supposed to be a specimen of _Dasydia tenebraria_, Esper =
_torvaria_, Hubner, was reported as taken in Ireland "many years" before
1843, but at the present time that specimen, apparently, does not exist,
and there is no exact description of it extant.

NETTED MOUNTAIN MOTH (_Fidonia carbonaria_).

The white wings of this species (Plate 141, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female]) are
freckled with blackish and crossed by black stripes; sometimes the
freckling is so heavy that the white ground colour is much obscured and
only distinctly seen as edging to the cross stripes.

The caterpillar is dingy ochreous or whity brown marked with wavy darker
stripes. It feeds at night on birch and sallow; _Vaccinium_, _Erica_,
bearberry (_Arctostaphylos uva-ursi_) have also been mentioned as food
plants.

In April and May, the moth, which is to be found locally, high up on the
mountains of Scotland from Perthshire to Ross, is on the wing, and flies in
the sunshine. Writing of this species at Rannoch in May (about 17th), 1905,
Mr. E. A. Cockayne remarks that the moths began to fly about noon, {323}
when they appeared on all sides and were fairly active on the wing.

The distribution abroad is northern and Alpine, and the range extends to
North-east Siberia.

FROSTED YELLOW (_Fidonia limbaria_).

This black-bordered orange-yellow species (Plate 141, Fig. 3) is not likely
to be confused with any other occurring in Britain. The wings are more or
less sprinkled with black, but this is usually most noticeable on the hind
wings which are sometimes thickly sprinkled, or, more rarely, the yellow
ground colour is entirely obscured. The form with a black discal spot on
all the wings has been named ab. _quadripunctaria_, Fuchs. In ab. _fumata_,
Mathew, the orange yellow is replaced by smoky umber brown, tinged with
orange, and dusted with black atoms (bred July, 1899).

The caterpillar is greenish with grey-edged yellowish lines along the back,
and a black-edged yellow one along the sides. The ground colour is
sometimes purplish brown. It feeds on broom chiefly, but will eat other
Genisteae. There appears to be two broods, one in June, and the other in
September, or earlier sometimes. The moth is out in May and early June, and
again in July and August, but it has been known to remain in the chrysalis
for four years. It flies in the sunshine, and when resting, it sits like a
butterfly, with its wings brought together over its back.

Stephens (1831) states that the species was "not uncommon among high broom
in the vicinity of Birch-wood in Kent." Later authors give Stowmarket
(common), Needham, Barham, and Ipswich, in Suffolk. There are no recent
records from the county of Kent; and not much has been heard of the species
from Suffolk, although it may still exist, in greatly reduced numbers, in
some of its old haunts therein. {324}

COMMON HEATH (_Ematurga atomaria_).

Four specimens of this variable species are shown on Plate 141 (Figs. 4, 5
[male], 6, 7 [female]). The general colour of all the wings in the male is
ochreous, inclining to whitish or to brownish. Usually the wings are
speckled with brown, and the cross lines, or bands, are dark brown.
Occasionally the cross markings are absent; but more frequently the three
lines on the fore wings are much broadened and more or less united,
sometimes forming a central band in which are a few ochreous scales towards
the front margin: ab. _obsoletaria_, Zetterstedt. Dark brown or blackish
specimens (ab. _unicolorata_, Staudinger) are captured now and then in the
southern counties of England, but such uniform dark varieties are more
frequent in the north (Staffordshire and Yorkshire). The female is white in
colour, and usually only lightly speckled with blackish; the cross lines
are more conspicuous, as a rule, than in the male, but they are subject to
pretty much the same kind of aberration. Sometimes examples of this sex
greatly resemble _Fidonia carbonaria_, and have been confused with that
species by Haworth and other entomologists in the past. An abnormal
specimen with six wings has been recorded, and Barrett mentions a
gynandrous example--the right side like a small dark female, and the left
an ordinary male; both antennae shortly pectinated.

The caterpillar, according to Fenn, is variable in colour and markings, all
shades of brown, greenish brown, ochreous, purple, and grey; in some
examples there are pale diamonds, and in others whitish spots, along the
back. It feeds on ling and heath, and will eat clover, trefoils, broom,
etc.: July and August, and occasionally September. The moth is out in May
and June, and sometimes there are specimens on the wing in August. Abundant
on almost every heath throughout the British Isles, except in the
Shetlands.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 142.
  1. V-MOTH: _caterpillar_.
  2. YELLOW BELLE: _caterpillars_.
  3. BORDERED GREY: _caterpillar_.
  4. GREY SCALLOPED BAR: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 143.
  1, 2. BORDERED GREY.
     3. V-MOTH.
  4, 5. RANNOCH LOOPER.
     6. BROWN SILVER-LINE.
   7-9. LATTICED HEATH.

{325}

BORDERED WHITE (_Bupalus piniaria_).

Two forms of the male of this species are represented on Plate 141. Fig. 9
shows the yellow English form (ab. _flavescens_, White), and Fig. 10 the
white North English and Scotch forms. In southern localities, however,
specimens occur which are almost as white as the northern or even Scotch
examples; I have two such specimens from Surrey. There is considerable
variation in the size of area occupied by the pale colour, both in white
and yellow forms. In one of the former, from Forres, in Scotland, the white
is represented by a small oval spot and dappled streak on the fore wings;
an entirely black specimen (ab. _nigricarius_, Backhaus) has been noted
from Berkshire. In other specimens there is an unusually large proportion
of pale colour. The females are usually orange, or orange yellow, in the
south (Fig. 8); and yellowish brown, or dingy orange brown, in the north.
The brownish-coloured females occasionally occur in the south, and the
brighter form of this sex is sometimes taken in the Midlands, where the two
forms of the species seem to overlap.

The long, greenish caterpillar is marked with whitish or yellow lines;
those along the back are edged with black, and along the sides with dark
green. It feeds from August to October on the needles of the pine, and also
on other firs. (Plate 140, Fig. 3; Fig. 3a shows a photo of the chrysalis,
twice natural size, by Mr. H. Main.) The moth is out in May and June, later
in the north; it is generally common in pine woods throughout England,
Wales, and Scotland.

BORDERED GREY (_Selidosema ericetaria_).

Portraits of the male and female of this species (known also as _plumaria_)
will be found on Plate 143, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female]. The cross markings
are more distinct in some specimens than in others, and the central one of
the fore wings varies in width. {326}

The caterpillar (Plate 142, Fig. 3, from a photograph by Mr. H. Main) is
grey, with a dark-brown or blackish irregular double line along the back,
and pale lines along the sides, the lower one edged above with reddish
brown; spiracles, black, as also are the dots on the back; the last ring
ends in a point. (Adapted from Porritt.) It feeds on ling (_Calluna_), from
September well on into the following spring.

The moth occurs on heaths and mosses in July and August, but it is local.
On warm days the males are very active, but about dusk they are not
difficult to capture. In southern England, the New Forest, Hants, appears
to be its special home, but it is also found in other parts of that county,
including the Isle of Wight, in Dorsetshire, and in Surrey; also noted from
Berkshire. It is scarce in Cheshire, fairly common on the Witherslack
mosses in North Lancashire, and at Ullswater in Cumberland. Except that it
has been recorded from the Isle of Arran (1882), it does not seem to have
been noted in Scotland. In Ireland it is widely distributed, and is
abundant at Kinsale, co. Cork.

THE V-MOTH (_Thamnonoma_ (_Itame_) _wauari_).

The popular name of this species (Plate 143, Fig. 3) refers to the black
discal mark on the more or less violet-tinged pale, greyish fore wings; but
there is a good deal of variation in this character. Occasionally the wings
are suffused with smoky (ab. _vau-nigraria_, Hatchett), or more rarely with
blackish brown (ab. _fuscaria_, Thunberg).

On Plate 142 is a figure of the caterpillar, from a coloured drawing by Mr.
A. Sich. The general colour is greenish, or some shade of brown; the lines
on the back are white, and that low down along the sides is broad, and
yellow; the raised dots are black with short bristles. It feeds in April,
May, and June on the foliage of gooseberry and currant, and is especially
fond of the tender shoots. {327}

The moth, which is out in July and August, is often common in gardens and
orchards where bush fruit is grown, pretty well throughout the United
Kingdom. It appears to occur only rarely in Ireland.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland, and a form is found in Labrador.

RANNOCH LOOPER (_Thamnonoma brunneata_).

All the wings are of a rusty ochreous colour, sometimes, chiefly in the
male, inclining to a purplish tint on the fore wings; the brownish cross
lines are usually most distinct in the female, which sex Hubner figured as
_pinetaria_. (Plate 143, Figs. 4 [male], 5 [female].)

The caterpillar is reddish brown, with a black-edged dark-green irregular
line along the middle of the back; a white line on each side of the central
one, and following this are a dark-brown shade-like stripe and some
brownish-green lines; the line along the spiracles is whitish, inclining to
yellow. In general appearance it closely resembles a twig of bilberry
(_Vaccinium_), upon the foliage of which plant the caterpillar feeds in the
spring.

The moth is out in June and July, but in the British Isles it is only to be
obtained in Perthshire and northwards in Scotland. Black-wood, Loch
Rannoch, is the original, and a now well-known, locality for this species,
which Curtis in 1828 figured as _Speranza sylvaria_.

The range abroad extends to Amurland and Japan, and to North America.

BROWN SILVER-LINE (_Lozogramma_ (_Phasiane_) _petraria_).

The two cross lines on the pale-brown, sometimes pinkish, fore wings, are
edged with whitish, but this is most distinct on {328} the outer one. In
some specimens there is a distinct submarginal line, but this character is
only faintly in evidence as a rule, and occasionally it is entirely absent.
(Plate 143, Fig. 6.)

The caterpillar feeds in June, sometimes earlier, on bracken or brake-fern
(_Pteris aquilina_). It is olive green marked with reddish brown lines, and
there is a whitish line under the black spiracles.

In most English and Welsh localities where bracken is plentiful, this moth
should be found in May and June; also in the south of Scotland, but its
occurrence in that country north of Clydesdale appears to be only casual.
It is common in several parts of Ireland.

The distribution abroad includes Amurland and Japan.

LATTICED HEATH (_Chiasmia_ (_Strenia_) _clathrata_).

In its ground colour this species (Plate 143, Figs. 7, 8 [male], 9
[female]) varies from ochreous of some shade to white. The dark-brown or
blackish cross lines and veins give a latticed appearance to the wings,
hence both the Latin and popular names for this insect. There is much
variation in the width of the cross markings; sometimes two or more unite
and so form bands; more rarely, perhaps, the outer lines are absent, and
the others broken up into dashes; or the blackish cross lines may be
slender and the veins remain of the ochreous ground colour (ab. _radiata_,
Haworth). A less frequent aberration has the wings dark brown or blackish
all over, except a row of whitish or ochreous spots on the outer margins
(ab. _nocturnata_, Fuchs = _nigricans_, Oberthur).

The caterpillar, which feeds on clovers and trefoils, is green, with white
lines along the back and sides; the slightly notched head is rather glossy,
and the mouth is brownish: June to September, in two broods.

The first generation of the moth is out in April and May, and {329} the
second in July and August. It may be found in clover fields and on chalk
slopes, etc., where the food plants flourish; although it is an active day
flyer, it is not difficult to capture with the net. It is most plentiful in
southern and eastern England, but its range extends throughout the United
Kingdom to Clydesdale, and the species is widely distributed in Ireland.

The distribution abroad extends to East Siberia, Amurland, and Japan.

GREY SCALLOPED BAR (_Scodiona fagaria_).

In its typical form this species (also known as _belgiaria_, Hubner) is
grey, more or less tinged with ochreous, speckled with brownish grey, and
crossed by black-marked brownish-grey lines. The bulk of British specimens,
especially those from southern localities, are whitish grey, thinly
sprinkled with darker grey scales in the male, and sometimes heavily
powdered in the female; a pair are figured on Plate 144, 1 [male], 2
[female]. The whiter form of the male, occurring in Britain chiefly in the
New Forest, Hampshire, has been named _albidaria_, Staudinger.

The roughened caterpillar is figured on Plate 142 (photo by H. Main). In
general colour it is dingy brown, with a whitish stripe along the back and
some greyish marking on the sides. It feeds on ling and heath; growing
slowly in the late summer, but more quickly in the spring, after
hibernation, when it may be obtained at night from the tips of the heather
twigs, either by searching or by means of the sweeping net. The moth is out
in June and July in the south, and later in the north. It is found on moist
heaths, moors, and mosses; when resting on the dark-coloured earth it so
closely resembles a stone that it is probably frequently passed unnoticed.

The species is apparently more plentiful in the New Forest than in its
other known southern localities (Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Sussex, and
Dorset). Its range northwards in England {330} extends from Worcestershire
(Malvern, rare) to Cumberland and Northumberland. It seems to be
distributed over the greater part of Scotland, including the Hebrides and
the Orkneys. In Wales it has been recorded from Flint, Denbigh, and
Carnarvon; and it is widely spread over Ireland, occurring chiefly on the
bogs.

BLACK-VEINED MOTH (_Scoria lineata_).

This slightly ochreous tinged silky white moth has the veins of the wings
blackish, and this is especially noticeable on the underside of the fore
wings. A male specimen is shown on Plate 144, Fig. 3; the wings of the
female are slightly smaller, and the body is stouter and shorter. This
species is the _dealbata_ of Linnaeus, but _lineata_, Scopoli, is older by
four years. The long caterpillar is greyish inclining to ochreous or
brownish; several irregular darker lines on the back and sides. It feeds,
in confinement, on knot-grass, dock, bird's-foot trefoil, etc., but in the
open is said to eat wood grasses, such as _Brachypodium_, upon the blades
of which the female moth has been seen to deposit eggs: July to May. The
moth is out from late May through June; it flies in the sunshine, or rests
among long grass, etc., from which it is readily disturbed. Its chief
British haunts are in Kent (Higham, Wye, etc.); but it has been recorded
from Sussex, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucester, and Herefordshire, chiefly in
single specimens.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland.

STRAW BELLE (_Aspilates gilvaria_).

This straw-coloured species (Plate 144, Fig. 4 [male], 6 [female]) will be
easily recognised by the brownish stripe on the fore wings, which extends
from the front margin, near the tip, almost to the inner {331} margin; this
is sometimes faint, but rarely quite absent. The hind wings are paler and
have a dusky central dot and incomplete band. The caterpillar, which in
shape is somewhat similar to that of the next species, is ochreous grey
inclining to pinkish on the sides; a dark almost blackish line along the
middle of the back is edged on each side with pale ochreous, and there are
other pale and dark lines along the sides. It feeds on thyme, cinquefoil,
yarrow, and other low-growing plants; it may be reared on knot grass:
September to June. The moth is out in July and August, and, although very
local, is not uncommon on downs and hilly fields on the chalk in Kent and
Surrey--Dover, Folkestone, and Rochester in the former county, and
Leatherhead, Box Hill, and Reigate in the latter, are the best-known
localities. It has also been reported from Sussex (Brighton, Horsham, near
Polgate, Shoreham). In Devonshire it is said to occur at Braunton and
Ilfracombe, but is scarce. In his catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Suffolk
(1890) the Rev. E. N. Bloomfield notes the species as very plentiful in
clover fields about Tuddenham. Also recorded from Somerset,
Gloucestershire, Cheshire (West Kirby and Hale), and from near Harrow in
Middlesex.

Very local and scarce in Ireland (Kane).

The range abroad extends to East Siberia and Amurland.

YELLOW BELLE (_Aspilates ochrearia_).

As will be seen from Fig. 5 [female] on Plate 144, this species differs
from the last in its yellower colour and rather smaller size; the fore
wings have two cross bands, generally well defined, but in the male they
are sometimes very faint and slender, and specimens have been recorded in
which the bands were missing.

The roughened caterpillar, figured on Plate 142, from a coloured drawing by
Mr. A. Sich, is pale ochreous brown, lined and striped with darker brown.
It feeds on wild carrot, plantain, {332} hawks'-beard, etc., and will
thrive on knot-grass. There are two broods, one feeding in the spring,
after hibernation; and the other in June and July, sometimes later. The
first generation of moths flies in May and June, and the second in August
and early September. The species occurs in all the southern seaboard
counties of England from Kent to Cornwall, frequenting the downs and rough
fields near the coast; also in the Sandbreck district of the eastern
counties. It occurs in South Wales; and odd specimens have been reported
from Cheshire (Delamere), and from Cumberland.

The range abroad extends to North-west Africa and Asia Minor.

GRASS WAVE (_Perconia_ (_Aspilates_) _strigillaria_).

A male and a female of this species are depicted on Plate 144, Figs. 7
[male] and 8 [female]. There is variation in the amount of dark speckling
on the wings, and in the number and width of the cross markings; sometimes
the first and second on the fore wings are united throughout their length,
or towards the inner margin; coupled with this there is sometimes
considerable increase in the width of the first cross marking of the hind
wings. A rare variety in Britain is ab. _grisearia_, Staudinger, which is
of an almost uniform greyish or greyish-brown colour, with the markings
obscured.

The caterpillar is purplish grey, marked with paler and darker; two warts
on the back of rings 7-10, the middle pair the largest and most prominent.
It feeds on ling, heath, broom, and the flowers of gorse or furze, and is
best obtained in the spring after hibernation.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 144.
  1, 2. GREY SCALLOPED BAR.
     3. BLACK-VEINED.
  4, 5. YELLOW BELLE.
     6. STRAW BELLE.
  7, 8. GRASS WAVE.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 145.
  1. TRANSPARENT BURNET: _caterpillar_.
  2, 2a. NARROW-BORDERED FIVE-SPOT BURNET: _caterpillar, chrysalis and
      cocoon_.
  3, 3a. FIVE-SPOT BURNET: _caterpillar and cocoon_.
  4. SIX-SPOT BURNET: _caterpillar_.
  5. FORESTER: _caterpillar_.

{333} The moth, which is out in June and July, occurs on most of the heaths
and moors throughout England; apparently commoner and more generally
distributed in the south than in the north; but it seems to be rare on the
eastern side of the country altogether. From Cheshire it spreads into Flint
and Denbigh, North Wales. In Scotland, it is found in Roxburgh (Bellion
Moor), Clydesdale (local, but common), and northwards to Ross. It is found
on the boggy heaths of Ireland, and Kane states that it is abundant where
it occurs.

The range abroad extends to Scandinavia and eastward to Asia Minor.

ZYGAENIDAE.

The moths belonging to this family are popularly known in Britain as
Burnets and Foresters. Of the former seven kinds occur in the British
Isles, and of the latter there are only three species.

All the species live in colonies, so that when a specimen is seen or
captured others may be expected to occur on, or somewhere around, the same
spot. The caterpillars bear a close resemblance to each other, and are not
always easily distinguished.

Over thirty species of _Zygaena_ are found in Europe, and about thirty-six
more have been described from other parts of the Palaearctic Region. There
are at least twenty-five Palaearctic species referred to the genus Ino, and
about ten of these are European.

By most authors _filipendulae_ is regarded as the type of the genus
_Zygaena_, Fabricius; but others refer this species, and its allies, to the
genus _Anthrocera_, Scopoli, using the Fabrician genus for _phegea_,
Linnaeus. The latter species and its allies are perhaps more frequently
referred to _Syntomis_, Ochsenheimer, the typical genus of the family
Syntomidae, the systematic position of which is near the Arctiidae. It may
be added that _S. phegea_, and also _Naclia ancilla_, have been reported as
British. There does not seem, however, to be any reason to suppose that the
occurrence of either species in Britain could be other than accidental.
{334}

THE TRANSPARENT BURNET (_Zygaena purpuralis_).

Two Welsh specimens are depicted on Plate 146, Figs. 1 and 2; these are of
the typical form. A rare aberration has the spots and the hind wings more
or less suffused with blackish (ab. _obscura_, Tutt), but a still rarer
variety has the crimson of spots and hind wings replaced by yellow (ab.
_lutescens_, Tutt).

Newman in 1861 referred an Irish specimen to _achilleae_, but a little
later, after seeing other examples, in the same year he changed the name to
_nubiginea_. Birchall (_Ent. Mo. Mag._, iii. pt. i.) figured four forms of
the species from Ireland; his _minos_ (Figs. 5a and 5b) seems to represent
two modifications of ab. _interrupta_, Staudinger, in which form the red
blotches are widely separated or interrupted by the ground colour; and his
_nubigena_ is made up of more or less typical _purpuralis_ (Fig. 6a), and a
variety (Fig. 6b), with red marks between the lower and central blotches.

The caterpillar (Plate 145, Fig. 1) is dark green inclining to olive above
and paler below; the spots are black (outer row) and yellow (inner row);
the line along the back is obscure whitish; hairs, whitish. It feeds on
thyme and burnet saxifrage (_Pimpinella_). _Trifolium_ and _Lotus_ have
also been given among other food plants. In late summer, and after
hibernation, in the spring. The moth flies in June, and is locally common
in Ireland (Clare and Galway), Wales (Abersoch), and Scotland (Oban, Loch
Etive). It has been reported from Tintagel, Cornwall, and possibly, as
suggested by Tutt, these Cornish specimens may turn out to be _Z.
achilleae_, the latest addition to our small band of Burnets. Perhaps the
Scottish specimens recorded as _purpuralis_, or at least some of them, may
prove to be _achilleae_.

This species was figured by Brunnich, in 1763, as _purpuralis_, and
authorities are now agreed that this name must be adopted in place of
_pilosellae_, Esper (1781), or _minos_, Fuessly (1782). {335}

SCOTCH OR MOUNTAIN BURNET (_Zygaena exulans_).

This semi-transparent and rather greyish moth has five reddish spots on the
fore wings. (Plate 146, Fig. 3.) So far as concerns the British Isles it is
only known to occur in Aberdeenshire, where it was discovered on the
mountains at Braemar in July, 1871, and where it may be still found by
those who are acquainted with the situation of its lofty haunts. The late
Dr. Buchanan White named the Scottish form _subochracea_, but others
consider that it is not readily separable from _vanadis_, Dalman, which in
turn is said by Tutt to be pretty much the same form of the species as that
described as the type _exulans_, Hochenwarth.

The caterpillar is dark green above, and paler below; two velvety black
stripes on the back, each stripe interrupted by yellow spots; warts with
black hairs; head, black. It feeds on _Silene acaulis_, cyphel (_Arenaria
cherleria = Cherleria sedoides_), clover, trefoils, _Azalea procumbens_,
etc.; has been known to eat dock and knot-grass: August to June. The cocoon
has been found on a stem of crowberry (_Empetrum_), and on heath and grass
stems. The moth is out in July, and, like the rest of its kindred, delights
in the sunshine.

_Zygaena achilleae_.

A specimen of this species, quite recently introduced as British, has been
kindly lent by Mr. B. Adkin. It was taken, with others, in the vicinity of
Oban, Argyllshire. Mr. Sheldon informs me that he believes that a worn
Zygaenid he captured in 1898, in the Glencoe district, was this species.

On Plate 1, with the Scottish example (Fig. 2) referred to, is also shown a
specimen from the continent (Fig. 3), and it will be noted that the former
is very like the latter. In some {336} respects this species is not unlike
some confluent-spot forms of _filipendulae_, but it is a more
slender-looking insect, and the body is more hairy. Further, the upper
basal spot of the fore wings is lengthened almost to the upper spot of the
middle pair, and the fifth and sixth spots together form an almost oval
mark. Both specimens depicted seem to be referable to var. _viciae_,
Hubner. In the typical forms the spots are larger. A yellow form ab.
_flava_, Oberthur, is known on the continent.

The caterpillar, after Hofmann, is figured on Plate 1, Fig. 5. It is said
to feed on _Astragalus_ and _Coronilla_.

NEW FOREST BURNET (_Zygaena meliloti_).

Two examples of this, normally, five-spotted little species are shown on
Plate 146, Figs. 4 [male], 5 [female]; a variety, referable to ab.
_confusa_, Staudinger (spots run together forming streaks somewhat as in
_purpuralis_), is depicted in Plate 148, Fig. 1. Occasionally a sixth spot
is in evidence (ab. _sexpunctata_, Tutt). A form in which the body has a
red belt is known abroad as ab. _stentzii_, Freyer, and examples having
traces of this belt have been recorded from the New Forest, which, it may
be added, is the only locality in Britain producing this species.

The caterpillar is of a dull pale greenish colour, with numerous black
speckles; three whitish lines on the back, the central one greenish tinged
and broader than the others, which are interrupted on each ring by a yellow
spot; between the lines is a series of black dots, one on the outer edge of
each ring; hairs, from greenish warts, white and short; head, black, dotted
with white. It feeds on bird's-foot trefoil (_Lotus corniculatus_), and
other trefoils and clovers: August to May. Sometimes the caterpillars do
not complete growth until they have passed two winters in hibernation. The
cocoon, which is yellow or yellowish white, has been found on a grass stem,
but {337} it is generally placed so low down among herbage that it seems to
be rarely detected.

The moth is out in June and early July.

As previously stated the only part of Britain that the species inhabits is
the New Forest, Hampshire. Here it was first met with in Stubby Copse,
about 1869, but was apparently not distinguished from _Z. trifolii_ until
1872. It is now less frequent in its old haunt than formerly, although it
still occurs there; in other spots around, I believe, it is not uncommon in
some years.

Some authorities refer this species to _viciae_, Schranck.

FIVE-SPOT BURNET (_Zygaena trifolii_).

Four specimens of this species are portrayed on Plate 146. In the typical
form (Figs. 7 [male], 8 [female]) the central pair of crimson spots are
united and often form a large blotch; ab. _orobi_, Hubner (Figs. 6 [male],
9 [female]), has the spots placed well apart. Other more or less frequent
aberrations are depicted by Mr. Horace Knight on Plate 148 where Fig. 2
represents ab. _glycirrhizae_, Hubner (spots 3, 4, and 5 united); Fig. 3,
ab. _basalis_, Selys (spots 3 and 4 united with the basal pair); and Fig.
4, ab. _minoides_, Selys (all the spots united, forming an irregular
patch). An extreme development of the last-mentioned form has been named
ab. _extrema_, Tutt (see _Entom._ xxix., p. 341, Fig. 2). Specimens with a
sixth spot as in _Z. filipendulae_ have been occasionally recorded, and an
example with the lower spot of the central pair absent has been taken in
West Sussex by Mr. W. M. Christy, who has also obtained a number of
specimens of a yellow form (ab. _lutescens_, Cockerell) in the same
locality. The yellow form is shown on Plate 148, Fig. 5. Some of the yellow
aberrations also exhibit variation in the spots pretty much as in the
ordinary form. In some localities, especially marshy ones, the spots on
{338} the fore wings and the hind wings are occasionally dull orange; and I
have noted specimens in the Weybridge district, Surrey, with the spots on
the fore wings of a pinky ochreous colour, whilst the hind wings were of
the usual crimson. Such "aberrations" as those last mentioned probably
result from weather exposure. In 1899, Mr. G. B. Corbin recorded the
capture, near Ringwood, Hants, of a specimen which had the spots on the
fore wings and the red of the hind wings darkened over with dull smoky
black, so that the insect when seen at a distance seemed to be wholly
black. Dr. Hodgson has recently obtained several of these melanic specimens
in Sussex. A form with the spots and hind wings suffused with brownish has
been named ab. _obscura_, Oberthur.

With regard to six-spot examples referred to this species, I am inclined to
suppose that they may be the offspring of a chance pairing of _trifolii_
and _filipendulae_. That such crossing does occur in nature I have
evidence, as on one occasion I found four mixed pairs, the male being
_trifolii_ in each case, and the female typical _filipendulae_. This was in
the Weybridge district, where I had come across a colony of the latter
species and was closely examining the specimens for aberrations.

The caterpillar (Plate 145, Fig. 3) is green inclining to yellowish and to
bluish, with black marks on the back; a series of black streaks low down
along the sides. It feeds on _Lotus corniculatus_, and on other trefoils
and clover: July to May. Sometimes taking two years to complete its
changes.

In damp meadows the moth is out in May and June, but in marshes it does not
appear, as a rule, until July, and may be found in early August. The marsh
specimens, which are sometimes rather large in size, have been referred to
_palustris_, Oberthur, and are treated by Tutt (_Nat. Hist. Brit. Lep._,
vol. i.) as a sub-species.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 146.
  1, 2. TRANSPARENT BURNET.
     3. SCOTCH BURNET.
  4, 5. NEW FOREST BURNET.
   6-9. FIVE-SPOT BURNET.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 147.
    1, 2. NARROW-BORDERED FIVE-SPOT BURNET.
     3-5. SIX-SPOT BURNET.
    6, 7. SCARCE FORESTER.
    8, 9. THE FORESTER.
  10, 11. CISTUS FORESTER.

{339} In the British Isles, the species is apparently confined to England
and North Wales. In the former country it is locally common in most of the
southern counties; still more local in the eastern counties, and northwards
to Lancashire and Yorkshire. There are records from Armagh and Fermanagh,
but Kane appears to doubt the occurrence of the species in Ireland. There
is no doubt that the next species has frequently been mistaken for the
present one, therefore the actual range of _trifolii_ in the British Isles
has probably not been fully ascertained.

NARROW-BORDERED FIVE-SPOT BURNET (_Zygaena lonicerae_).

As will be seen from the two specimens represented by Figs. 1 [male] and 2
[female] on Plate 147, this species bears considerable resemblance to ab.
_orobi_ of _Z. trifolii_. The chief differences are in the rather longer
fore wings and the more pointed tips of the hind pair; the borders of the
hind wings are often narrower. In a broad way, it may be stated that the
general tone of colour in the male of _lonicerae_ is bluer than that of
_trifolii_. The union of any two or more spots is rarely seen in this
species in Britain, but specimens with all the spots joined together have
certainly been noted. A yellow form, ab. _citrina_, Speyer (= _flava_,
Oberthur), is known on the continent, and Barrett states that it has
occurred in England. In ab. _lutescens_, Hewett, the hind wings are orange.
Ab. _eboraceae_, Prest, is semi-transparent, steel blue; the spots and the
hind wings are pink, the border of the hind wings brown, and the fringes of
all the wings are whitish.

The caterpillar (Plate 145, Fig. 2) is very similar to that of the last
species, but the black marks on the sides are heavier, and the hairs of the
body are longer. It feeds on trefoils and clover, and sometimes passes two
winters before becoming full grown. The cocoon, which is attached to stems
of grass, etc., is generally placed well up above the ground, so that it is
readily seen. {340}

The moth, which is out in late June and in July, occurs in woods and
plantations; also said to be found in meadows, and on rough waste ground,
as well as in marshes and salterns. The distribution is much as in the last
species, but it is plentiful in East Yorkshire, and the range extends to
Cumberland and Northumberland.

SIX-SPOT BURNET (_Zygaena filipendulae_).

This species (Plate 147, Figs. 3-5) is the most generally common of our
Burnets. Perhaps the most frequent form of variation in the spots of the
fore wings is that in which the outer pair run together, and so form a
blotch; but union of the middle pair is not an uncommon occurrence. In ab.
_cytisi_, Hubner, the three pairs of spots are each united, so that the
fore wings have three separate blotches, and when these are of a dull
scarlet instead of the usual crimson, ab. _ramburi_, Lederer, is
represented. Occasionally, all the spots are united, as in ab. _cytisi_,
and the blotches thus formed are connected by reddish streaks in various
modifications leading up to ab. _conjuncta_, Tutt, which has all the spots
merged into a large blotch, extending over the disc of the fore wings. From
the normal crimson, the spots and the hind wings vary now and then to
orange (_aurantia_, Tutt), or to yellow (ab. _flava_, Robson = _cerinus_,
Robson and Gardner); intermediate shades between these two extremes, and
the typical coloration, are rather more frequent. I am indebted to Mr. R.
Adkin for the loan of the example of the yellow form shown on Plate 148,
Fig. 6. Pink, and orange, forms have been noted from various parts of
England, but they seem to occur, or have been found, more especially in
Cambridge and the north-east corner of Essex. Fig. 7, Plate 148, represents
an example of ab. _chrysanthemi_, Hubner, and is copied from Oberthur's
_Etudes d'Entom._, xx., Plate 8, Fig. 134. A few specimens referable to
this form, probably not exceeding half a dozen altogether, have been
recorded as taken in England. In typical _filipendulae_ the dark blue
border of the hind wings is narrow, but in ab. _hippocrepidis_, Stephens
(_tutti_, Rebel), the borders are rather broad. Another character of this
form is that the nervule upon which the sixth spot is placed is here of the
ground colour, and therefore divides the spot. (Plate 147, Fig. 3.) At
Northwood, Middlesex, I have found this form in May and June, and also in
the Weybridge district, Surrey, in late July; and, it may be added, there
was a flourishing colony of _Z. trifolii_ hard by in each locality. For
this reason, plus the fact that _trifolii_ [male] is known to pair with
_filipendulae_ [female], I hold the opinion that _hippocrepidis_ is a
hybrid. It may be noted here that hybrids have been raised from the
crossing of _filipendulae_ and _lonicerae_; the sexes of _lonicerae_ and
_trifolii_ pair somewhat readily, and the hybrid offspring of such pairings
are fertile.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 148.
           1. NEW FOREST BURNET, AB. _CONFUSA_.
  2, 3, 4, 5. FIVE-SPOT BURNET, VARS.
        6, 7. SIX-SPOT BURNET, VARS.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 149.
  1. FESTOON MOTH: _caterpillars and cocoons_.
  2. TRIANGLE MOTH: _caterpillars_.

{341} It seems, then, that _trifolii_, _lonicerae_, and _filipendulae_ have
not, so far, lost the power of fertile cross-pairing. Wherever colonies of
two of the kind exist within visiting distance of each other, there, it
appears, we may reasonably expect to find hybrids.

From a number of cocoons collected in a Yorkshire locality for _lonicerae_,
I reared, in 1907, a good many examples of that species, and also about a
dozen six-spot specimens, which agree in colour with _filipendulae_, but
they have the vein-interrupted sixth spot and broad border to hind wings,
as in _hippocrepidis_.

The caterpillar (Plate 145, Fig. 4) is greenish, with black markings and
some yellow spots, the latter chiefly on the hind edges of the rings. It
feeds in the autumn and after hibernation, on trefoils, clover, bird's-foot
(_Ornithopus_), and kidney-vetch (_Anthyllis_), completing growth in the
spring.

The moth flies on sunny days in July and August, on chalk downs, etc.,
inland, and on cliffs and sand hills on the coast, also in marshes; but, as
previously stated, it also occurs locally in meadows in May and June. {342}

SCARCE FORESTER (_Ino_ (_Rhagades_) _globulariae_).

Of the three species occurring in Britain this is slightly the larger, at
least in the male. The fore wings are green, sometimes with a slightly
golden sheen; fringes, greyish. The male is best distinguished from
_statices_ by its more slender body, and by the pectinated and rather
pointed antennae. The female is a good deal smaller than the male; the
antennae are simple, and somewhat thread-like, compared with those of the
females of _statices_ and _geryon_. (Plate 147, Figs. 6 [male], 7
[female].)

The caterpillar is green, with the raised spots inclining to bluish; two
yellowish-white lines along the back, and a dark green stripe along the
sides; head and plate on first ring of the body, black. It lives on
knapweeds (_Centaurea nigra_ and _C. scabiosa_), feeding on the leaves much
in the same manner as the caterpillar of the next two species.

The moth is out in June and July; it is partial to blossoms of salad burnet
(_Poterium sanguisorba_), and only flies in the sunshine. The late Mr. J.
Jenner Weir, who found the species commonly on the downs near Lewes,
Sussex, was the first entomologist to record it as British. The best known
localities in Sussex are Hollingbury Vale and Cliffe Hill, but it also
occurs at the Devil's Dyke near Brighton. In Kent it is found on the downs
behind Folkestone and Shorncliffe Camp.

THE FORESTER (_Ino_ (_Adscita_) _statices_).

In its most frequent form in Britain, this species is bronzy green (ab.
_viridis_, Tutt); the typical bluish green type is much less frequent. The
female is smaller than the male, but the difference in size is hardly ever
so marked as in the sexes of _globulariae_. The antennae of the male are
pectinated, but the tips are thickened. (Plate 147, Figs. 8 [male], 9
[female].) {343}

The caterpillar (Plate 145, Fig. 5) is whitish, inclining to green, yellow,
or pinkish, on the back, and the sides are pinkish brown; the hairy warts
are brown or pinkish brown, and the small head is glossy black. It feeds on
sorrel (_Rumex acetosa_), and it attains full growth, after hibernation,
about the end of April. On leaving the egg-shell in the summer, the young
caterpillar bores into a leaf, and eats the tissue between the upper and
lower skins; later on it attacks the foliage from the underside, but leaves
the upper skin intact; or the process may be reversed, and the under skin
left.

The moth is on the wing in June, sometimes late May. It occurs, locally, in
meadows, frequently damp ones, where there is plenty of ragged-robin
(_Lychnis flos-cuculi_), the blossoms of which plant it seems to prefer to
all others.

Widely distributed over England, but in Wales only recorded from Capel
Curig and Barmouth, in the north of that country (1900). In Scotland its
range extends to Moray; and in Ireland it is found in counties Wicklow,
Cork, Clare, Westmeath, Monaghan, Sligo, and Galway.

CISTUS FORESTER (_Ino_ (_Adscita_) _geryon_).

This species is much smaller than the last; the fore wings, the outer
margins of which are somewhat rounded, are bronze green, but, in the male,
rather dull in tint, sometimes tinged with golden towards the base. The
antennae are more stumpy than those of _statices_, but in other respects
they are similar in appearance. The female is not much smaller than the
male. (Plate 147, Figs. 10 [male], 11 [female].)

The caterpillar is yellowish white, with bristle-bearing warts of pretty
much the same colour; three lines on the back, the central one whitish,
edged on each side with purplish, the others waved and of a claret colour;
a reddish-brown stripe low down {344} along the sides; head and plate on
first ring of the body black, the latter edged in front with yellowish. It
feeds on rock rose (_Helianthemum chamaecistus_). At first it attacks the
leaf from the upper side, and partly burrows therein; when older it clears
away patches from the under surface, leaving the upper skin of the leaf
more or less transparent; as it approaches full growth it likes to take its
meals in the sunshine, and then eats the top skin as well as other parts of
the leaf, and also tender shoots: July to May. The moth is out in June and
July, as a rule, but is sometimes observed in May. Its haunts are on warm
slopes of chalk downs and limestone hills, where it flies in the sunshine.

This species was first noted as British in March, 1860, when specimens from
Worcestershire were recorded as _Procris tenuicornis_. It seems, however,
to have been considered doubtfully distinct from _statices_ until 1863,
when the caterpillar was found, and the occurrence of the species in
several other English counties recorded. At the present time _I. geryon_ is
known to inhabit Sussex (Brighton and Lewes districts), Kent (Canterbury
and Shorncliffe), Bucks (Aylesbury and Tring), Oxfordshire (Chinor),
Gloucestershire (Cotswolds), Worcestershire (Malvern Hills), Derbyshire and
North Staffordshire (Bakewell and Dovedale), Yorkshire (Richmond, Barnsley,
Sheffield, etc.), and Durham (banks on the coast). In Wales, it is
sometimes common on Great Orme's Head, Carnarvonshire.

COCHLIDIDAE.

This family of moths mainly comprises tropical species, and is but poorly
represented in the Palaearctic Region. Only two species are European, and
both occur in Britain.

As _Cochlidion_, Hubner, supersedes _Limacodes_, Latrielle, the name of the
family so long known as Limacodidae, will have to {345} be changed to that
here adopted. Meyrick, who sinks _Limacodes_ in favour of _Apoda_, Haworth,
uses Heterogeneidae as the family name.

THE FESTOON (_Cochlidion_ (_Heterogenea_) _limacodes_).

The fore wings of the male are orange brown, more or less smudged or
clouded with blackish; two oblique black lines, the first inclined inwards,
and the second outwards and apparently terminating on the outer margin just
above the inner angle, but there is a slender dusky curve from this point
enclosing a clear, orange-brown spot. Hind wings blackish, except on the
inner margin, which is broadly orange brown. Female, ochreous brown, with
lines on the fore wings as in the male; hind wings suffused with dark grey
or blackish, except on the inner area; generally rather larger than the
male. (Plate 153, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female].) Not infrequently, the fore
wings of the male are so much clouded with blackish that the cross lines
are obscured, and the spot on the inner margin alone remains clear.

The caterpillar (Plate 149, Fig. 1, from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich)
is green, with two reddish-edged yellow lines on the back; between these
lines are yellowish spots; a yellow line along the sides extends along the
front edge of the second ring, where it is marked with red. It feeds on
oak, and may be beaten from the boughs in the autumn. The brownish cocoon
is depicted on Plate 149; Fig. 1a shows the hinged lid which covered the
opening through which the chrysalis protruded previous to the moth's
escape; Fig. 1b represents one from which the moth has not emerged, and in
nature this would be attached to a leaf and covered with a delicate film of
silk. The moth is out in June and July, and both sexes may be beaten from
the branches of trees, or seen flying around their tops in the sunshine.
{346}

This species, often referred to as _Limacodes testudo_, and said to be the
_avellana_ of Linnaeus, is an inhabitant of oak woods, and occurs in
Hampshire, Sussex, Kent, Essex, Suffolk, Oxfordshire, Bucks,
Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire. A male and two females have been
reported from Clonbrock, Co. Galway, Ireland.

THE TRIANGLE (_Heterogena asella_).

The fore wings of this little species (Plate 153, Figs. 4 [male] and 5
[female]) are of triangular shape; in the male, which sex is smaller than
the female, they are dark brown, sometimes almost blackish (ab. _nigra_,
Tutt), and those of the female yellowish brown varying to ochreous yellow
(ab. _flavescens_, Tutt). The hind wings of the male are blackish, and of
the female clouded with blackish.

The curious woodlouse-shaped caterpillar is green, sometimes inclining to
yellowish; the broad reddish band on the back broadens out before the
middle, thus giving the idea of a rough cross, or, as sometimes described,
a blunt spear head. It is found, by searching, in August and until October,
on the foliage of beech and oak. Birch has also been mentioned as a food
plant, and on the continent it is said to feed on poplar, lime, hazel, and
hornbeam. Fig. 2 on Plate 149 is from a photo by Mr. H. Main.

Although the caterpillar constructs its gall-like cocoon on a leaf or in
the fork of a twig in the autumn, it does not change to a chrysalis until
late in spring, sometimes not until June. The moth is out in June and July
and flies in the sunshine, chiefly in the afternoon, and might easily be
confused with the Lechean Tortrix (_Ptycholoma lecheana_).

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 150.
  1, 2. GOAT MOTH.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 151.
  GOAT MOTH: _caterpillar, chrysalis and cocoon_.

{347} The species appears to be very local in England and confined to the
south. Its chief haunts seem to be in Bucks, where it is not uncommon in
beech woods at Marlow, and in Hampshire, especially parts of the New
Forest. It has been found in Epping Forest, Essex; rarely in Abbot's Wood
and Rewell Wood, Sussex; also recorded from Bickleigh Vale and the Plym
Valley, Devonshire.

The range abroad extends to Amurland.

COSSIDAE.

[Illustration: FIG. 20.

GOAT MOTH AT REST.

(Photo by Hugh Main.)]

Of the eighty-six Palaearctic species referred to this family, by far the
larger number are eastern, only about eight appear to be found in Europe,
and but three of these occur in Britain.

Meyrick separates _Cossus cossus_ (_ligniperda_) from our other two
species, adopts _Trypanus_, Rambur, as the generic name, and removes it to
the Tortricina as a family of that group under the name Trypanidae.

THE GOAT MOTH (_Cossus cossus_ (_ligniperda_)).

The English name of this species (Plate 150, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female])
applies more especially to the caterpillar, as this creature gives off an
odour which has been compared to that of the he-goat. In general colour the
caterpillar is pinkish ochreous, {348} inclining to dark reddish on the
back; the small head is black and glossy, and the mark on the first ring of
the body is black. It feeds in the solid wood of various trees, especially
elm, ash, and willow, but is three or four years in completing growth. When
mature, it often leaves its burrow and wanders in search of a suitable
place for pupation. When met with at such times it should be, if taken,
placed in a roomy tin box with a good supply of sawdust or decayed wood,
when it will make its cocoon, and appear as a moth in due course. The early
stages are shown on Plate 151.

Caterpillars are more likely to come under the notice of the country
rambler than are the moths; examples of the latter, however, may be seen
occasionally, in June or July, resting on a tree-trunk, a fence, or a gate
post; sometimes, although practically tongueless, the moth visits the sugar
patch and either settles on the tree or flutters around.

The species seems to occur in all parts of the British Isles, except
perhaps the extreme north of Scotland and the Hebrides.

Abroad, the range extends to Amurland and to North-west Africa.

THE LEOPARD MOTH (_Zeuzera pyrina_).

As will be seen from the portraits of this blue-black spotted white species
on Plate 153, the male (Fig. 6) is smaller than the female (Fig. 7); it
will be further noted that the antennae of the male are bi-pectinated on
the basal half, and thread-like on the outer half; the antennae of the
female are thread-like throughout.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 152.
  1. LEOPARD MOTH: _caterpillar_.
  2. ORANGE-TAILED CLEARWING: _caterpillar's burrow and exit hole;
      chrysalis skin_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 153.
  1, 2. FESTOON.
     3. REED LEOPARD.
  4, 5. TRIANGLE.
  6, 7. LEOPARD MOTH.

{349} The caterpillar (Plate 152, Fig. 1, from a coloured drawing by Mr. A.
Sich) is dull whitish, more or less tinged with yellow; the spots are
black, and the head and plates on the first and last rings of the body are
blackish brown. It feeds in branches and stems of trees and shrubs.
Hatching from the egg, say in the late summer of 1908, the caterpillar will
not be full grown until May or June of 1910, or possibly 1911; forming a
cocoon of silk and wood particles, it turns to a reddish brown chrysalis in
the burrow, and near the bark of the stem or branch. The moth comes out in
the summer, and is most often seen in the London district, where the female
especially is not infrequently found on tree-trunks or on grass, etc.,
under trees. It visits light, and the electric arc lamps are very
attractive to it.

The species occurs in the south and east of England, and through the
north-west counties to Cheshire. It has been recorded from Cardiff, South
Wales, and doubtfully from Ireland.

Abroad, the range extends to Corea and Japan. In America it seems to be
established in parts of the State of New York.

THE REED LEOPARD (_Phragmataecia castaneae_).

A male of this species (_Macrogaster arundinis_ of some authors) is shown
on Plate 153, Fig. 3. The female is rather larger, with longer body, and
the antennae are without pectinations.

The wrinkled and rather shining caterpillar is ochreous white with
reddish-brown stripes along the back. It feeds low down on the stems of
reed (_Phragmites communis_) and is full grown in the spring of the second
year following that in which it left the egg in late summer. Thus, a
caterpillar hatching in August, 1908, would be mature about May, 1910,
pupate in that month, or the next, and the perfect insect would appear in
June or July.

The moth flies at night, and may be attracted by a brilliant light. The
earliest known British locality for the species was Holme Fen in
Huntingdonshire (1841-1848). In 1850 it was found abundantly at Whittlesea
Mere. Its haunts in the {350} present day are Wicken and Chippenham fens in
Cambridgeshire, but specimens from these localities are somewhat smaller
than the old Hunts examples. Barrett states that he put down some eggs of
the species in Ranworth Fen, Norfolk, and that five years later two males
were captured within a short distance of the spot where the eggs had been
placed.

The range abroad extends to China and Japan.

SESIIDAE.

This family--the Aegeriadae of some authors--has over one hundred
Palaearctic species assigned to it; these are distributed among five
genera, two of which are not represented in Britain. Fourteen species are
found in the British Isles, but to obtain fine specimens of most of them
the mature caterpillars or the chrysalids will have to be collected and the
moths reared. All species emerge from the chrysalis early in the forenoon,
and then only under the influence of sunshine.

The caterpillars are somewhat maggot-like, and live in stems, branches, and
roots of trees and shrubs; or in the crowns and roots of low-growing
plants. The majority, possibly all, are nearly two years in arriving at
full growth.

HORNET MOTH (_Trochilium apiformis_).

As indicated by the English name this moth, and also that next to be
mentioned, are very like the hornet (_Vespa crabro_). On turning to Plate
154, Fig. 1, it will be seen that this species has a yellow head and
patches of yellow on the shoulders; these characters at once separate it
from _T. crabroniformis_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 154.
     1. HORNET MOTH.
     2. WELSH CLEARWING.
     3. WHITE-BARRED CLEARWING.
     4. CLEAR UNDERWING.
  5, 6. CURRANT CLEARWING.
     7. LUNAR HORNET MOTH.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 155.
     1. YELLOW-LEGGED CLEARWING.
  2, 3. RED-BELTED CLEARWING.
     4. LARGE RED-BELTED CLEARWING.
     5. RED-TIPPED CLEARWING.
     6. SIX-BELTED CLEARWING.
     7. THRIFT CLEARWING.
  8, 9. FIERY CLEARWING.

{351} The caterpillar is yellowish white, with a red brown head, and a
yellow plate on the first ring of the body. It feeds on the roots and lower
portion of the trunks of poplar. The brown shining chrysalis is enclosed in
a cocoon of wood scrapings woven together with silk. The moth is out in May
and June; and has been found, newly emerged, sitting on stems of poplar in
the morning.

The eastern counties of England appear to be most favoured by this species,
but it also occurs northwards to Yorkshire, southwards to Devonshire, and a
specimen has been recorded from Rhyl, North Wales. In Scotland, it has been
reported from some localities in the south; Kane states that he has reason
to believe that the species occurs in the northern half of Ireland, and
that he found caterpillars plentiful in young poplars growing in a marsh
near the city of Waterford.

LUNAR HORNET (_Trochilium crabroniformis_).

Another hornet-like moth, best distinguished from that just mentioned by
the yellow collar behind the black head (Plate 154, Fig. 7 [female]). The
male is rather smaller, but otherwise similar.

The caterpillar is yellowish white, with dark brownish head, and a blackish
edged yellow plate on the first ring of the body. It feeds in stems of
sallow, willow, and poplar. In late June and through July the moth is on
the wing, and may occasionally be seen at rest on leaves or stems of
sallow, etc.

The species, known also as _bembeciformis_, Hubner, is generally
distributed throughout England, Wales, and Ireland; in Scotland its range
extends into Perthshire.

Abroad it seems pretty much confined to Holland, Northern and Central
Germany, Austria, and Bohemia.

CLEAR UNDERWING (_Sciapteron tabaniformis_).

This species is the _Trochelium vespiforme_ of some British authors, and
the _Aegeria asiliformis_ of Stephens and others.

Another English name for it is the Dusky Clearwing, and this refers to the
cloudy fore wings. {352}

Stephens, writing of it in 1828, remarks: "Occasionally taken on poplars,
near London, in June. I have obtained it from the neighbourhood of Bexley,
and from Birchwood; but it is doubtless a rare species, and exists in few
collections: of the male, I have hitherto seen but two specimens, one of
which I possess." Both places mentioned by Stephens are in Kent, and one or
two specimens of the species have since been reported from Ashford in the
same county. The late Henry Doubleday took specimens at Epping, Essex.
Colney Hatch Wood in Middlesex has also been given as a locality in the
past; more recently two specimens have been noted from Chiswick. The
example shown on Plate 154, Fig. 4, is of continental origin.

The caterpillar lives under the bark of poplar trunks, and the moth flies
in June and July.

WELSH CLEARWING (_Sesia scoliaeformis_).

As a British species this insect was first noted from Llangollen, in North
Wales, somewhere about fifty years ago. In 1867 it was found to inhabit
birch woods in the Rannoch district of Scotland, and later on its presence
was detected in Sutherlandshire. It has been recorded from Hereford; one
example was reported from Wiltshire in 1857; and two from Delamere Forest,
Cheshire (1901 and 1905). Kane (_Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Ireland_)
states that moths have been taken at Killarney, and caterpillars obtained
in the same district, and also at Kenmare.

The caterpillar (Plate 156, Fig. 3; after Hofmann) feeds on the inner layer
of bark of large birch trees, and is full grown about May. It turns to a
dark brownish chrysalis, in a cocoon formed close up to the bark, which
thinly covers the outer end of the burrow. The moth flies in June or
sometimes July. It {353} is of comparatively large size, and may be
distinguished from the next species by the yellow belts on its body, and
the chestnut coloured tuft at the tail. (Plate 154, Fig. 2.)

WHITE-BARRED CLEARWING (_Sesia spheciformis_).

Although generally smaller, some specimens run very close to the last
species in size. It may be distinguished by the single belt on the body and
the black tail (Plate 154, Fig. 3). One of the best known localities for
the species in England is Tilgate Forest, in Sussex; but it also occurs in
Hampshire (Basingstoke), Hereford (Tarrington), Worcestershire (Wyre
Forest), Staffordshire (Burnt Wood), Cheshire (one, Delamere Forest, 1901),
Denbighshire (Llangollen), Lancashire (Chat Moss), and Yorkshire (Bishop's
Wood, 1894).

The caterpillar feeds in stems of alder, and is full grown in May of the
third year after hatching from the egg. It is said that the chrysalis may
sometimes be found by bending and twisting the stems of alder, so as to
cause the thin skin of bark over the exit hole of the burrow to crack, and
so disclose its whereabouts. The burrow is generally low down the stem. The
moth is out in June and early July, and is sometimes to be seen on sunny
mornings at rest on alder leaves, or flying over and around the bushes.

ORANGE-TAILED CLEARWING (_Sesia andrenaeformis_).

Although known to be a British species since 1829, when a specimen was
taken in a wood near Greenhithe, Kent, this insect continued to be very
rare until quite recently. For a long time the caterpillar was supposed to
feed in the stems of dogwood, but it is now known to live in the stems of
the wayfaring tree (_Viburnum lantana_), and several specimens of the moth
{354} have been reared during the past year or two. Unfortunately the
caterpillar is much infested by parasites, and comparatively few escape
attack. Notes on the life history of this moth, by the Hon. N. Charles
Rothschild, Mr. Eustace Bankes, and Dr. Chapman, are published in the
_Transactions of the Entomological Society of London_ for 1906 (Part IV.,
pp. 471-482).

Most of the known localities for the species are in Kent, but it has also
been found in Surrey, Dorset, Gloucester, Hertfordshire (Tring district),
and Northamptonshire (Oundle). Possibly it will be discovered in other
parts of the country. I am indebted to Mr. L. W. Newman, of Bexley, for the
specimen figured on Plate 1, Fig. 1. For the caterpillar mine in stem of
_Viburnum_ (Plate 156, Figs. 2, 2a) my thanks are due to Mr. Rayward, who
kindly sent me a living pupa, from which the moth duly emerged, but, I
regret to add, escaped from the box in which the stick containing the
chrysalis was kept.

Newman, in 1833, described this species as _Trochilium allantiformis_, and
in 1842 it was figured by Westwood and Humphreys as _T. andreniforme_. It
is distinguished from _Sesia tipuliformis_ by the two yellow belts of the
body (the first sometimes indistinct) and the orange-yellow tuft in the
blue-black tail; on the underside of the body there is a broad yellow band
on the fourth ring, sometimes extending to the fifth and sixth.

CURRANT CLEARWING (_Sesia tipuliformis_).

In this species the body is narrowly belted with yellow, usually four belts
in the male and three in the female; the tail tuft is black in both sexes.
The outer marginal border of the fore wings has a bronzy tinge, due to
orange patches between the veins. (Plate 154, Figs. 5 [male], 6 [female].)

The caterpillar lives in the stems and shoots of black and red currant
bushes; it feeds on the pith, and works its way downwards. When full grown,
about May, it gnaws an outlet to the {355} side of the stem, but does not
penetrate the outer skin, although it reduces this to a very thin layer,
through which the reddish brown chrysalis is able to force itself when the
moth is ready to emerge. A figure of the caterpillar will be found on Plate
156, Fig. 1; the chrysalis protruding from currant stem (Fig. 1a) is from a
photo by Mr. H. Main. In June or July, the moths are not infrequently seen
on leaves of shrubs in gardens where there are currant bushes in or around
such gardens, but the foliage of the food plant is a favourite resting
place.

Generally distributed throughout England, the range extending into Wales,
and South Scotland, but is apparently rare in these countries and also in
some of the northern counties of England. Kane states that the species is
common near Dublin, and is probably widely distributed in Ireland.

This species seems to have been introduced into North America, where its
caterpillar is known as the "currant borer," and, as in England, is
regarded with little favour by bush-fruit growers.

YELLOW-LEGGED CLEARWING (_Sesia vespiformis_).

This species (Plate 155, Fig. 1), known also as _asiliformis_, Rottemburg
(1775), and _cynipiformis_, Esper (1782), is now held to be correctly
referred to _vespiformis_, Linnaeus (1761). The crossbar of the fore wings
is orange red in both sexes; the body of the male has two more or less
united yellow spots at the junction with the thorax, four yellow belts, and
the tail tuft is black above, mixed with yellow below; in the female the
body belts are usually one less than in the male, the yellow spots at the
junction are generally run together, and the tail tuft is almost wholly
yellow. As indicated by the English name, the legs are largely yellow in
both sexes.

The caterpillar feeds on the inner bark of oak trees, is full {356} grown
in May or June, and turns to a brownish chrysalis in a cell formed in the
bark. A well-known locality for this moth, which is out in July and early
August, is Hyde Park, London. It is also found in woods or oak-timbered
parks in Kent (Tunbridge Wells), Surrey, Sussex (Abbot's Wood, Tilgate,
etc.), Dorset (Glanvilles Wootton, etc.), Devon (Devonport, Plymouth,
Topsham, etc.), Essex (Epping), Suffolk, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire,
Leicestershire, Staffordshire, and Yorkshire (Doncaster).

RED-BELTED CLEARWING (_Sesia myopaeformis_).

One example of each sex is shown on Plate 155, where Fig. 2 represents the
male and Fig. 3 the female; both have a single belt on the body; as a rule,
the belt is red, but occasionally it inclines to orange or yellow.

The caterpillar feeds on the inner bark of the trunks or boughs of apple,
and sometimes pear, trees. It is nearly two years in maturing, but is full
grown about June. The moth is out during the summer months, and is to be
seen early on sunny mornings, newly emerged from the chrysalis on the
trunks of the trees in which the caterpillar lives; the chrysalis skins
will also be noted at the same time, sticking out from holes in the bark.
Later in the day it sits on leaves, etc., after its flights, and I have
even found it occasionally on a gravel path, and once on the pavement of a
road in North-west London.

The species seems to be most frequent in gardens and orchards around
London, but it has been recorded from as far north as Lancashire and
Yorkshire; it is probably widely distributed over England. The Irish
localities, mentioned by Kane, are Dublin, Cork, Killarney, and Clonbrock.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 156.
  1. CURRANT CLEARWING: _caterpillar and chrysalis skin_.
  2. RED-TIPPED CLEARWING: _caterpillar_.
  3. WELSH CLEARWING: _caterpillar_.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 157.
  1, 3. GHOST MOTH.
  2, 4. DO., VAR. _THULENSIS_.
  5, 6. ORANGE SWIFT.

{357}

LARGE RED-BELTED CLEARWING (_Sesia culiciformis_).

This species (Plate 155, Fig. 4) is very similar to the last, but it is
larger, and the fore wings are dusted with reddish scales towards the base,
sometimes also along the inner margin. The belt on the body is generally
red, not infrequently with an orange tinge, but it is sometimes yellow or
far more rarely white.

The caterpillar, which is full grown in May, feeds on the inner bark of
birch trees and bushes, apparently preferring the stumps left in the ground
where stems have been cut down. It is not difficult to find, but as it is
about two years in this stage it should not be taken until nearly or quite
full grown, and it is safer to leave it until it has entered the chrysalis
state. The moth is out in June, or sometimes at the end of May; it flies
over birch and rests on leaves, and has been known to visit flowers of the
wood spurge and the rhododendron.

Kent and Sussex appear to be the counties most favoured by this species,
but it occurs in most of the other English counties in which there are
birch woods, certainly up to Yorkshire, and probably further north, as it
is found in Scotland (Clydesdale, Perthshire, and Aberdeen). The Irish
localities are Killarney, Ballinasloe, and Derry.

RED-TIPPED CLEARWING (_Sesia formicaeformis_).

This is another red-belted species, but it differs from either of the two
immediately preceding in having the fore wings tipped with red. (Plate 155,
Fig. 5.)

The caterpillar feeds in the twigs and stumps of osier (_Salix viminalis_),
sometimes called "withe"; it is full grown about June. (Plate 156, Fig. 2;
after Hofmann.) The moth is out in July and August; it is partial to
marshes and other wet spots, {358} and is fond of a leaf as a resting
place. Like the rest of its kind, it is very alert, and skips off quickly
on one's approach. Probably the species is more widely distributed in
England, but from the records, it only appears to have been noted from
Kent, Hampshire, Somersetshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Derbyshire,
Yorkshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Essex.

SIX-BELTED CLEARWING (_Sesia ichneumoniformis_).

The inner and outer margins of the fore wings are tinged with orange, and
there is an orange mark on the outer edge of the cross bar; the body of the
male has seven yellow belts, and that of the female one less. (Plate 155,
Fig. 6.)

The caterpillar feeds in the roots of bird's-foot trefoil (_Lotus
corniculatus_), and kidney vetch (_Anthyllis vulneraria_); it is full grown
about June. July and August are the months for the moth, and its haunts are
on chalk downs, and on banks by the sea; it seems partial to the edges of
chalk pits, sloping banks, and broken ground of undercliffs, etc. In such
places it is to be seen on the wing in the early evening, and, I believe,
in the early morning also. It has frequently been obtained by sweeping the
net over herbage in the vicinity of the food plants.

Mr. W. H. Flint records (1902) the species from the Forest of Dean
district, where, he states, he could easily have captured two dozen a day,
as they flew over trefoils, etc.

The species occurs in most of the southern seaboard counties of England,
from Kent to Cornwall and including the Isle of Wight; Surrey, Bucks.,
Essex, and other eastern counties, including Cambridge; and it has been
recorded from Yorkshire. On the western side of the country it is found in
Somerset, Gloucester, Hereford, Worcester, Staffordshire, and in South
Wales. {359}

THRIFT CLEARWING (_Sesia muscaeformis_).

This is our smallest species of the genus, and it is further distinguished
by narrow clear spaces on the blackish, or bronzy, fore wings, three
whitish bands on the body, and traces of a whitish line along the middle of
the back. (Plate 155, Fig. 7.)

The caterpillar feeds on the roots of thrift or sea-pink (_Armeria
vulgaris_), and is full grown about June. The moth is out in June and July,
and seems to have a liking for the flowers of thyme.

This species (also known as _philanthiformis_, Laspeyres) frequents rocky
places on the coasts of Devon (Torquay, Lynmouth, etc.), Cornwall, Wales;
Isle of Man; Scotland (Aberdeenshire); and Ireland (Saltee Islands,
Wexford, and Seven Heads, Cork. Gregson recorded it from Howth).

FIERY CLEARWING (_Sesia chrysidiformis_).

The orange red colour on the fore wings, and of the tail tuft, at once
distinguish this species (Plate 155, Figs. 8 [male], 9 [female]) from
either of its British allies. The blackish body has two pale-yellow belts,
but in the male the lower one is often double. As a rule, the body of the
female is stouter than that of the male, but the bodies of some males
appear quite as thick as those of the females, and the true sex is only
disclosed by the ciliated antennae, which is a character of the male alone.

The caterpillar feeds on the roots of dock and sorrel, and it is full grown
about May. In June and July the moth is on the wing and flies in the
sunshine, about noon, over the food plants.

The species occurs not uncommonly in the Warren at Folkestone, Kent. This
locality, well known to entomologists, is a long stretch of rough broken
ground lying between the railway {360} and the sea; and is probably the
only spot in the British Isles where the Fiery Clearwing is almost certain
to be found, either in its early or its perfect stage, at the proper
season. The moth has been recorded from Eastbourne, Sussex (1874), and from
the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire (1902).

HEPIALIDAE.

Of the twenty-two Palaearctic species belonging to this family, nine appear
to occur in Europe, and the range of five of these extends to the British
Isles.

In some of the more recent systems of classification, this family is
relegated to almost the bottom of the scheme, and therefore occupies a much
lower place than do the bulk of the families comprised in the old style
"Micro-Lepidoptera." As, however, these insects, commonly called "Swifts,"
have long received the attention of collectors, and in collections usually
occupy a position among the so-called "Bombyces," they have been included
in the present volume.

GHOST MOTH (_Hepialus humuli_).

On Plate 157 are portraits of a male and a female of the typical form of
this species (Figs. 1 [male] and 3 [female]); and two male examples (Figs.
2 and 4) of the Shetland race var. _thulensis_, Newman, better known
perhaps as _hethlandica_, Staudinger, but the former is the older name. It
will be noted that in the ordinary form the male has white wings, and that
the female has yellowish fore wings marked with orange, and smoky hind
wings. The Shetland male, represented by Fig. 2, has the fore wings whitish
buff in colour with brownish markings similar in pattern to those of an
ordinary female; the hind wings are blackish. The second example of
_thulensis_ (Fig. 4) is somewhat similar in appearance to a typical female.
In other male specimens of this insular race the wings are pretty much of
the typical colour, but the markings on the front pair are reduced both in
number and size. Mr. H. McArthur, who has collected a good deal in the
Shetland Isles, states that in Unst, the most northern island of the group,
more or less typical _humuli_ were found on the cliffs facing south-east,
whilst the majority of the specimens obtained in boggy meadows, etc., were
of the _thulensis_ form.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 158.
   1-3. MAP-WINGED SWIFT.
   4-6. COMMON SWIFT.
  7, 8. GOLD SWIFT.

[Illustration]

  2 Pl. 159.
  1, 1a. COMMON SWIFT: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.
  2, 2a. GHOST MOTH: _caterpillar and chrysalis (enlarged)_.
      3. ORANGE SWIFT: _caterpillar_.

{361} The caterpillar feeds on the roots of plants, such as burdock,
dandelion, dead-nettle, etc. It is full grown in May, and the moth is out
in June and July. (Plate 159, Fig. 2; after Hofmann.) The males may be seen
in the evening, sometimes in numbers in grassy places, swaying themselves
to and fro without making progress, and appearing as though they dangled
from the end of an invisible thread; the female flies straight, and, as a
rule, in the direction of one or other of the pendulous males.

The species is generally distributed over the British Isles.

ORANGE SWIFT (_Hepialus sylvina_).

The male of this species (Plate 157, Figs. 5. [male], 6 [female]) usually
some shade of orange brown, with greyish-edged white markings on the fore
wings. Sometimes the female is orange brown, but more often it is some
shade of grey brown.

The caterpillar (Plate 159, Fig. 3; after Hofmann) feeds on the roots of
dock, bracken, viper's bugloss, etc., and is full grown about July. In late
July and in August the moth may be seen in the early evening flying among
bracken, and not infrequently around trees fairly high up. Occasionally,
specimens are seen in the daytime on tree-trunks, fences, etc. At one time
this species was known in the vernacular as "The Tawny and Brown Swift"; it
is also "The Orange or Evening Swift" of Harris (1778) and the "Wood Swift"
of Newman. It is {362} common in many southern and eastern parts, but
widely distributed over England, Wales, and Scotland to Moray. Only
doubtfully recorded from Ireland.

MAP-WINGED SWIFT (_Hepialus fusconebulosa_).

At one time this species (the _velleda_ of Hubner) was known as the
"Northern Swift," but as it is plentiful in North Devonshire and
Somersetshire, and occurs less commonly in other southern English counties,
that name is hardly suitable. Haworth's English name for it--"The Beautiful
Swift"--does not quite meet the case, because, although the insect is
prettily marked, it is scarcely beautiful. We have then to fall back on
Donovan's Map-winged Swift as a popular name, and this seems a fairly apt
one, as the markings on the fore wings are somewhat map-like in pattern,
especially in the more typical specimens.

There is much variation in colour and in marking; some examples, chiefly
those from Shetland, are prettily variegated. A uniform reddish-brown
variety, ab. _gallicus_, Lederer, is depicted on Plate 158, Fig. 3; and a
more or less typical specimen of each sex is shown on the same plate (Figs.
1 [male], 2 [female]).

The caterpillar is ochreous white, with orange-brown plates, and rather
paler raised dots; head, reddish brown, and spiracles black. It feeds on
the roots of the bracken, and is full grown about May. The moth is out in
June and July, and flies, in the gloaming, on hill slopes, heaths, and the
edges of mosses and woods; it seems to be more active than either of the
other British "Swifts"; at all events, I have always found it less easy to
capture with the net.

The species is pretty generally distributed throughout the British Isles.
{363}

COMMON SWIFT (_Hepialus lupulina_).

Three examples of this species are shown on Plate 158. Fig. 4 is a typical
male, Fig. 5 a whitish suffused variety, and Fig. 6 is a female. The latter
sex is generally devoid of marking, and in the male the stripes and dashes
are far more conspicuous in some specimens than in others.

The glossy whitish caterpillar has a brown head; the plate on the first
ring of the body is brownish, and the raised dots are pretty much of the
same colour. It feeds on the roots of grass and other plants, and is full
grown about April. A figure of the caterpillar, from a drawing in colour by
Mr. A. Sich, and a photo of the pupa by Mr. H. Main, are shown on Plate
159, Figs. 1 and 1a; the latter is twice natural size.

The moth is out in June, or sometimes late May, and occasional specimens
have been noted in September. It is more frequently seen at rest, on
fences, etc., than either of the other species of the genus; but towards
dusk it is on the wing, and may then be observed in large numbers careering
over grass meadows or along stretches of green turf by the wayside.

Generally distributed, and often abundant, throughout the United Kingdom;
and it occurs in Monaghan, Mayo, Galway, and Kerry, in Ireland.

GOLD SWIFT (_Hepialus hecta_).

Both sexes of this species are shown on Plate 158, where Fig. 7 represents
the golden-marked male, and Fig. 8 the more dingy, dull, purplish-grey
striped female. There is variation in number and in size of the markings on
the fore wings of the male, and occasionally the hind wings in this sex are
adorned with golden spangles on the outer area.

The pale greyish brown caterpillar has glossy darker brown {364} plates on
rings 1-3, and the raised dots and the spiracles are black. It feeds on the
roots of bracken, and is full grown about May. Buckler states that at first
it burrows in the root, hibernates when small, resumes feeding in April,
attains full growth before winter, and hibernates in the earth for a second
time; in the spring of the second year it gnaws cavities in the young
shoots of the bracken, and apparently drinks the flowing sap.

The moth is out in June. The males fly at dusk, something in the manner of
_humuli_, over and among the bracken; but the females fly in a more or less
direct line. An odour given off by the males of this species has been
likened to that of the pine apple; whilst the "scent" of the Ghost Moth is
said to be more of the billy-goat character.

In most woody localities, where the bracken flourishes, this species will
be found throughout England, Wales, Scotland to Aberdeen and the Hebrides,
and Ireland.

INDEX.

  _Abraxas grossulariata_, 260, _Plates_ 103, 104;
    _sylvata_, 259, _Plates_ 103, 104
  _Abrostola tripartita_, 74, _Plate_ 22;
    _triplasia_, 73, _Plates_ 22, 27
  _Acidalia aversata_, 120, _Plates_ 46, 47;
    _bisetata_, 121, _Plate_ 46;
    _contiguaria_, 109, _Plate_ 45;
    _degeneraria_, 118, _Plate_ 46;
    _dimidiata_, 121, _Plates_ 46, 47;
    _emutaria_, 128, _Plate_ 49;
    _fumata_, 131, _Plate_ 50;
    _herbariata_, 111, _Plate_ 45;
    _holosericata_, 116, _Plate_ 45;
    _humiliata_, 115, _Plate_ 45;
    _imitaria_, 129, _Plates_ 48, 49;
    _immorata_, 126, _Plate_ 49;
    _immutata_, 124, _Plate_ 49;
    _inornata_, 119, _Plates_ 46, 47;
    _interjectaria_, 114, _Plate_ 45;
    _marginepunctata_, 125, _Plate_ 49;
    _ochrata_, 132, _Plate_ 50;
    _ornata_, 123, _Plate_ 46;
    _perochraria_, 133, _Plate_ 53;
    _remutaria_, 124, _Plate_ 49;
    _rubiginata_, 130, _Plate_ 50;
    _rusticata_, 110, _Plates_ 45, 48;
    _straminata_, 113, _Plates_ 45, 61;
    _strigilaria_, 127, _Plate_ 49;
    _subsericeata_, 117, _Plate_ 45;
    _trigeminata_, 122, _Plate_ 46;
    _virgularia_, 112, _Plate_ 45
  Acidaliinae, 109
  _Acontia lucida_, var. _albicollis_, 53, _Plate_ 19;
    _luctuosa_, 54, _Plates_ 19, 23
  _Adscita geryon_, 343, _Plate_ 147;
    _statices_, 342, _Plates_ 145, 147
  Alchymist, 78. _Plate_ 29
  _Aleucis pictaria_, 264. _Plate_ 107
  _Amathes circellaris_, 14, _Plates_ 5, 7;
    _helvola_, 15, _Plate_ 9;
    _litura_, 16, _Plate_ 9;
    _lota_, 12, _Plates_ 5, 7;
    _lychnidis_, 16, _Plates_ 5, 9;
    _macilenta_, 13, _Plate_ 7
  _Amoebe olivata_, 184, _Plates_ 73, 75;
    _viridaria_, 185, _Plate_ 75
  _Amphidasys_. See _Pachys_.
  _Anaitis plagiata_, 149. _Plate_ 55
  _Anarta cordigera_, 44, _Plate_ 17;
    _melanopa_, 45, _Plate_ 17;
    _myrtilli_, 44, _Plates_ 17, 20
  _Anchocelis lunosa_, 11. _Plate_ 7
  _Angerona prunaria_, 280. _Plates_ 117, 118
  Angle-barred Pug, 246. _Plate_ 98
  Angle-striped Sallow, 5. _Plate_ 4
  _Ania emarginata_, 133. _Plate_ 50
  _Anisopteryx aescularia_, 294. _Plates_ 122, 125
  Annulet, 319. _Plates_ 139, 140
  _Anticlea badiata_, 217, _Plates_ 88, 89;
    _berberata_, 218, _Plate_ 88;
    _cucullata_, 216, _Plate_ 88;
    _nigrafasciaria_, 219, _Plates_ 88, 89;
    _rubidata_, 218, _Plate_ 88
  _Aplasta ononaria_, 101. _Plate_ 38
  _Apocheima hispidaria_, 296. _Plates_ 124, 126
  Argent and Sable, 201. _Plates_ 79, 82
  Ash Pug, 247. _Plate_ 98
  _Aspilates gilvaria_, 330, _Plate_ 144;
    _ochrearia_, 331, _Plates_ 142, 144;
    _strigillaria_, 332, _Plate_ 144
  _Asthena blomeri_, 222, _Plates_ 90, 91;
    _candidata_, 220, _Plates_ 90, 91;
    _luteata_, 220, Plate 91;
    _testaceata_, 221, _Plate_ 91
  _Atethmia xerampelina_, 10, _Plate_ 4
  August Thorn, 271. _Plates_ 109, 111, 113
  Autumnal Moth, 189. _Plate_ 78
  Autumn Green Carpet, 174. _Plate_ 68

  _Bankia argentula_, 57. _Plate_ 21
  _Bapta bimaculata_, 265, _Plate_ 107;
    _pictaria_, 264, _Plate_ 107;
    _temerata_, 266, _Plate_ 107
  Barberry Carpet, 218. _Plate_ 88
  Barred Carpet, 211. _Plate_ 85
  Barred Red, 269. _Plates_ 106, 108
  Barred Rivulet, 208. _Plate_ 83
  Barred Sallow, 18. _Plate_ 10
  Barred Straw, 168. _Plate_ 65
  Barred Tooth-striped, 152. _Plates_ 57, 59
  Barred Umber, 268. _Plates_ 106, 108
  Barred Yellow, 169. _Plates_ 65, 69
  Beaded Chestnut, 16. _Plates_ 5, 9
  Beautiful Carpet, 202. _Plates_ 76, 82
  Beautiful Golden Y, 70. _Plate_ 24
  Beautiful Hook-tip, 85. _Plate_ 36
  Beautiful Snout, 92. _Plates_ 35, 37
  Beautiful Yellow Underwing, 44. _Plates_ 17, 20
  Beech-green Carpet, 184. _Plates_ 73, 75
  Belted Beauty, 298. _Plates_ 124, 126
  Bilberry Pug, 253. _Plate_ 100
  Birch Mocha, 139. _Plates_ 51, 53
  Black Mountain Moth, 321. _Plate_ 139
  Blackneck, 83. _Plate_ 32
  Black-veined Moth, 330. _Plate_ 144
  Bleached Pug, 230. _Plate_ 95
  Blomer's Rivulet, 222. _Plates_ 90, 91
  Blood-vein, 134. _Plate_ 50
  Blotched Emerald, 104. _Plates_ 41, 43
  Bloxworth Snout, 93. _Plate_ 36
  Blue-bordered Carpet, 204. _Plate_ 82
  _Boarmia abietaria_, 306, _Plates_ 132, 138;
    _cinctaria_, 304, _Plate_ 130;
    _consortaria_, 309, _Plate_ 135;
    _gemmaria_, 305, _Plates_ 130, 131;
    _repandata_, 307, _Plates_ 131, 132, 134;
    _roboraria_, 308, _Plate_ 135
  Boarmiinae, 259
  _Bomolocha fontis_, 92. _Plates_ 35, 37
  Bordered Beauty, 284. _Plates_ 119, 121
  Bordered Grey, 325. _Plates_ 142, 143
  Bordered Pug, 240. _Plates_ 92, 97
  Bordered Sallow, 47. _Plates_ 17, 20
  Bordered Straw, 50. _Plates_ 19, 20
  Bordered White, 325. _Plates_ 140, 141
  Brephidae, 97
  _Brephos notha_, 98, _Plates_ 38, 39;
    _parthenias_, 97, _Plates_ 38, 39
  Brick, 14. _Plates_ 5, 7
  Bright Wave, 132. _Plate_ 50
  Brimstone, 283. _Plate_ 117
  Brindled Beauty, 299. _Plates_ 1, 124, 128
  Brindled Pug, 248. _Plate_ 99
  Brindled White-spot, 314. _Plate_ 137
  Broad-bordered White Underwing, 45. _Plate_ 17
  Broken-barred Carpet, 169. _Plates_ 61, 65
  Broom-tip, 151. _Plates_ 56, 57
  Brown Scallop, 161. _Plate_ 60
  Brown Silver-line, 327. _Plate_ 143
  Brown-spot Pinion, 16. _Plate_ 9
  Brussels Lace, 310. _Plates_ 133, 136
  Bupalus piniaria, 325. _Plates_ 140, 141
  Burnet Companion, 76. _Plate_ 26
  Burnets, 333
  Burnished Brass, 65. _Plate_ 22
  Buttoned Snout, 94. _Plates_ 35, 37

  _Cabera exanthemata_, 267, _Plate_ 107;
    _pusaria_, 266, _Plates_ 105, 107
  _Calocampa exoleta_, 34, _Plate_ 14;
    _vetusta_, 35, _Plates_ 8, 14
  _Calymnia affinis_, 3, _Plate_ 2;
    _diffinis_,4, _Plates_ 2, 3;
    _pyralina_, 2, _Plates_2, 3;
    _trapezina_, 4, _Plate_ 2
  Campanula Pug, 232. _Plate_ 95
  _Camptogramma bilineata_, 212. _Plates_ 61, 84, 85
  Canary-shouldered Thorn, 272. _Plates_ 110, 111
  _Carsia paludata_, 150. _Plate_ 55
  _Catephia alchymista_, 78. _Plate_ 29
  _Catocala electa_, 79, _Plate_ 31;
    _fraxini_, 78, _Plate_ 29;
    _nupta_, 80, _Plates_ 31, 33;
    _promissa_, 82, _Plate_ 32;
    _sponsa_, 82, _Plates_ 32, 33
  Centre-barred Sallow, 10. _Plate_ 4
  Chalk Carpet, 145. _Plates_ 52, 54
  Chamomile Shark, 40. _Plates_ 16, 18
  _Cheimatobia boreata_, 157, _Plates_ 58, 59;
    _brumata_, 156, _Plate_ 58
  _Chesias rufata_, 151, _Plates_ 56, 57;
    _spartiata_, 150, _Plates_ 56, 57
  Chestnut-coloured Carpet, 176. _Plate_ 70
  Chestnut Moth, 24.  _Plate_ 11
  Chevron, 165. _Plates_ 63, 67
  _Chiasmia clathrata_, 328. _Plate_ 143
  Chimney-sweeper, 147. _Plate_ 55
  _Chloroclystis coronata_, 251, _Plate_ 100;
    _debiliata_, 253, _Plate_ 100;
    _rectangulata_, 251, _Plate_ 100
  _Cidaria corylata_, 169, _Plates_ 61, 65;
    _fulvata_, 169, _Plates_ 65, 69;
    _immanata_, _Plates_ 66, 69;
    _miata_, 174, _Plate_ 68;
    _pyraliata_, 168, _Plate_ 65;
    _sagittata_, 172, _Plate_ 68;
    _siterata_, 173, _Plate_ 68;
    _truncata_, 170, _Plates_ 66, 69
  _Cirrhia citrago_, 17. _Plate_ 10
  _Cirrhoedia xerampelina_, 10. _Plate_ 4
  Cistus Forester, 343. _Plate_ 147
  Clay Fan-foot, 90. _Plates_ 34, 35
  Clay Triple-lines, 137. _Plate_ 53
  Clear Underwing, 351. _Plate_ 154
  Clearwings, 350
  _Cleora angularia_, 310, _Plate_ 134;
    _jubata_, 311, _Plates_ 133, 136;
    _lichenaria_, 310, _Plates_ 133, 136
  Clifden Nonpareil, 78. _Plate_ 29
  Cloaked Carpet, 200. _Plate_ 82
  Cloaked Pug, 251. _Plate_ 99
  Clouded Border, 262. _Plates_ 105, 107
  Clouded Magpie, 259. _Plates_ 101, 103, 104
  Clouded Silver, 266. _Plate_ 107
  Cochlididae, 344
  _Cochlidion limacodes_, 345. _Plates_ 149, 153
  _Coenocalpe tersata_, 257, _Plate_ 102;
    _vitalbata_, 256, _Plate_ 102;
    _vittata_, 257, _Plate_ 102
  _Collix sparsata_, 254. _Plate_ 102
  Common Carpet, 197. _Plates_ 79, 81
  Common Emerald, 107. _Plates_ 41, 43
  Common Fan-foot, 91. _Plate_ 34
  Common Heath, 324. _Plate_ 141
  Common Marbled Carpet, 170. _Plates_ 66, 69
  Common Pug, 334. _Plates_ 92, 97
  Common Swift, 363. _Plates_ 158, 159
  Common Wave, 267. _Plate_ 107
  Common White Wave, 266. _Plates_ 105, 107
  Conformist, 29. _Plates_ 8, 13
  _Conistra_. See _Orrhodia_
  _Coremia designata_, 183, _Plates_ 74, 75;
    _ferrugata_, 182, _Plate_ 72;
    _munitata_, 180, _Plate_ 72;
    _quadrifasciaria_, 179, _Plate_ 72;
    _unidentaria_, 181, _Plate_ 75
  _Cosmia paleacea_, 5. _Plate_ 4
  Cossidae, 347
  _Cossus cossus_ (_ligniperda_), 347. _Plates_ 150, 151
  _Craspedia_. See _Acidalia_.
  Cream Wave, 124. _Plate_ 49
  _Crocallis elinguaria_, 280. _Plates_ 114, 116
  _Cucullia abrotani_, 43, _Plate_ 16;
    _absinthii_, 42, _Plate_ 16;
    _artemisiae_, 43, _Plate_ 16;
    _asteris_, 30, _Plates_ 15, 18;
    _chamomillae_, 40, _Plates_ 16, 18;
    _gnaphalii_, 41, _Plate_ 13;
    _lychnitis_, 38, _Plates_ 15, 18;
    _scrophulariae_, 37, _Plate_ 15;
    _umbratica_, 40, _Plate_ 16;
    _verbasci_, 36, _Plates_ 15, 18
  Cudweed Shark, 41. _Plate_ 13
  Currant Clearwing, 354. _Plates_ 154, 156
  Currant Pug, 230. _Plates_ 92, 95

  Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 181. _Plates_ 74, 75
  Dark Bordered Beauty, 284. _Plates_ 119, 121
  Dark Chestnut, 25. _Plate_ 11
  Dark Crimson Underwing, 82. _Plates_ 32, 33
  Dark Marbled Carpet, 171. _Plates_ 66, 69
  Dark Spectacle, 73. _Plates_ 22, 27
  Dark Spinach, 254. _Plate_ 102
  Dark Umber, 162. _Plate_ 60
  _Dasycampa rubiginea_, 26. _Plates_ 6, 11
  Dentated Pug, 254. _Plate_ 102
  _Dicycla oo_, 1. _Plate_ 2
  Dingy Mocha, 139. _Plate_ 51, 53
  Dingy Shears, 8. _Plates_ 3, 4
  Dingy Shell, 219. _Plate_ 91
  Dotted Border, 292. _Plates_ 120, 125
  Dotted Border Wave, 113. _Plates_ 45, 61
  Dotted Carpet, 311. _Plates_ 133, 136
  Dotted Chestnut, 26. _Plates_ 6, 11
  Dotted Fan-foot, 90. _Plate_ 35
  Double Kidney, 9. _Plate_ 4
  Double-striped Pug, 250. _Plate_ 99
  Drab Looper, 146. _Plate_ 55
  Dun-bar, 4. _Plate_ 2
  Dusky-lemon Sallow, 21. _Plate_ 10
  Dusky Thorn, 273. _Plates_ 110, 111
  Dwarf Cream Wave, 114. _Plate_ 45
  Dwarf Pug, 225. _Plate_ 93
  _Dyschorista fissipuncta_, 8, _Plates_ 3, 4;
    _suspecta_, 7, _Plate_ 4

  Early Grey, 33. _Plates_ 8, 12
  Early Moth, 289. _Plate_ 120
  Early Thorn, 274. _Plate_ 112
  Early Tooth-striped, 153. _Plates_ 57, 59
  Edinburgh Pug, 239. _Plate_ 96
  _Eltopia prosapiaria_, 269. _Plates_ 106, 108
  _Ematurga atomaria_, 324. _Plate_ 141
  _Emmelia trabealis_, 62. _Plate_ 21
  Engrailed, 312. _Plates_ 136, 138
  _Ennomos alniaria_, 272, _Plates_ 110, 111;
    _autumnaria_, 270, _Plates_ 106, 109;
    _erosaria_, 273, _Plate_ 134;
    _fuscantaria_, 273, _Plates_ 110, 111;
    _quercinaria_, 271, _Plates_ 109, 111, 113
  _Entephria caesiata_, 191. _Plate_ 80
  _Ephyra annulata_, 138, _Plates_ 51, 53;
    _linearia_, 137, _Plate_ 53;
    _orbicularia_, 139, _Plates_ 51, 53;
    _pendularia_, 139, _Plates_ 51, 53;
    _porata_, 135, _Plate_ 53;
    _punctaria_, 136, _Plate_ 53
  _Epione advenaria_, 285, _Plates_ 119, 121;
    _apiciaria_, 284, _Plates_ 119, 121;
    _parallelaria_, 284, _Plates_ 119, 121
  _Epirrhoe_. See _Xanthorhoe_
  _Epirrita_. See _Oporabia_
  _Erastria argentula_, 57, _Plate_ 21;
    _fasciana_, 57, _Plate_ 21;
    _uncula_, 58, _Plate_ 21;
    _venustula_, 59, _Plates_ 21, 25
  Essex Emerald, 105. _Plates_ 42, 43
  _Euchloris pustulata_, 104, _Plates_ 41, 43;
    _smaragdaria_, 105, _Plates_ 42, 43
  _Euchoeca obliterata_, 219. _Plate_ 91
  _Euclidia glyphica_, 76, _Plate_ 26;
    _mi_, 75, _Plates_ 26, 30
  _Eucosmia certata_, 159, _Plates_ 60, 62;
    _undulata_, 160, _Plates_ 60, 62
  _Eucymatoge togata_, 251. _Plate_ 99
  _Eudalimia margaritaria_, 270. _Plates_ 106, 108
  _Eulype hastata_, 201. _Plates_ 79, 82
  _Euphyia picata_, 200, _Plate_ 82;
    _unangulata_, 199, _Plate_ 82
  _Eupithecia abbreviata_, 248, _Plate_ 99;
    _absinthiata_, 231, _Plate_ 95;
    _albipunctata_, 234, _Plates_ 92, 97;
    _assimilata_, 230, _Plates_ 92, 95;
    _castigata_, 237, _Plates_ 92, 97;
    _denotata_, 232, _Plate_ 95;
    _distinctaria_, 229, _Plate_ 95;
    _dodoneata_, 248, _Plate_ 99;
    _exiguata_, 248, _Plate_ 99;
    _expallidata_, 230, _Plate_ 95;
    _extensaria_, 238, _Plate_ 97;
    _fraxinata_, 247, _Plate_ 98;
    _goossensiata_, 231, _Plate_ 95;
    _haworthiata_, 242, _Plates_ 90, 98;
    _helveticaria_, 239. _Plate_ 96;
    _indigata_, 226, _Plate_ 96;
    _innotata_, 246, _Plate_ 98;
    _insigniata_, 226, _Plate_ 96;
    _inturbata_, 246, _Plate_ 98;
    _irriguata_, 225, _Plate_ 93;
    _jasioneata_, 233, _Plate_ 95;
    _lariciata_, 236, 97;
    _linariata_, 224, _Plate_ 93;
    _nanata_, 247, _Plate_ 99;
    _oblongata_, 222, _Plates_ 92, 93;
    _pimpinellata_, 228, _Plate_ 95;
    _plumbeolata_, 244, _Plate_ 98;
    _pulchellata_, 223, _Plate_ 93;
    _pumilata_, 250, _Plate_ 99;
    _pusillata_, 225, _Plate_ 93;
    _pygmaeata_, 244, _Plate_ 98;
    _satyrata_, 239, _Plate_ 96;
    _scabiosata_, 242, _Plate_ 97;
    _sobrinata_, 249, _Plate_ 99;
    _subfulvata_, 241, _Plate_ 97;
    _subnotata_, 237, _Plates_ 94, 97;
    _succenturiata_, 240, _Plates_ 92, 97;
    _tenuiata_, 245, _Plate_ 98;
    _trisignaria_, 236, _Plate_ 97;
    _valerianata_, 243, _Plate_ 98;
    _venosata_, 227, _Plates_ 92, 93;
    _virgaureata_, 235, _Plate_ 97;
    _vulgata_, 234, _Plates_ 92, 97
  _Eupsilia satellitia_, 27. _Plate_ 12
  _Eurymene dolabraria_, 282. _Plate_ 117
  _Eustroma silaceata_, 162. _Plate_ 93

  False Mocha, 135. _Plate_ 53
  Fan-foot, 87. _Plates_ 34, 35
  Feathered Thorn, 279. _Plates_ 114, 116
  Fern-Moth, 257. _Plate_ 102
  Festoon, 345. _Plates_ 149, 153
  _Fidonia limbaria_, 323. _Plate_ 141;
    _carbonaria_, 322. _Plate_ 141
  Fiery Clearwing, 359. _Plate_ 155
  Five-spot Burnet, 339. _Plates_ 145, 146, 148
  Flame Carpet, 183. _Plates_ 74, 75
  Flame Moth, 218. _Plate_ 88
  Flounced Rustic, 15. _Plate_ 9
  Forester, 342. _Plates_ 145, 147
  Four-spotted, 54. _Plates_ 19, 23
  Foxglove Pug, 223. _Plate_ 93
  Frosted Yellow, 323. _Plate_ 141

  Galium Carpet, 195. _Plates_ 79, 81
  Garden Carpet, 194. _Plates_ 61, 80
  Gem, 258. _Plate_ 102
  _Geometra papilionaria_, 102, _Plates_ 40, 42;
    _vernaria_, 103, _Plates_ 40, 44
  Geometridae, 99
  Geometrinae, 101
  Ghost Moth, 360. _Plates_ 157, 159
  _Gnophos obscurata_, 319, _Plates_ 139, 140;
    _myrtillata_, 320. _Plate_ 139
  Goat Moth, 347. _Plates_ 150, 151
  Golden Plusia, 64. _Plates_ 22, 27
  Golden Rod Brindle, 32. _Plate_ 12
  Golden-rod Pug, 235. _Plate_ 97
  Gold Spangle, 67. _Plate_ 24
  Gold Spot, 68. _Plate_ 24
  Gold Swift, 363. _Plate_ 158
  _Gonodontis bidentata_, 278. _Plates_ 114, 115
  _Graptolitha furcifera_, 29, _Plates_ 8, 13;
    _lamda_, 30, _Plate_ 13;
    _ornithopus_, 31, _Plate_ 12
  Grass Emerald, 101. _Plates_ 38, 41
  Grass Rivulet, 209. _Plates_ 83, 84
  Grass Wave, 332. _Plate_ 144
  Great Oak Beauty, 308. _Plate_ 135
  Green Carpet, 185. _Plate_ 75
  Green Pug, 252. _Plate_ 61
  Grey Birch, 316. _Plate_ 137
  Grey Carpet, 148. _Plate_ 55
  Grey Mountain Carpet, 191. _Plate_ 80
  Grey Pine Carpet, 175. _Plates_ 70, 71
  Grey Pug, 237. _Plates_ 92, 97
  Grey Scalloped Bar, 329. _Plates_ 142, 144
  Grey Shoulder-knot, 31. _Plate_ 12
  _Gymnoscelis pumilata_, 250. _Plate_ 99

  _Hapalotis fasciana_, 57. _Plate_ 21
  Haworth's Pug, 242. _Plates_ 90, 98
  Heart Moth, 1. _Plate_ 2
  Heath Rivulet, 209. _Plate_ 83
  _Heliaca tenebrata_, 46. _Plate_ 17
  _Heliothis armigera_, 52, _Plates_ 19, 20;
    _dipsacea_, 48, _Plate_ 19;
    _peltigera_, 50, _Plates_ 19, 20;
    _scutosa_, 49, _Plate_ 19
  _Hemerophila abruptaria_, 303. _Plates_ 130, 133, 134
  _Hemithea strigata_, 107. _Plates_ 41, 43
  Hepialidae, 360
  _Hepialus fusconebulosa_, 362, _Plate_ 158;
    _hecta_, 363, _Plate_ 158;
    _humuli_, 360, _Plates_ 157, 159;
    _lupulina_, 363, _Plates_ 158, 159;
    _sylvina_, 361; _Plates_ 157, 159;
    _velleda_, 362
  Herald, 63. _Plates_ 22, 25
  _Herminia cribralis_, 90, _Plate_ 35;
    _cribrumalis_, 90, _Plate_ 35;
    _derivalis_, 90, _Plates_ 34, 35
  _Heterogena asella_, 346, _Plates_ 149, 153;
    _limacodes_, 345, _Plates_ 149, 153
  _Himera pennaria_, 279. _Plates_ 114, 116
  _Hoporina croceago_, 22. _Plates_ 6, 10
  Hornet Moth, 350. _Plate_ 154
  Horse Chestnut, 318. _Plates_ 137, 140
  _Hybernia aurantiaria_, 291, _Plates_ 120, 125;
    _defoliaria_, 293, _Plates_ 122, 125;
    _leucophaearia_, 290, _Plate_ 120;
    _marginaria_, 292, _Plates_ 120, 125;
    _rupicapraria_, 289, _Plate_ 120
  _Hydrelia uncula_, 58. _Plate_ 21
  _Hydriomena elutata_, 213;
    _furcata_, 213, _Plates_ 86, 87;
    _impluviata_, 214, _Plates_ 86, 87;
    _ruberata_, 215, _Plate_ 86
  Hydriomenidae, 141
  _Hygrochroa syringaria_, 277. _Plates_ 112, 115
  _Hylaea prosapiaria_, 269. _Plates_, 106, 108
  _Hypena obsitalis_, 93, _Plate_ 36;
    _proboscidalis_, 93, _Plates_ 35, 37;
    _rostralis_, 94, _Plates_ 35, 37
  Hypeninae, 85
  _Hypenodes albistrigalis_, 94, _Plate_ 36;
    _costaestrigalis_, 25, _Plate_ 36;
    _taenialis_, 94, _Plate_ 36
  _Hyria muricata_, 109. _Plate_ 45

  _Ino geryon_, 343, _Plate_ 147;
    _globulariae_, 342, _Plate_ 147;
    _statices_, 342, _Plates_ 145, 147
  _Iodis lactearia_, 107. _Plates_ 43, 44
  Isle of Wight Wave, 115. _Plate_ 45
  _Itame wauaria_, 326. _Plates_ 142, 143

  Jasione Pug, 233. _Plate_ 95
  July Highflyer, 213. _Plates_ 86, 87
  Juniper Carpet, 177. _Plate_ 70
  Juniper Pug, 249. _Plate_ 99

  Lace Border, 123. _Plate_ 46
  _Lampropteryx suffumata_, 178. _Plates_ 72, 74
  Larch Pug, 236. _Plate_ 97
  Large Emerald, 102. _Plates_ 40, 42
  Large Red-belted Clearwing, 357. _Plate_ 155
  Large Thorn, 270. _Plates_ 106, 109, 134
  Large Twin-spot Carpet, 179. _Plate_ 72
  _Laspeyria flexula_, 85. _Plate_ 36
  Latticed Heath, 328. _Plate_ 143
  Lead Belle, 143. _Plate_ 54
  Lead-coloured Pug, 244. _Plate_ 98
  Least Carpet, 110. _Plates_ 45, 48
  Leopard Moth, 348. _Plates_ 152, 153
  _Leptomeris_. See _Acidalia_
  Lesser Belle, 89. _Plates_ 35, 39
  Lesser Cream Wave, 124. _Plate_ 49
  Lesser-spotted Pinion, 3. _Plate_ 2
  _Leucanitis stolida_, 77
  Lewes Wave, 126. _Plate_ 49
  _Ligdia adustata_, 263. _Plates_ 105, 107
  Light Crimson Underwing, 82. _Plate_ 32
  Light Emerald, 270. _Plates_ 106, 108
  Light Orange Underwing, 89. _Plates_ 38, 39
  Lilac Beauty, 277. _Plates_ 112, 115
  Lime-speck Pug, 222. _Plates_ 92, 93
  Ling Pug, 231. _Plate_ 95
  _Lithomoia solidaginis_, 32. _Plate_ 12
  _Lithophane semibrunnea_, 28, _Plate_ 12;
    _socia_, 29, _Plate_ 12
  _Lithostege griseata_, 148. _Plate_ 55
  Little Emerald, 107. _Plates_ 43, 44
  Little Thorn, 285. _Plates_ 119, 121
  _Lobophora carpinata_, 153, _Plates_ 57, 59;
    _halterata_, 155, _Plate_ 57;
    _polycommata_,152, _Plates_ 57, 59;
    _sexalisata_, 156, _Plate_ 58;
    _viretata_, 153, _Plate_ 58
  _Lomaspilis marginata_, 262. _Plates_ 105, 107
  _Lozogramma petraria_, 327. _Plate_ 143
  Lunar Double-stripe, 77. _Plate_ 29
  Lunar Hornet, _Plate_ 154
  Lunar-spotted Pinion, 2. _Plate_ 2
  Lunar Thorn, 276. _Plates_ 112, 113
  Lunar Underwing, 11. _Plate_ 7
  _Lycia hirtaria_, 299. _Plates_ 124, 128
  _Lygris associata_, 167, _Plates_ 65, 67;
    _populata_, 166, _Plate_ 63;
    _prunata_, 164, _Plates_ 63, 67;
    _reticulata_, 163, _Plates_ 61, 64;
    _testata_, 165, _Plates_ 63, 67.
  _Lythria purpuraria_, 142

  _Madopa salicalis_, 89. _Plates_, 35, 39
  Magpie, 260. _Plates_ 103, 104
  Maiden's Blush, 136. _Plate_ 53
  _Malenydris didymata_, 187, _Plate_ 77;
    _multistrigaria_, 186, _Plates_ 73, 77;
    _salicata_, 186, _Plates_ 73, 75
  Mallow, 143. _Plates_ 52, 54
  Manchester Treble-bar, 150. _Plate_ 55
  Many-lined Moth, 256. _Plate_ 102
  Maple Pug, 246. _Plate_ 98
  Map-winged Swift, 362. _Plate_ 158
  Marbled Clover, 48. _Plate_ 19
  Marbled Pug, 225. _Plate_ 93
  Marbled White-Spot, 57. _Plate_ 21
  March Moth, 294. _Plates_ 122, 125
  Marsh Carpet, 172. _Plate_ 68
  Marsh Oblique-barred, 96. _Plate_ 36
  Marsh Pug, 244. _Plate_ 98
  May Highflyer, 214. _Plates_ 86, 87
  _Melantha procellata_, 204. _Plate_ 82
  _Mellinia gilvago_, 22, _Plate_ 10;
    _ocellaris_, 22, _Plate_ 10
  _Mesogona acetosellae_, 9
  _Mesoleuca albicillata_, 202, _Plates_ 76, 82;
    _bicolorata_, 204, _Plate_ 82;
    _ocellata_, 203, _Plate_ 82
  _Mesotype virgata_, 146. _Plate_ 54
  _Metrocampa margaritaria_, 270. _Plates_ 106, 108
  _Minoa murinata_, 146. _Plate_ 55
  Mocha, 138. _Plates_ 51, 53
  Mother Shipton, 75. _Plates_ 26, 30
  Mottled Beauty, 307. _Plates_ 131, 132, 134
  Mottled Grey, 186. _Plates_ 73, 75
  Mottled Pug, 248. _Plate_ 99
  Mottled Umber, 293. _Plates_ 122, 125
  Mullein, 36. _Plates_ 15, 18
  Mullein Wave, 125. _Plate_ 49
  _Mysticoptera._ See _Lobophora_

  Narrow-bordered Five-Spot Burnet, 339. _Plates_ 145, 147
  Narrow-winged Pug, 247. _Plate_ 99
  _Nemoria viridata_, 106. _Plates_ 43, 44
  Netted Carpet, 163. _Plates_ 61, 64
  Netted Mountain Moth, 322. _Plate_ 141
  Netted Pug, 227. _Plates_ 92, 93
  New Forest Burnet, 336. _Plates_ 146, 148
  Ni, 70. _Plates_ 26, 28
  Nonconformist, 30. _Plate_ 13
  Northern Spinach, 166. _Plate_ 63.
  Northern Winter-Moth, 157. _Plate_ 58
  November Moth, 188. _Plates_ 76, 78
  _Numeria pulveraria_, 268. _Plates_ 106, 108
  _Nyssia lapponaria_, 297, _Plate_ 126;
    _zonaria_, 298, _Plates_ 124, 126

  Oak Beauty, 300. _Plates_ 127, 128
  Oak-tree Pug, 248. _Plate_ 99
  Oblique Carpet, 257. _Plate_ 102
  Oblique Striped, 146. _Plate_ 54
  Ochreous Pug, 226. _Plate_ 96
  _Ochria aurago_, 18. _Plate_ 10
  _Ochyria._ See _Coremia_.
  _Odezia atrata_, 147. _Plate_ 55
  Olive, 9. _Plate_ 4
  Olive Crescent, 88. _Plate_ 36
  _Omphaloscelis lunosa_, 11. _Plate_ 7
  _Ophiusa stolida_, 77
  _Opisthograptis luteolata_, 283. _Plate_ 117
  _Oporabia autumnata_, 189, _Plate_ 78;
    _dilutata_, 188, _Plates_ 76, 78;
    _filigrammaria_, 190, _Plate_ 77
  Orange Moth, 280. _Plates_ 117, 118
  Orange Sallow, 17. _Plate_ 10
  Orange Swift, 361. _Plates_ 157, 159
  Orange-tailed Clearwing, 353. _Plate_ 156
  Orange Underwing, 97. _Plates_ 38, 39
  Orange Upperwing, 22. _Plates_ 6, 10
  _Orrhodia erythrocephala_, 23, _Plate_ 11;
    _ligula_, 25, _Plate_ 11;
    _rubiginea_, 26, _Plates_ 6, 11;
    _vaccinii_, 24, _Plate_ 11
  _Ortholitha bipunctaria_, 145, _Plates_ 52, 54;
    _cervinata_, 143, _Plates_ 52, 54;
    _limitata_, 144, _Plates_ 52, 54;
    _moeniata_, 145;
    _plumbaria_, 143, _Plate_ 54
  _Orthosia._ See _Amathes_.
  _Ourapteryx sambucaria_, 282. _Plates_ 117, 118

  _Pachycnema hippocastanaria_, 318. _Plates_ 137, 140
  _Pachys betularia_, 301, _Plates_ 128, 129;
    _strataria_, 300, _Plates_ 127, 128
  Pale Brindled Beauty, 295. _Plates_ 122, 126
  Pale-lemon Sallow, 22. _Plate_ 10
  Pale Oak Beauty, 309. _Plate_ 135
  Pale Pinion, 29. _Plate_ 12
  Pale Shoulder, 53. _Plate_ 19
  _Parascotia fuliginaria_, 86. _Plate_ 36
  Peacock, 287. _Plate_ 119
  Pease Blossom, 47. _Plate_ 17
  _Pechypogon barbalis_, 91. _Plate_ 35
  _Pelurga comitata_, 254. _Plate_ 102
  Peppered Moth, 301. _Plates_ 128, 129
  _Percnoptilota fluviata_, 258. _Plate_ 102
  _Perconia strigillaria_, 332. _Plate_ 144
  _Perizoma affinitata_, 205, _Plate_ 83;
    _albulata_, 208, _Plates_ 83, 84;
    _alchemillata_, 206, _Plate_ 83;
    _blandiata_, 210, _Plate_ 83;
    _bifasciata_, 208, _Plate_ 83;
    _flavofasciata_, 207, _Plate_ 85;
    _minorata_, 209, _Plate_ 83;
    _taeniata_, 211, _Plate_ 85
  _Phasiane petraria_, 327. _Plate_ 143
  _Phibalapteryx lapidata_, 255, _Plate_ 102;
    _polygrammata_, 256, _Plate_ 102;
    _tersata_, 257, _Plate_ 102;
    _vitalbata_, 256, _Plate_ 102
  _Phigalia pedaria_, 295. _Plates_ 122, 126
  _Philereme._ See _Scotosia_.
  Phoenix, 164. _Plates_ 63, 67
  _Phragmataecia castaneae_, 349. _Plate_ 153
  Pimpinel Pug, 228. _Plate_ 95
  Pine Carpet, 176. _Plates_ 70, 71
  Pinion-spotted Pug, 226. _Plate_ 96
  Pinion-streaked Snout, 95. _Plate_ 36
  Pink-barred Sallow, 19. _Plates_ 6, 10
  Plain Golden Y, 69. _Plate_ 24
  Plain Pug, 237. _Plates_ 94, 97
  Plain Wave, 119. _Plates_ 46, 47
  _Plastenis retusa_, 9, _Plate_ 4;
    _subtusa_, 9, _Plate_ 4
  _Plusia bractea_, 67, _Plate_ 24;
    _chrysitis_, 65, _Plate_ 22;
    _chryson_, 66, _Plate_ 24;
    _festucae_, 68, _Plate_ 24;
    _gamma_, 72, _Plate_ 26;
    _interrogationis_, 73, _Plates_ 26, 28;
    _iota_, 69, _Plate_ 24;
    _moneta_, 64, _Plates_ 22, 27;
    _ni_, 70, _Plates_ 26, 28;
    _pulchrina_, 70, _Plate_ 24
  Portland Ribbon Wave, 118. _Plate_ 46
  Pretty Chalk Carpet, 204. _Plate_ 82
  Pretty Pinion, 210. _Plate_ 83
  _Prothymnia viridaria_, 61. _Plates_ 21, 25
  _Pseudophia lunaris_, 77. _Plate_ 29
  _Pseudoterpna pruinata_, 101. _Plates_ 38, 41
  _Psodos coracina_, 321. _Plate_ 139
  _Ptychopoda._ See _Acidalia_
  Purple Bar, 203. _Plate_ 82
  Purple-bordered Gold, 109. _Plate_ 82
  Purple Marbled, 55. _Plate_ 21
  Purple Thorn, 276. _Plates_ 112, 113
  _Pylarge fumata_, 131. _Plate_ 50
  _Pyrrhia umbra_, 47. _Plates_ 17, 20

  Rannoch Brindled Beauty, 297. _Plates_ 126, 134
  Rannoch Looper, 327. _Plate_ 143
  Red-belted Clearwing, 356. _Plate_ 155
  Red Carpet, 180. _Plate_ 72
  Red-green Carpet, 173. _Plate_ 68
  Red-headed Chestnut, 23. _Plate_ 11
  Red-line Quaker, 12. _Plates_ 5, 7
  Red Sword-grass, 35. _Plates_ 8, 14
  Red-tipped Clearwing, 357. _Plates_ 155, 156
  Red Twin-spot Carpet, 182. _Plate_ 72
  Red Underwing, 80. _Plates_ 31, 33
  Reed Leopard, 349. _Plate_ 153
  Rest Harrow Moth, 101. _Plate_ 38
  _Rhagades globulariae_, 342. _Plate_ 147
  Riband Wave, 120. _Plates_ 46, 47
  Ringed Carpet, 304. _Plate_ 130
  _Rivula sericealis_, 60. _Plates_ 21, 23
  Rivulet, 205. _Plate_ 83
  Rosy Marbled, 59. _Plates_ 21, 25
  Rosy Wave, 128. _Plate_ 49
  Royal Mantle, 216. _Plate_ 88
  Ruddy High-flyer, 215. _Plate_ 86
  _Rumia crataegata_, 283. _Plate_ 117
  Rusty Wave, 111. _Plate_ 45

  Sallow, 20. _Plates_ 6, 10
  Sandy Carpet, 207. _Plate_ 85
  Satellite, 27. _Plate_ 12
  Satin Carpet, 306. _Plates_ 132, 138
  Satin Wave, 117. _Plate_ 45
  Satyr Pug, 239. _Plate_ 96
  Scalloped Hazel, 278. _Plates_ 114, 115
  Scalloped Oak, 280. _Plates_ 114, 116
  Scallop Shell, 160. _Plates_ 60, 62
  Scarce Blackneck, 84. _Plate_ 32
  Scarce Bordered Straw, 52. _Plates_ 19, 20
  Scarce Burnished Brass, 66. _Plate_ 24
  Scarce Forester, 342. _Plate_ 147
  Scarce Pug, 238. _Plate_ 97
  Scarce Silver Y, 73. _Plates_ 26, 28
  Scarce Tissue, 159. _Plate_ 60
  Scarce Umber, 291. _Plates_ 120, 125
  _Sciadion obscurata_, 319. _Plates_ 139, 140
  _Sciapteron tabaniformis_, 351. _Plate_ 154
  _Scodiona fagaria_, 329. _Plates_ 142, 144
  _Scoliopteryx libatrix_, 63. _Plates_ 22, 25
  _Scopelosoma satellitia_, 27
  Scorched Carpet, 263. _Plates_ 105, 107
  Scorched Wing, 282. _Plate_ 117
  _Scoria lineata_, 330. _Plate_ 144
  Scotch Annulet, 320. _Plate_ 139
  Scotch Burnet, 335. _Plate_ 146
  _Scotosia rhamnata_, 162, _Plate_ 60;
    _vetulata_, 161, _Plate_ 60
  _Selenia bilunaria_, 274, _Plate_ 112;
    _lunaria_, 276, _Plates_ 112, 113;
    _tetralunaria_, 276, _Plates_ 112, 113
  _Selidosoma ericetaria_, 325. _Plates_ 142, 143
  _Semiothisa alternata_, 288, _Plates_ 119, 123;
    _liturata_, 288, _Plates_ 61, 119, 123;
    _notata_, 287, _Plate_ 119
  September Thorn, 273. _Plate_ 134
  Seraphim, 155. _Plate_ 57
  _Sesia andrenaeformis_, 353, _Plates_ 1, 156;
    _chrysidiformis_, 359, _Plate_ 155;
    _culiciformis_, 357, _Plate_ 155;
    _formiciformis_, 357, _Plates_ 155, 156;
    _ichneumoniformis_, 358, _Plate_ 155;
    _muscaeformis_, 359, _Plate_ 155;
    _myopaeformis_, 356, _Plate_ 155;
    _scoliaeformis_, 352, _Plates_ 154, 156;
    _spheciformis_, 353, _Plate_ 154;
    _tipuliformis_, 354, _Plates_ 154, 156;
    _vespiformis_, 355, _Plate_ 155
  Sesiidae, 350
  Shaded Broad-bar, 144. _Plates_ 52, 54
  Shaded Pug, 242. _Plate_ 97
  Shark, 40. _Plate_ 16
  Sharp-angled Carpet, 199. _Plate_ 82
  Sharp-angled Peacock, 288. _Plates_ 119, 123
  Shoulder Stripe, 217. _Plates_ 88, 89
  Silky Wave, 116. _Plate_ 45
  Silver Barred, 57. _Plate_ 21
  Silver-ground Carpet, 193. _Plate_ 80
  Silver Hook, 58. _Plate_ 21
  Silver Y, 72. _Plate_ 26
  Single Dotted Wave, 121. _Plates_ 46, 47
  Six-belted Clearwing, 358. _Plate_ 155
  Six-spot Burnet, 340. _Plates_ 145, 147, 148
  Slender Pug, 245. _Plate_ 98
  Slender-striped Pug, 255. _Plate_ 102
  Sloe Carpet, 264. _Plate_ 107
  Small Argent and Sable, 198. _Plate_ 81
  Small Autumnal Carpet, 190. _Plate_ 77
  Small Blood-vein, 129. _Plates_ 48, 49
  Small Brindled Beauty, 296. _Plates_ 124, 126
  Small Dark Yellow Underwing, 44. _Plate_ 17
  Small Dusty Wave, 112. _Plate_ 45
  Small Emerald, 103. _Plates_ 40, 44
  Small Fan-foot, 88. _Plates_ 34, 35
  Small Fan-footed Wave, 121. _Plate_ 46
  Small Grass Emerald, 106. _Plates_ 43, 44
  Small Marbled, 56. _Plate_ 21
  Small Phoenix, 162. _Plate_ 63
  Small Purple Barred, 61. _Plates_ 21, 25
  Small Rivulet, 206. _Plate_ 83
  Small Scallop, 133. _Plate_ 50
  Small Seraphim, 156. _Plate_ 58
  Small Waved Umber, 256. _Plate_ 102
  Small White Wave, 220. _Plates_ 90, 91
  Small Yellow Underwing, 46. _Plate_ 17
  Small Yellow Wave, 220. _Plate_ 91
  Smoky Wave, 131. _Plate_ 50
  Snout, 93. _Plates_ 35, 37
  Speckled Beauty, 310. _Plate_ 134
  Speckled Yellow, 286. _Plates_ 61, 119
  Spectacle, 74. _Plate_ 22
  Spinach Moth, 167. _Plates_ 65, 67
  Spotted Clover, 49. _Plate_ 19
  Spotted Sulphur, 62. _Plate_ 21
  Spring Usher, 290. _Plate_ 120
  Square Spot, 315. _Plates_ 137, 138
  Star-wort, 39. _Plates_ 15, 18
  _Sterrha sacraria_, 141. _Plate_ 54
  Straw Belle, 330. _Plate_ 144
  Straw Dot, 60. _Plate_ 21
  Streak, 150. _Plates_ 56, 57
  Streamer, 219. _Plates_ 88, 89
  _Strenia clathrata_, 328. _Plate_ 143
  Striped Lychnis, 38. _Plates_ 15, 18
  Striped Twin-spot Carpet, 186. _Plates_ 73, 75
  Sub-angled Wave, 127. _Plate_ 49
  Suspected, 7. _Plate_ 4
  Swallow-tailed, 282. _Plates_ 117, 118
  Sword-grass, 34. _Plate_ 14
  _Synopsia abruptaria_, 303, _Plates_ 130, 133, 134

  _Tarache lucida_, var. _albicollis_, 53, _Plate_ 19;
    _luctuosa_, 54, _Plates_ 19, 23
  Tawny-barred Angle, 288. _Plates_ 61, 119, 123
  Tawny Pinion, 28. _Plate_ 12
  Tawny-speckled Pug, 241. _Plate_ 97
  Tawny Wave, 130. _Plate_ 50
  _Tephrosia bistortata_, 312, _Plates_ 136, 138;
    _consonaria_, 315, _Plates_ 137, 138;
    _luridata_, 314, _Plate_ 137;
    _punctularia_, 316, _Plate_ 137
  _Thalera fimbrialis_, 108
  _Thalpochares ostrina_, 55, _Plate_ 21;
    _parva_, 56, _Plate_ 21;
    _paula_, 56, _Plate_ 21
  _Thamnonoma wauaria_, 326, _Plates_ 142, 143;
    _brunneata_, 327, _Plate_ 143
  _Thera cognata_, 176, _Plate_ 70;
    _firmata_, 176, _Plates_ 70, 71;
    _juniperata_, 177, _Plate_ 70;
    _variata_, 175, _Plates_ 70, 71
  _Tholomiges turfosalis_, 96. _Plate_ 36
  Thrift Clearwing, 359. _Plate_ 155
  Thyme Pug, 229. _Plate_ 95
  _Timandra amata_, 134. _Plate_ 50
  Tissue, 158. _Plates_ 60, 62
  Toadflax Pug, 224. _Plate_ 93
  _Toxocampa craccae_, 84, _Plate_ 32;
    _pastinum_, 83, _Plate_ 32
  Transparent Burnet, 334. _Plates_ 145, 146
  Treble-bar, 149. _Plate_ 55
  Treble Brown Spot, 122. _Plate_ 46
  Triangle, 346. _Plates_ 149, 153
  _Trichopteryx._ See _Lobophora_
  _Triphosa dubitata_, 158. _Plates_ 60, 62
  Triple-spotted Pug, 236. _Plate_ 97
  _Trochilium apiformis_, 350, _Plate_ 154;
    _crabroniformis_, 351, _Plate_ 154
  Twin-spot Carpet, 187. _Plate_ 77

  Valerian Pug, 243. _Plate_ 98
  _Venilia maculata_, 286. _Plates_ 61, 119
  _Venusia cambrica_, 190. _Plate_ 78
  Vestal, 141. _Plate_ 54
  V-moth, 326. _Plates_ 142, 143
  V-Pug, 251. _Plates_ 99, 100

  Water Betony, 37. _Plate_ 15
  Water Carpet, 178. _Plates_ 72, 74
  Waved Black, 86. _Plate_ 36
  Waved Carpet, 221. _Plate_ 91
  Waved Umber, 303. _Plates_ 130, 133, 134
  Weaver's Wave, 109. _Plate_ 45
  Welsh Clearwing, 352. _Plates_ 154, 156
  Welsh Wave, 190. _Plate_ 78
  White-barred Clearwing, 353. _Plate_ 154
  White-line Snout, 94. _Plate_ 36
  White-pinion Spotted, 265. _Plate_ 107
  White-spotted Pinion, 4. _Plates_ 2, 3
  White-spotted Pug, 234. _Plates_ 92, 97
  Willow Beauty, 305. _Plates_ 130, 131
  Winter Moth, 156. _Plate_ 58
  Wood Carpet, 196. _Plates_ 79, 81
  Wormwood, 42. _Plate_ 16
  Wormwood Pug, 231. _Plate_ 95

  _Xanthia aurago_, 18, _Plate_ 10;
    _citrago_, 17, _Plate_ 10;
    _flavago_, 19, _Plates_ 6, 10;
    _fulvago_, 20, _Plates_ 6, 10;
    _gilvago_, 21, _Plate_ 10;
    _lutea_, 19, _Plates_ 6, 10;
    _ocellaris_, 22, _Plate_ 10
  _Xantholeuca croceago_, 22. _Plates_ 6, 10
  _Xanthorhoe fluctuata_, 194, _Plates_ 61, 80;
    _galiata_, 195, _Plates_ 79, 81;
    _montanata_, 193, _Plate_ 80;
    _picata_, 200, _Plate_ 82;
    _rivata_, 196, _Plates_ 79, 81;
    _sociata_, 197, _Plates_ 79, 81;
    _tristata_, 198, _Plate_ 81;
    _unangulata_, 199, _Plate_ 82
  _Xylina._ See _Lithophane_ and _Graptolitha_.
  _Xylocampa areola_, 33. _Plates_ 8, 12

  Yellow Belle, 331. _Plates_ 142, 144
  Yellow-barred Brindle, 153. _Plate_ 58
  Yellow-legged Clearwing, 355. _Plate_ 155
  Yellow-line Quaker, 13. _Plate_ 7
  Yellow-ringed Carpet, 192. _Plate_ 80
  Yellow Shell, 212. _Plates_ 61, 84, 85

  _Zanclognatha emortualis_, 88, _Plate_ 36;
    _grisealis_, 88, _Plates_ 34, 35;
    _tarsipennalis_, 87. _Plates_ 34, 35
  _Zeuzera pyrina_, 348. _Plates_ 152, 153
  _Zygaena achilleae_, 335, _Plate_ 1;
    _exulans_, 335, _Plate_ 146;
    _filipendulae_, 340, _Plates_ 145, 147, 148;
    _lonicerae_, 339. _Plates_ 145, 147;
    _meliloti_, 336, _Plates_ 146, 148;
    _purpuralis_, 334, _Plates_ 145, 146;
    _trifolii_, 337, _Plates_ 145, 146, 148
  Zygaenidae, 333

       *       *       *       *       *


A LIST OF THE VOLUMES IN THE WAYSIDE AND WOODLAND SERIES

       *       *       *       *       *

WAYSIDE AND WOODLAND BLOSSOMS A Pocket Guide to British Wild Flowers, for
the Country Rambler. (First and Second Series.) With clear Descriptions of
760 Species. By EDWARD STEP, F.L.S. And Coloured Figures of 257 Species by
MABEL E. STEP.

WAYSIDE AND WOODLAND TREES A Pocket Guide to the British Sylva. By EDWARD
STEP, F.L.S. With 127 Plates from Original Photographs by HENRY IRVING. And
57 Illustrations of the Leaves, Flowers & Fruit by MABEL E. STEP.

WAYSIDE AND WOODLAND FERNS A Pocket Guide to the British Ferns, Horsetails
and Club-Mosses. By EDWARD STEP, F.L.S. With Coloured Figures of every
Species by MABEL E. STEP. And 67 Photographs by the Author.

THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES A Pocket Guide for the Country
Rambler. With clear Descriptions and Life Histories of all the Species. By
RICHARD SOUTH, F.E.S. With 450 Coloured Figures photographed from Nature,
and numerous Black and White Drawings.

THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES (First and Second Series). A Complete Pocket
Guide to all the Species included in the Groups formerly known as
Macro-lepidoptera. By RICHARD SOUTH, F.E.S. With upwards of 1500 Coloured
Figures photographed from Nature, and numerous Black and White Drawings.

AT ALL BOOKSELLERS. _Full Prospectuses on application to the Publishers_--
FREDERICK WARNE AND CO., LTD. LONDON: 15, Bedford Street, Strand. NEW YORK:
36, East 22nd Street.