Volume I Part 28 (1/2)

The last two moths were respectively productions of Scotland and Wales; the present one is exclusively English, at least it was, because now and for perhaps the last fifty years it has been extinct in its old fenny haunts at Whittlesea, in Cambridges.h.i.+re, {218} and Yaxley, Huntingdons.h.i.+re. In the latter fen it was first noted by Weaver about the year 1837. In 1846 and onwards it was plentiful, and the caterpillars were common. All was well with the species until about 1851 when the fens were drained, and the moth then ceased to appear. (Plate 108, Fig. 3.) In Sweden, Southern Russia, and in Amurland the species is represented by a bluish form, var.

_subcoerulea_, Staud.

THE DOUBLE DART (_Noctua_ (_Exarnis_) _augur_).

The dull brownish moth (Plate 110, Fig. 6), is generally distributed throughout the British Isles, including the Orkneys. The fore wings of southern specimens are usually suffused with reddish, but this is less obvious in northern examples. The markings are sometimes bold and striking or, on the other hand, only faintly defined, or largely absent. A pinkish-tinged brown form without markings was formerly confused with the Continental _A. helvetina_. The moth is on the wing in June and July, sometimes in August, especially in the north; and the caterpillar is to be found from July to May. When young it feeds on various low-growing plants, but later it crawls up at night to devour the leaves of hawthorn, sloe, sallow, birch, etc. It is brownish, tinged with pink, and marked on the back with a series of V-shaped dashes, and white points; on ring eleven there is a yellowish-edged black mark; above the white spiracles is a black-edged red-brown stripe. Head pale brown, freckled with darker brown.

THE AUTUMNAL RUSTIC (_Noctua glareosa_).

In its typical form as depicted on Plate 110, Fig. 4, this species is slaty grey with black markings. In Devons.h.i.+re and other parts of the west of England, and also in Ireland, it a.s.sumes a decided pinkish tinge (var.

_rosea_, Tutt). Through Scotland the colour becomes darker grey, and in Perths.h.i.+re it merges into blackish grey. In the Shetlands a blackish, or sooty-brown form (var. _edda_, Staud.), occurs.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pl. 112.

1. INGRAILED CLAY: _caterpillar_.

2. PURPLE CLAY: _caterpillar_.

3, 3a. SQUARE-SPOT RUSTIC: _caterpillar_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pl. 113.

1. DOUBLE SQUARE-SPOT.

2. SQUARE-SPOTTED CLAY.

3, 4. PURPLE CLAY.

5, 6, 7. INGRAILED CLAY.

8, 9. INGRAILED CLAY, _var. conflua_.

10, 11. INGRAILED CLAY, _var. thulei_.

{219} The caterpillar feeds on gra.s.ses and various low plants, also on ling, heath, sallow, and has been found on wild hyacinth. It is yellowish-brown with dark shaded pale lines on the back, and a dark brown stripe on the sides; spiracles and dots blackish. October to June. The moth flies in August and September, and affects heathy places, borders of woods, etc., throughout the British Isles, including the Hebrides, Orkneys, and Shetlands. Except in the New Forest, Hamps.h.i.+re, it does not seem to be common in the southern counties of England; it occurs in Epping Forest, and in other parts of the eastern counties; northwards it becomes more generally distributed and more plentiful.

THE NEGLECTED, OR GREY RUSTIC (_Noctua castanea_).

The reddish typical form of this species is shown on Plate 110, Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 represents the greyish form, var. _neglecta_, which is most frequently met with in southern England. Between these extremes intermediate forms occur connecting one with the other. Specimens of a pale ochreous colour have been obtained in the vicinity of Market Drayton, Shrops.h.i.+re. The caterpillar, which feeds on heather and sallow at night, is pale reddish-brown, finely powdered with greyish; below the pale ochreous stripe on the sides, the ground colour is greenish; head marked with darker brown. September to May. The moth flies in August, and occurs on the larger tracts of heathery ground throughout the British Isles, but it is commoner in some parts than in others, and appears to be scarce in Ireland. The red form, and intermediates, occasionally occur in the New Forest, and also in other parts of Southern England, but in Scotland it is not uncommon. The distribution abroad is, like that of the last species, pretty much confined to Western Europe. {220}

THE DOTTED CLAY (_Noctua baja_).

This species, a male and female of which are shown on Plate 114, Figs. 7 [male] and 8 [female] is common in wooded districts throughout the British Isles, except the Orkneys and the Shetlands. The colour of the fore wings ranges from pale greyish brown, or reddish grey, to reddish brown or purplish brown. Sometimes the first and second cross lines are bordered, or represented, by pale bands.

The caterpillar is dingy ochreous brown, or reddish brown; three yellowish lines along the back, the central one edged with blackish; the others have blackish bordered yellow triangular marks between them, on each ring from three to eleven; spiracles and dots black; head pale brown, s.h.i.+ning. It feeds in the autumn on various low plants, and in the spring on hawthorn, sloe, sallow, bramble, etc. September to May. The moth flies in July and August. Its range abroad extends to Amurland and to North America.

THE PLAIN CLAY (_Noctua depuncta_).

This species is represented on Plate 110, Fig. 5, by a female specimen.

Sometimes the fore wings are more reddish brown in colour, and the markings are occasionally bolder. The caterpillar is pale or dark reddish brown above, and rather greyish below; the back is marked with dark outlined diamonds, and the dark edged white spiracles have a dark shade above them, and an ochreous stripe below; head pale brown marked with darker. Feeds on primrose, dock, sorrel, nettle, etc. from September to May. The moth flies in July, August, and the early part of September. It seems to be more frequently and regularly obtained in Scotland, especially in the woods of Perths.h.i.+re, Aberdeen and Moray. In England the species is, or has been, found in Oxfords.h.i.+re (rare in beech woods), {221} Berks.h.i.+re, Wilts.h.i.+re (Savernake Forest), Devons.h.i.+re (Dartmoor), South Wales (near Swansea), North Wales (Mold), Ches.h.i.+re (one specimen, Staley-brushes), Yorks.h.i.+re (Scarborough), Durham (one at Bishop Auckland), c.u.mberland (Barrow Wood).