Volume I Part 40 (1/2)

4. BROWN RUSTIC: _caterpillar_.

5, 5a. DOUBLE LINE: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.

6. THE ANOMALOUS MOTH: _caterpillar_.

7, 7a, 7b. SMALL MOTTLED WILLOW: _eggs and caterpillars_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pl. 153.

1, 3. REDDISH BUFF MOTH.

2. MARSH MOTH.

4, 5. BROWN RUSTIC.

6. _XYLOPHASIA ZOLLIKOFERI._

{313} THE BROWN-LINE BRIGHT-EYE (_Leucania_ (_Chabuata_) _conigera_).

This species (Plate 150, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female]) ranges in the colour of fore wings from pale ochreous brown to a dusky tawny hue; the cross lines are sometimes very faint, but otherwise the markings are constant.

Var. _suffusa_, Tutt, is described as rusty red suffused with darker scales, markings typical, but deeper in colour and more distinct. The caterpillar is ochreous or greyish brown; three yellow lines on the back are black edged; a yellow line along the sides is often edged with black, and the line below the black spiracles is blackish; head pale brown marked with black. It feeds on gra.s.ses, and may be found in April and May. The moth appears in June and July and is pretty generally distributed. It is regarded as a common species in South England, but in the north seems to be rather local and most frequently found on the coast. In Scotland it does not appear to have been noted north of Ross or in the isles. Abroad the range extends through Northern and Central Asia to India and j.a.pan. {314}

THE DOUBLE LINE (_Leucania_ (_Eriopyga_) _turca_).

The s.e.xes of this species are shown on Plate 150, Figs. 3 [male], 6 [female]. The general colour of the fore wings may be paler or darker than in the specimens shown. Sometimes the central area enclosed by the black cross lines is darker than the other parts of the fore wings; var.

_obscura_, Tutt, has the fore wings obscure smoky grey, with a dull coppery tinge, much suffused with dark scales; markings indistinct.

The caterpillar is pale brown freckled with darker; a whitish line along the middle of the back is edged on both sides with blackish merging into black at the ring divisions; a rather wavy, but less distinct, whitish line on each side of the central one edged above with blackish; spiracles black ringed with pale brown and set in a broad dark brown line below which the colour is pinkish; head s.h.i.+ning pale brown, freckled with darker on the cheeks. It feeds on c.o.c.ksfoot and various other gra.s.ses occurring in woodlands. August to May. The moth, which inhabits woods and well-timbered parks, is out in June and July. It is, perhaps, most frequent in the New Forest, Hamps.h.i.+re, thence it is found more or less sparingly to Cornwall.

Sometimes not uncommon in Savernake Forest, Wilts.h.i.+re, and occurs in Berks.h.i.+re, Buckinghams.h.i.+re, Ess.e.x (Epping Forest, etc.), Surrey (Richmond Park). Recorded from Ches.h.i.+re and from South Wales. In Scotland it is said to have been taken at Newfield, Ayrs.h.i.+re. The only records from Ireland are Clonbrock (1), and Merlin Park, Galway (2). Abroad it ranges to Amurland, China, Corea and j.a.pan.

TREBLE LINES (_Meristis_ (_Grammesia_) _trigrammica_).

The fore wings range in colour from whitish or greyish brown to ochreous brown; the cross lines are usually distinct, {315} and the central one is often broad. (Plate 151, Fig. 1.) In var. _approximans_, Haw., the cross lines fall nearer together on the inner margin; and in var. _semi-fuscans_, Haw., the basal half is greyish or reddish grey, and the outer half is suffused with brownish (Fig. 2). Then there is a somewhat rarer form, with dark grey, brown, or blackish brown fore wings, with the cross lines more or less distinct, as in Fig. 3; or with the central one absent (var.

_bilinea_, Hubn.); or all the lines may be obscured by the dark colour.

Kane states that var. _obscura_, Tutt (= _bilinea_, Haw.), is pretty common at Howth and other places in Ireland, and, according to Barrett, it is not infrequent in Wales. The caterpillar is greyish or dingy reddish brown; three pale lines on the back, the central one partly edged with black, and the outer ones are broken and inwardly edged with blackish marks; the stripe along the black spiracles is ochreous brown; head brownish. From July to April on plantain and other low plants. The moth is out in June and July. In Scotland it is local and rare, but has been recorded from Clydesdale, Arran, and once from Perths.h.i.+re. Local but widely distributed in Ireland.

THE ANOMALOUS (_Stilbia anomala_).

A local species, but sometimes not uncommon on heaths, or in rocky places by the sea. It is found from Surrey westward to Cornwall; and from Staffords.h.i.+re, in which county it has been seen in abundance on Cannock Chase, it ranges into Derbys.h.i.+re, Nottinghams.h.i.+re, Ches.h.i.+re, Wales (North and South), Lancas.h.i.+re, Yorks.h.i.+re (commonly at Saltaire), Durham (once), and c.u.mberland. Generally distributed in Scotland, including the Orkneys.

It occurs in the Isle of Man, and seems to be pretty widely spread in Ireland, but found chiefly on the coast. Abroad it seems to be only found in France and in Central and Western Germany. In Southern Spain it is {316} represented by var. _andalusiaca_, Staud., and in Syria by var. _syriaca_, Staud. A typical male is shown on Plate 151, Fig. 4.

The caterpillar is green, inclining to yellowish between the rings of the body; three lines on the back are whitish, edged with dark green; a stripe low down on the sides is whitish, shaded above with dark green merging into the ground colour; head s.h.i.+ning bright green, obscurely mottled with darker. In other forms the general colour is reddish or pinkish brown, with the lines edged and shaded with darker brown; the head is ochreous brown, mottled with darker brown. The green form is figured on Plate 152, Fig. 6, but the browner forms are more frequent. It feeds on gra.s.ses from the autumn until about March.

THE MOTTLED RUSTIC (_Caradrina morpheus_).

A specimen of this species is shown on Plate 151, Fig. 5. There is some variation in the darker mottling and suffusion of the ochreous or pale brown fore wings. The dark brown or blackish stigmata are generally distinct. Hind wings whitish, tinged with smoky on the veins, and in the female on the outer marginal area. The caterpillar is brownish or greyish brown, inclining to ochreous on the back; central line whitish, with a broken edging of brown; on each side of the central line there is a series of blackish arrow heads; spiracles blackish; head dark brown, and very glossy. It feeds from August and through the autumn on various low plants, including goose-foot, knot-gra.s.s, dandelion, etc. The moth flies from June to August, and occasionally there is a second flight in October. The species is generally distributed and often common over the greater part of England, but is less frequent in the more northern counties, and in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. Abroad the range extends to Amurland and Corea.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pl. 154.

1, 2, 3. COPPER UNDERWING MOTH.