Volume Ii Part 12 (1/2)

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.

Suss.e.x, 1838, 1869, 1889, 1895. Isle of Wight, 1866, 1900. North Devon, 1895. Somerset, 1850. Shrops.h.i.+re, 1872. Suffolk, 1868, 1872, 1901, 1905.

Norfolk, 1846, 1872, 1894, 1900. Lincoln, 1872. Yorks.h.i.+re, five specimens in all, the most recent in 1896. Lancas.h.i.+re, six specimens, latest 1868.

Ches.h.i.+re, four specimens, latest 1868. Scotland--1876 (Berwick); 1896 (Aberdeen and Orkney); 1898 (Roxburghs.h.i.+re). 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 Sh.o.r.eham, near Brighton, Suss.e.x, September 24, 1875, and the other at Corfe Castle, Dorsets.h.i.+re, 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 j.a.pan by a larger form, _zalmunna_, Butler. {80}

THE RED UNDERWING (_Catocala nupta_).

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 3.

RED UNDERWING AT REST.

Photo by H. Main.]

Both s.e.xes 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_, c.o.c.kerell). 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 Pl. 30.

MOTHER s.h.i.+PTON: _eggs, natural size and enlarged, caterpillar, and chrysalis, natural size and enlarged_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

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 c.h.i.n.ks of the bark from April to July. The pupa is brownish, thickly powdered with bluish-white, and is enclosed in a strong, coa.r.s.e, coc.o.o.n, 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 Pa.s.sage West, co. Cork; but Kane mentions two others.

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