LEPIDOPTERA, ETC., AT SCOTTISH LIGHTHOUSES 59 



Others again, such as the Silver Y {Plusia gamma), while 

 always with us, in some seasons unquestionably receive 

 great additions to their numbers through immigration from 

 abroad. The Painted Lady (Pyrantels cardui), whose 

 metropolis in the Old World is in the sub-tropical regions, 

 including the countries bordering the Mediterranean, is a 

 notorious wanderer, and appears from time to time in lists 

 of insects met with at sea. For instance, when crossing 

 St George's Channel in June 1879 a year in which Europe 

 was overrun by vast migratory swarms of this butterfly 

 from North Africa Professor Cockerell x observed it flying 

 about the steamer, along with Plusia gamma, Nomophila 

 noctuella, etc. In August 1898 the same three species, accom- 

 panied by Humming-bird Hawk-moths (JMacroglossa stella- 

 tarum), and Scopula ferrugalis, visited H.M.S. " Hawke " 

 when in the Mediterranean, some 80 miles from Sardinia. 

 In 1903 Mr Eagle Clarke secured specimens of P. cardui on 

 board the Kentish Knock lightship, " as they fluttered with 

 others of their kind against the lantern," from 8.45 p.m. to 

 midnight on 22nd September, 2 and a number were seen flying 

 round the vessel the following day wind south-easterly and 

 light. On the 23rd there came, in addition, a number of 

 Silver Gamma moths, a Tortrix and a Plume-moth, hundreds 

 of Caddis-flies {Limnophilus griseus and L. affinis), and two 

 species of Breeze-flies (Syrphidae) ; and on the 28th he took 

 specimens of other two moths (Eunomos alniaria and Luperina 

 testacea) " at rest on the lee side of the deck house " 

 (Ent. Mo. Mag., 1903, p. 289). This lightship is situated 

 in the North Sea, 21 and 48 miles from the nearest 

 points of land on the coasts of England and the 

 Continent respectively. That the insects were all "migrating " 

 from the Continent to England there can be no doubt. 

 To cardui the distance is probably not great, seeing 

 it has, as quoted below, been recorded in the Atlantic at 



1 Citations for records are here given only for those not in Tutt's 

 articles, where references for the others will be found. 



2 Instances of butterflies (including' P. cardui) coming to light at 

 night are given in Tutt's articles {Ent Rec, 1900, p. 69). Records of 

 swarms of two species flying against lighthouse lanterns in America are 

 quoted. 



