88 THK LEI'irJOPTEKA OF ESSEX. 



Larva — Blaik dotted with white ; spines ochreous, white on sides. Food — r Ian- 

 tain, wood sage and speedwell. Mr. Harwood found it on cow-wheat {Melampyrum), 

 probably its general food-plant, and foxglove. Imago — May to August ; hibernates 

 as larva. 



Rare and very local, frecjuenting heathy spots in woods. 

 Henjamin Wilkes found the larvae " feeding on common heath " 

 in Tottenham Wood, about the middle of May, 1745 {E?ig. M. and 

 B. p. 58 pi. cxii.) Hartley Wood [St. Osyth], {Jermyn ; V.M. 65). 

 Near St. Osyth, July 1845 (/. W. Douglas ; Z. iii. 1089). "Woods 

 bordering road from Colchester to Ipswich " (A {E. Doiibkday) ; 

 Ent. Mag. iv. 231). Colchester {E. Douhkday ; B.B. 48). Common 

 but very local, Colchester, 1867 {Harwood; E.M.M. iv. 162). 

 " Now restricted to one wood " [Uedham Birch Wood] {Harivood ; 

 B.B. ^^). Dark \?^nt\^es irom.Co\c\\e?,iex {Harwood ; Froc. E.S.L., 

 7th March, 1870). Formerly Highwoods, Colchester, very rare, and 

 twice in field close to town {Harivood). " I may here mention 

 that an attempt was made by Mr. Harwood to establish a colony of 

 M. athalia in a wood about fifteen miles from one of its haunts 

 in Essex, where its food plant {Melampyrum praiense) abounded : 

 but though the insect fairly established itself for a few seasons, from 

 some cause or other, after changing its habitat from one clearing to 

 another in the wood, it disappeared, and has not since been seen in 

 that locality as far as I am aware " (6^. _/. Grapes; Ent. xix. 177). 

 Ongar Park and High Beach in 1839, "but never seen in after 

 years" {English; E.N. i. no). Epping, has occurred {S.M. i. 47). 

 One, Epping Forest {R. Tyssen ; E. JF.I. ii. 115). Series from Essex 

 exhibited (/l^ Souf/i ; F.S.L.E.S. 1885, 34). Two, Witham, June, 

 1837 {E. H Bitrnc//, M.N.H. (2) i. 601). 



Vanessa c-album, L. Comma. 



Geographical Distrihutmi — Europe, Asia (e.xcept polar regions). Local in 

 England and Ireland, rare in South and East England, absent from Scotland. 

 Close ally in North .America. 



Larva — Grey-brown, red patch on back of anterior segments, broad white stripe 

 on back of posterior ; spines brown and white, red on sides. Food — Hop, current, 

 elm, sloe, and nettle. Imago — September to June — hibernating. 



\'ery rare, if not now extinct in the county, like the hop 

 industry. 



" .Many years since it used to occur in profusion at Epping ; I 

 cannot give any date, but it was when I was a mere child —I should 

 judge about 181 7 or iSiS. 'l"wo or three of the specimens taken 



