LEPIDOPTEEA ROUND ABOUT SCARBOROUGH. 75 



Year in, year out, I have sugared a line of oak-trees that crown an 

 ancient entrenchment on the edge of the moors overlooking the town, 

 a spot from which one can (or one could) see all the lights of the two 

 bays, the glitter of the Spa, and far away the twinkling white and red 

 of Flamborough. I have taken close on 90 species of Noctnae there, 

 most of them common enough, but now and again there comes a prize 

 among the host of Triphaena pronuba and Xylopliasia ))tono(/b/pha. 

 The latter occurs in great variety, with a goodly proportion of all- black 

 forms. One year Arpoti^ obscura turned up in some numbers. Xeiiria 

 reticulata can always be counted on, though it is never common. 

 A[p-'>tis [Li/cophotia] stritpda, abundant at heather bloom, also comes to 

 sugar, contrary to Barrett's experience. We get a large proportion of 

 the genus ?\(ictiia — A', castanea var. neglecta, N. baia, X. (/larcosa (some 

 lovely forms), X. triampiliiui, X. c-iwp-Hm, X. stii/Diatica, X. brunnea, 

 y. (laJilii, X. festiva, X. iDxbnma, X. plecta, and A', xantluiijrapha. 

 Di/sch(irlsta snsjiecta is common at intervals. In 1911 autumn sugar- 

 ing was very productive. There were literally thousands of Jniatlu's 

 {Anrhoa'lis) helvola (nifina) of every shade of colour, and A. Utiira and 

 AiiiatJics [Mdlinia) circellariswere just as abundant. Aiiiathes {(Jrthosia) 

 macilenta and A. lota, A)iiat/us [Anchocelis) li/chnidix (pistacina) and 

 Oiiiphaloscclis liinosa (both generally scarce here), the two common 

 Xanthiae, Calymnia trapezina and Hadena jirotea were all there, and as 

 these species began to go off, Orrhodia vaccinii and big Calocampa 

 exoleta took their place. 



Another good sugaring ground is a small patch of sandhills some 

 three miles south of Bridlington, at the point where once stood the 

 village of Auburn. Tapin(»it(da ebpiii is there, to be taken best as it 

 sits, after dark, on its food-plant. I have found there also Maiiiestra 

 albicolon, Aurotis corticea, A. tritici, A. nijfricatis and A. ripae, Miana 

 bicoloria and M. literosa, Xeinia reticulata and L'hariclea innbra, some 

 in very large numbers. 



Heather bloom is worth working in August. Recently 1 have 

 found Af/rotis a</athina not uncommon, and Calocaiiijia solidaginis in 

 two or three restricted localities. This is the best way to take Xoctiia 

 dahlii and X. castanea var. neglecta. Other NoctinB worthy of mention are 

 Epunda liitidenta and K. lichenea, the latter on walls and rocks along 

 the coast, Aplecta pranna and A. occulta (once only), Polia chi (abundant 

 and with little variation), Ikisijpolia tcuipli (rare), To.cocampa pastinuut 

 (on the cliffs, at Sledmere, Pickering and elsewhere), Viminia meiojan- 

 tliidis, IJadena plauca and tl. adusta (all on the moors), and Celaena 

 haivorthii (abundant in the "moss" beyond the Falcon Inn on the 

 "Whitby Road). 



Of the sallow-frequenting XoctuiP, the best is Paclinvbia leuco- 

 (/rapha, which is to be got in Rainclift' Woods. In 1902 it was fairly 

 common. Taeniocauipa pop uleti one can find as larv;e, but I have never 

 been able to work the sallows in its neighbourhood. 



I must not forget Plusia interroifatioiis, best obtained in the larval 

 stage. But I recall one evening when, hurrying across the high moors 

 to Ravenscar Station, I found quite a number of the moths at rest on 

 ling and easily boxed. I know of no swifter flier on a bright sunny 

 day. 



For the (deowetrae the best hunting grounds are the dales, and, 

 close to Scarborough, Rainclift' Woods. In the early months the 



