104 CMay, 



The locality consisted of a sort of crater in a hillside which 

 may perhaps at some time or other have been quarried. At the 

 top was a nearly perpendicular face of bare chalk about 10 feet in 

 height : below, a slope of some 40°, consisting of loose fragments, the 

 detritus apparently of the rock above : and at the bottom, where 

 Nature bad been able to bring more agents to bear in the formation 

 and accumulation of organic matter, was the ordinary soil of the 

 district. 



The vegetation of this somewhat unpromising looking slope 

 consisted largely of Lotus cornicuJatus, a species of Brassica, and a 

 wiry grass — a Festuca of some sort. 



Besides the pale Scoparia the species I took here were neither 

 many nor rare, but were most of them well adapted to their light- 

 coloured habitat, as for instance Melanippe galinta, Elachista 

 argentella, and a light form of Scoparia. dnbitalis—oi the latter I took 

 specimens varying through several shades, but all lighter than the 

 ordinary form. 



The pale form alluded to above I may describe thus : — lS-20 mm. 

 Fore- wings creamy -white : lines obscurely indicated by narrow^ 

 ochreous suffusions : 8-shaped discal mark absent. Hind-wings very 

 light fuscous, cilia white. 



Had I not taken the light variety of Scoparia duhitalis in 

 company with the above, I should have undoubtedly considered I had 

 taken a new species. However, on my sending specimens to Mr. 

 Barrett he informed me that he considered my capture a variety only 

 of S. dubifalis, but that it was quite new to him. The intermediate 

 form, known as ingratella, was not scarce. 



Should an opportunity occur this spring I hope to search for the 

 larva which, as far as I am aware, is undescribed. 



Until the larva has been found and the species (?) bred, I am afraid 

 I must rest content with having taken a variety only, but a variety 

 which is extraordinarily well adapted for concealment among the 

 stones of the chalky slope on which it occurs, and to which its pe- 

 culiarly soft chalky whiteness and faint ochreous shades assimilate 

 it in a remarkable degree. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE I. 



Figs. 1 and 2, liglit forms ; 3, ordinary form ; 4, pale variety. 



The Priory, Ciiatteris : 



March \Wi, 1899. 



