70 THE entomologist's record. 



common at Leith Hill ; E. oblongata^ larvae not uncommon on Fwi- 

 pincUa saxi/raga ; E. siiccenturiata^ one specimen only at present ; E. 

 sttbfidvata, larvae very common; E. scabiosafa, to be beaten commonly, 

 from yew trees in June at Boxhill ; E. isogrammata, in countless 

 millions ; E. safyrahi, the remark about E. scabiosata, applies to this 

 species also ; E. casiigafa, very common ; E. frisignata, larvae very com- 

 mon at Boxhill in September, feeding on Pasiinaca sativa (wild parsnip) ; 

 E, pimpinellata, larvae very common ; E. pusillata, not uncommon 

 amongst spruce in May, West Wickhara ; E. indigata^ scarce amongst 

 Scotch fir, West Wickham ; E. nanafa, very common at Shirley, there is 

 a second brood of this species flying in August; E. vulgata, very 

 common ; E. albipuudatd, larvae in September at Boxhill and near 

 Caterham, feeding on Pitstinaca sativa and Angelica sylvcstris ; E. 

 cxpallidata, larvae local and not common; E. absy/iihiafa, common; 

 E. inunitata, Shirley, common ; E. assiuiilata, in ray garden on hops, 

 common ; E. siibciiiafa, Boxhill, rare ; E. lariciata. West Wickham, 

 not common ; E. abbreviata, frequent ; E. exiguata, common ; E. 

 sobriiiafa, common amongst juniper ; E. piimilata, common ; E. coroiiata, 

 rare ; E. reifangiilata, not common. — W. G. Sheldon, Croydon. March 

 12 fh, 1890. 



Notes on Dasydia obfuscata. — Whether viewed simply from a 

 collector's point of view, or considered in more scientific aspects, I 

 have not come across any insect more interesting in its habits than D. 

 obfuscata. According to my experience it is extremely local, but if 

 looked for at the right time in its special haunts not by any means rare. 

 One may, however, collect for years over ground precisely similar to 

 and within a very short distance of spots where it occurs commonly 

 every season without being able to find a single specimen. It frequents 

 rough heath-covered ground at a moderate elevation, where there is 

 abundance of bare rocks cropping up here and there. On these the 

 moths rest during the day, with wings spread fully out, in which posi- 

 tion their strong protective resemblance to the stone cannot fail to 

 strike any one seeing them in situ, the difficulty indeed being to see 

 them at aU. In colouring the species varies very considerably from 

 light granite grey, in which the appearance of the rock, where it is bare 

 and clear, is very closely imitated, to a dark leaden form, almost 

 indistinguishable from a lichen growing plentifully on the rocks, the 

 resemblance being heightened by the rounded wavy lines on the wings 

 corresponding to the outlines of the lichen. When disturbed from its 

 resting place, after the first fright (and flight) is over, the insect in- 

 variably makes its way to the nearest rock, not by flying, but by walk- 

 ing or ruiming along, using its wings as aids^, in the manner of an 

 ostrich. It seems to have a very special aversion to being " blown 

 upon," not only keeping to the lee side of the rock, but creeping in to 

 the shelter of any overhanging part, always provided there be a flat 

 surface on which to spread out the wings. In the course of collecting 

 in one special locality which the species frequents, I have come to know 

 one or two corners, forming miniature caves, where, if there has been 

 any wind at all during the previous night, I can almost certainly reckon 

 on finding several. I remember on one occasion turning out no less 

 than nine from a retreat of this kind of such limited space that there 



