94 THE entomologist's kecord. 



1. — Pale yellow, with lower part of reuiform forming a dark spot 



(Jlavescens, Esp.). 

 1a. — Pale yellow, with indistinct red markings (cerago, Hb.). 

 1b, — Pale yellow, with distinct red markings {fulvago, Linn.). 

 Ic. — Pale yellow, with purplish l:)and = cerago, Newman (suffusa). 

 2. — Orange yellow, with central spot (obsoleUi). 

 2a. — Orange yellow, with indistinct red markings {imperfecta). 

 2b. — Orange yellow, witli distinct red markings (aurantia). 

 2c. — Orange yellow, with distinct red band (lu'rgata). 



The eggs are laid in the autumn (in August and September) in neat 

 rows of two to ten, along the sallow l)uds, but they do not hatch till the 

 the spring (in March) with the sw^elling catkins, when the larva? can be 

 collected in large numbers from the catkins and buds of the sallow, and 

 one has only to collect a large number of catkins of sallow from various 

 localities and tie them up in linen bags to make sure of a rich harvest 

 of moths throughout the summer and autumn months, for large num- 

 bers of species besides the two common Xantlim may be thus obtained. 

 Later on, the larva leaves the catkins and lives on the gTound. It is 

 exactly like that of its congener Jiacago when full-fed, but, when 

 young, the latter has the dark colour on the back of each segment 

 formed into an irregular quadrilateral blotch. xV very complete and 

 well-draAvn comparison between the larv^ of fulvago and jiacago is 

 written by Mr. Buckler in the Ent. Mo. Mag., vi., pp. 263-264. The 

 larva forms a cocoon, just under the surface of the ground, in May, but 

 like so many of the species that feed up rapidly in tlie early part of 

 the year, does not pupate for a considerable time. It is Avell distributed, 

 being taken over the whole of England and Scotland, extending into 

 the Tay, Dee and Moray districts, and probably reaching Sutherland 

 on the east coast and Solway and Clyde (probably to AVest Koss) on the 

 west coast. It is also well distributed in Ireland, Birchall giving 

 County Wicklow, where he records it as common. It also occurs 

 commonly in the neighbourhood of Lerry. Staudinger gives as its 

 range : — " Central and Northern Euroi)e (except Polar Kegion) ; Pied- 

 mont ; S. Kussia ; Altai ; Amur." 



Xanthia jiavago. — This may be looked upon as probaljly the 

 commonest species. It abounds in many localities, and has an equally 

 wide range \\\i\\fulcago, to which it is very closely allied. Strange to 

 say, hoAvever, this is, compared Avith the latter, a most constant species, 

 The ground colour is a very little richer than the orange form of 

 fulcago, and the red markings do not undergo anything like the range 

 of A^ariation of its ally, in fact, Avith the exception that the dots form- 

 ing the central band are sometimes much broken up, whilst in others 

 they are united, and the band becomes solid, there is no variation 

 noticeable. 1 he tint of red is occasionally very bright = var. ochreago, 

 Bork. ; the normal form, Avith an almost complete and rather dark 

 central band is the Jiavago of Fabricius, Avhilst tliat in Avhich the band 

 is much broken is the togata of Esper. The name of this species has 

 recently been altered by Scandinavian Avriters to kdea, Strom. 



The life-history of this species runs quite parallel Avith that of 



