PYRAUSTID.^—BOTYS. 215 



autumn, particularly in September and October, and it had 

 then only been found in single casual specimens in the early 

 summer. Afterwards it was by no means so scarce for 

 several seasons, and twelve years later it suddenly appeared 

 in numbers in June — then disappeared, so that on its ap- 

 pearance again in plenty in August and September a second 

 brood was announced and believed in, and when another 

 fresh emergence, of darker specimens, took place in October 

 and November, it was recognised as a third generation. This 

 may have been correct, but also may only have consisted of 

 specimens retarded in cocoon in the larva state ; or, on the 

 other hand, it is possible tbat immigrations may have taken 

 place. This last view is supported by the fact that this 

 species has been taken at sea in the act of migration. The 

 belief in hybernation seems to arise from the circumstance 

 that June specimens are usually paler and yellower than 

 those that appear later in the year, yet they have not a worn 

 appearance, and when, as in 1877 and in 1880, an abundance 

 of the moths was taken in June, there had been no correspond- 

 ing abundance in the preceding autumns. The larva seems to 

 have been noticed only in the autumn months, and of those 

 reared a portion have assumed the pupa state and appeared 

 as moths within a few days, while others have laid over until 

 the following year, even remaining eleven months in cocoon, 

 as larva and pupa. In addition to all its other irregularities, 

 I have known it to be attracted by a strong light in Dcccmhcr. 

 In the uncertain and irregular manner detailed above, 

 found in almost all parts of England, most plentifully in the 

 south, and on the coast to Yorkshire; scarce in Durham, 

 possibly absent from the other three Northern Counties, yet 

 found in Scotland, in Fife, Aberdeen, Ayrshire, Wigtown- 

 shire, and Kirkcudbright. In Wales, in Glamorganshire, 

 Pembrokeshire, Carnarvonshire and Flintshire ; in Ireland 

 on the Dublin Coast, at Cork, Monaghan and Tyrone. Abroad 

 it has a wide range, through Central and Southern Europe, 

 Syria, Asia Minor, India, Afghanistan, Japan, Madeira, the 



