SCi ^/'A RI I DA-:— SCO PA RIA . i\l 



vessel ; a blackish head, and narrow plate across the second 

 segment." These young larvae " were placed on some potted 

 moss," and this seems to have )3een the last that was seen of 

 them. 



The moth sits on tree trunks, especially oaks, in woods, 

 preferring to rest on the portions which are silvered with 

 grey lichens, which it closely resembles. It is restless and 

 will move round the tree to avoid the rays of the sun ; also 

 flies off on the approach of a collector. It seems to have 

 been first noticed in this country in the year 1841, when Mr. 

 J. C. Dale took several examples sitting on the trunk of a 

 wych-elm in Hants, one of which he gave to Mr. Curtis. 

 The name under which the remaining specimens were placed 

 in Mr. Dale's collection was not 'pvhlislved till 1867. when 

 the species was duly described by Dr. Knaggs ; but no 

 further specimens had then been obtained. 



About the year 1871, however, it began to be found in 

 woods, in Westmoreland, and ten years later it was 

 announced and described by Mr. J. B. Hodgkinson, under 

 the name o'i coiwpiaialh. Mr. Hodgkinson at the .«ame time 

 remarked that ''it may be known from any other Scoparla 

 by the distinct pale basal area, standing out like a whitish 

 dot on the tree trunk on which the insect rests. When on 

 the wing it appears as pale as 8. iKilHdar A few years 

 latei- Dr. P. B. Mason was able to compare Mr. Dale's 

 original specimens with a long series of the form called 

 conspicu(iJ,is, and found them to be identical. 



It seems to be exceedingly rare in the south, and the only 

 instance of such a capture that I know of since Mr. Dale's 

 discovery is by Mrs. Bazett in Berkshire ; but in woods in 

 the northern half of England it is by no means uncommon 

 ia favourable years : occurring freely in Yorkshire, Lanca- 

 shire, Durham, and Westmoreland, and more spariugh- even 

 in Herefordshire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Leicester- 

 shire, and Derbyshire. So far it does not seem to have 



