32 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



or October. In 1900 one specimen was taken at an Eastbourne 

 electric light, and one at Portpatrick in Scotland, both end of 

 August. There appears to have been an arrival of moths in 

 this country in early June, 1901. Captures were reported from 

 Portland (June 2), Bedford, and S. W. London. Larvae and 

 pupte were found in many parts of England, as already mentioned. 

 Then in August, from about the 14th to September, moths were 

 captured throughout the greater part of England ; in some 

 places caterpillars were also obtained in August, chrysalids in 

 September. After a lull towards the end of the latter month, 

 moths suddenly appeared again during the first week in October. 

 Several observers remarked that whereas the August to Septem- 

 ber moths were mostly females, large in size, and not in the 

 best condition, the later moths were chiefly of the male sex, 

 small in size, and fine in condition. It would seem therefore 

 that these late specimens were the descendants of the early 

 August moths and represented a second generation on British 

 soil and the grandchildren of the June immigrants. Or, 

 possibly, the August-September moths were fresh immigrants, 

 and the October specimens their offspring. 



Plants with tubular flowers, such as those of petunias, and the 

 sweet-scented white tobacco {Nicotiana affi.nis) are its especial 

 favourites, but it also visits the blossoms of pentstemon, geranium 

 (chiefly the scarlet variety), etc. It does not settle on the 

 flowers but inserts its long "tongue " into the tubes as it hovers 

 on the wing in front of them. Just at twilight it commences 

 operations, but it may be seen pursuing its investigations well 

 on into the night (see Fig. i, p. 2). 



Distributed over Europe, Asia, and Africa. 



Coiivolvuli is here retained in Sphi?tx, because there seems 

 to be considerable difference of opinion as to its true position 

 if removed from that genus. It has been placed by authors in 

 Protoparce^ P/eocthofittus^ and more recently in Ai^riiis and 

 Herse. 



