38 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



seen in the particular spot, but in other parts of the same 

 district also. 



In the Entomologist for 1893 there is a very circumstantial 

 account of the finding of eighteen or nineteen Spurge Hawk 

 caterpillars on the Cornish coast in the autumn of 1889. From 

 these, eight moths resulted in May-July, 1890, and one in June, 

 1891. 



Although the occurrence of the moth in Britain has been 

 more frequently recorded, probably in error for the Bedstraw 

 Hawk, there are at least two that are undoubtedly authentic. 

 One of these refers to a specimen taken in a private garden 

 near Southampton (^Entom., 1872), and the other was captured 

 by the late Mr. C. G. Barrett as it flew at early dusk in a 

 garden at King's Lynn, Norfolk, in September, 1887. Some 

 idea of the scarcity of bond fide English specimens may be 

 gained from the fact that about thirteen years ago, two of 

 Raddon's bred specimens were sold by auction at Stevens, 

 when six guineas was given for one, and ten shillings more 

 for the other. 



Its distribution abroad extends through Central and Southern 

 Europe into Asia Minor, and it is represented by local races in 

 other parts of Asia. 



The Bedstraw Hawk {Ddlefihila {Cderio) gain). 



On Plate 15, Fig. 2, will be found a portrait of this moth, 

 which the ancient fathers of British entomology dubbed the 

 "Spotted Elephant — at least, Harris, in 1778, figured its cater- 

 pillar under this name. Later it was called the '• Galium 

 Hawk-moth." The olive-brown fore wings have a tapered, 

 creamy-white stripe running obliquely from the inner margin 

 near the base to the tip of the wing ; the lower edge of this 

 stripe is almost straight, but the upper edge is irregular ; the 

 outer margin of the wings is greyish. Hind wings creamy 



