lyo MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



three specimens were taken in the autumn ; and a specimen 

 was found at Scarborough in June, 1870, and one in Sussex. 

 In 1 87 1 a record was estabhshed, when at least thirty specimens 

 were obtained at various places on the east, south, and south- 

 west coasts, and in the Isle of Wight ; one specimen being 

 also recorded from Manchester. Two specimens were taken 

 in Cornwall, May, 1874, and in the autumn of that year three 

 occurred on the south coast, and one in Derbyshire. The 

 moth seems not to have been noticed in the springs of 1875 

 or 1876, but twenty-four specimens were recorded later in the 

 former year, and twenty-three in the latter. Between 1876 and 

 1892 less than twenty specimens were reported altogether, and 

 the species was either entirely absent or overlooked in 1877, 

 1882, 1883, and from 1887 to 1891, inclusive. In 1892 several 

 moths were captured in May and June on the coast ; one at 

 Brighton in July, two in the Hastings' district, and one at 

 Folkestone in August. Since 1892 and up to 1907, a period of 

 fifteen years, the species seems to have been rarely noted in 

 England ; the records showing in 189; (2), 1895 (i), 1906 (i). 

 In 1931 three specimens were reported as captured, and one 

 seen at Earlsfield, Surrey, July i to 15. (Plate 92, Figs. 3, 4.) 



The caterpillar is greyish with black warts from which arise 

 tufts of hairs, blackish on the back and pale greyish on the 

 sides ; a white line on the back, and one on the sides. Each 

 ring is often barred with orange. Head reddish-ochreous 

 marked with black. Feeds on forget-me-not {Myosotis)^ borage 

 {Borcii^o), etc. The chrysalis is reddish brown, enclosed in a 

 white silken cocoon spun up among the food plant, or on the 

 surface of the ground ; in the latter case particles of earth adhere 

 to the outside. 



The caterpillar is said to feed only in the sunshine, so that 

 in our islands the weather conditions would often be most 

 unfavourable to the species in the larval state. On the other 

 hand its sun-loving habit would expose it to the attacks of 



