2l8 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



and Yaxley, Huntingdonshire. In the latter ten it was first noted 

 by Weaver about the year 1837. In 1846 and onwards it 

 was plentiful, and the caterpillars were common. All was well 

 with the species until about 185 1 when the fens were drained, 

 and the moth then ceased to appear. (Plate 108, Fig. 3.) In 

 Sweden, Southern Russia, and in Amurland the species is 

 represented by a bluish form, var. subccendea,, Stand. 



The Double Dart {Nodua {Examis) augur). 



The dull brownish moth (Plate no, Fig. 6), is generally 

 distributed throughout the British Isles, including the Orkneys. 

 The fore wings of southern specimens are usually suffused with 

 reddish, but this is less obvious in northern examples. The 

 markings are sometimes bold and striking or, on the other 

 hand, only faintly defined, or largely absent. A pinkish-tinged 

 brown form without markings was formerly confused with the 

 Continental yi. hclvctina. The moth is on the wing in June and 

 July, sometimes in August, especially in the north ; and the 

 caterpillar is to be found from July to May. When young it 

 feeds on various low-growing plants, but later it crawls up at 

 night to devour the leaves of hawthorn, sloe, sallow, birch, etc. 

 It is brownish, tinged with pink, and marked on the back with 

 a series of V-shaped dashes, and white points ; on ring eleven 

 there is a yellowish-edged black mark ; above the white 

 spiracles is a black-edged red-brown stripe. Head pale brown, 

 freckled with darker brown. 



The Autumnal Rustic {Nodua glarcosa). 



In its typical form as depicted on Plate no, Fig. 4, this 

 species is slaty grey with black markings. In Devonshire and 

 other parts of the west of England, and also in Ireland, it 

 assumes a decided pinkish tinge (var. rosca^ Tutt). Through 

 Scotland the colour becomes darker grey, and in Perthshire it 



