THE MARSH MOTH. 32 I 



The caterpillar, which may be found in May and June in the 

 tlower stems of Aira acspitosa^ is of a pale pinkish ochreous 

 with three darker bars on each ring, and a brown, glossy head. 

 The moth flies in July and part of August, and may be found, 

 often in abundance, in most English and Welsh counties, in 

 Scotland to Aberdeenshire ; and widely spread in Ireland. 



The Reddish Buff {Acosmetia caliginosa). 



Both sexes of this reddish tinged grey-brown species are 

 shown on Plate 153, Figs, i J , 3 $ . As will be noted, the female 

 is much smaller than the male. Except that it has been 

 recorded from the Isle of Wight and from Bloxworth, Dorset, 

 in the past, this species is restricted to certain portions of the 

 New Forest, Hampshire. Even in these favoured haunts its 

 numbers have become far less than formerly. The moth is 

 out in July. Apparently it has no taste for sugar, neither does 

 it seem to visit blossoms of any kind. It may be disturbed 

 from its retreat among the grass by day, or netted as it flies at 

 dusk. The caterpillar is stated by Hofmann to live on saw- 

 wort {Serratida tinctoria) ; it is sap-green, yellow at the ring 

 divisions, and marked with fine white lines. 



The Marsh Moth {^Ilydrilla palustris). 



The fore wings of the male of this species (Plate 153, P'ig. 2) 

 are greyish brown in colour, and more or less tinged with violet ; 

 the cross lines are dusky, and the reniform and orbicular 

 stigmata are represented by black dots, the former the larger ; 

 hind wings whitish with a smoky tinge. The female is much 

 smaller, darker, and the cross lines heavier ; hind wings blackish 

 grey. 



Stainton ('• Manual," 1857) refers to a specimen taken at 

 Compton's Wood, near York, and this, no doubt, is the same as 



Y 



