TR I FID At. 25 



August to June on Carcx glauca and other sedges, and also 

 (in confinement) on PI talaris arundinacca — but its ordinary 

 food plants are doubtless Cariccs — eating out the heart of the 

 plant and working its way down to the white portion close 

 to the root ; when one stem is hollowed out, i-emoving to 

 another. (J. Gardner.) 



Pupa of the usual Nodva form, stout across the thorax, 

 the abdomen tapering and ending in two fine points ; colour 

 for a time very pale brown, afterwards dark brown ; its 

 surface shining. Subterranean, often only a short distance 

 beneath the surface, sometimes scarcely buried among vege- 

 table remains, slightly held together by a few threads of silk. 

 (W. Buckler.) 



Of the moth, Mr. J. Gardner writes to me as follows: " It 

 is a day-flier — but no one has, as yet, proved that it is not 

 also a night-flier ; we used to think that it did not fly after 

 midday, but now know better. It begins to fly about noon, 

 and rarely continues much later than f o'clock p.m., but its 

 habit of flight is most erratic. You may go to the bank 

 where you know that it occurs, upon an apparently faultless 

 day, and wait for an hour without seeing a single specimen, 

 and then suddenly see them dashing about in all directions. 

 It is no easy matter to catch them, as they fly quickly and 

 are diflScult to follow, and are sure to disappear as suddenly 

 as they came. Then the best plan is to look upon the grass- 

 stems, where a few may be picked up. After a short time 

 they will as suddenly appear again for a short flight. If you 

 are so fortunate as to get near where a newly-emerged female 

 is sitting you may stand still and catch them as they come, 

 with unerring instinct, from all directions." This is so local 

 a species and its habits so little known, that I gladly avail 

 myself of my friend's personal knowledge. The late Mr. E. 

 Birchall wrote of it as seen in the West of Ireland. "Its 

 time of flight is about 4 p.m., but from its small size and 

 the rapidity of its movements it is extremely difficult to 



