66 LEPIDOPTERA. 



be found at that time on flowers of ragwort, or even more 

 rarely at honeydew. One instance is known to me in 

 which it was found in numbers at this attraction on birch 

 bushes in the afternoon. At dusk it seems to be more 

 partial to flowers — ragwort, lime, A^tcr tripolmm — and to 

 honeydew, than to sugar, yet is sometimes taken freely 

 at the latter bait when laid on grass tufts, reed leaves, 

 and other herbage. It may be found, sometimes in 

 abundance, sitting upon coarse grasses at night, and comes 

 occasionally to light. Most plentiful upon the coast, but 

 also found freely on mosses, marshy heaths, and the edges 

 of damp woods. In such places common all over England, 

 and sometimes abundant ; formerly even in the London 

 suburbs, I do not remember seeing it in Pembrokeshire, 

 but it is abundant locally in Glamorganshire, especially on 

 the coast, and also in various parts of North Wales — 

 Conway, Dolgelly, Aberdowy — also apparently throughout 

 Scotland to the Hebrides and Orkneys. In Ireland very 

 widely distributed on the coast and also in the more boggy 

 regions inland — probably in every suitable locality in, at 

 least, the northern half of that country. Abroad its range is 

 '^vide — all the temperate portions ofNorthern Europe, Central 

 Europe, Italy, the Ural mountain district, Eastern Siberia, 

 Japan, the mountain regions of Central Asia, Northern Asia, 

 North America generally, but very plentiful in Canada, and 

 apparently everywhere subject to similar variations. 



2. H. micacea, E^h — Expanse, 1:^ to If inch. Fore 

 wings somewhat triangular, pointed, rosy-brown; central 

 portion much darker, velvety, edged outwardly by a straight 

 oblique sharp line ; hind wings smoky- white with a slender 

 darker transverse stripe. 



Antennas of the male rather thick, simple, but ciliated in 

 front with minute white bristles in fine tufts, colour other- 

 wise light purple ; palpi broadly tufted, purple-brown, ai^ical 

 joint projecting, darker; head and thorax pale purplish- 



