TRIFID^. 195 



even in bright sunshine, does not forsake tlie leaves to hide 

 elsewhere, and feeds up with considerable rapidity, often 

 within a month from leaving the &^^. 



PuPx\ stout and rounded, anal extremity with two diverging 

 bristles ; colour mahogany or red-brown. Subterranean in 

 a brittle earthen cocoon. (C. Fenn.) 



The moth doubtless hides during the day among dead 

 leaves upon the ground ; but flies at early dusk and comes 

 eagerly to sallow bloom, especially that growing in open 

 woods. I have found the best method of obtaining it to be 

 to cut branches of the freshest blooming sallow, and carry 

 them to open spaces in oak woods, there planting the branches 

 in the wettest spots. These are readily examined with a 

 lantern and the moths picked off. When shaken off they 

 float lightly down, and sometimes fall wide of an inverted 

 umbrella however carefully held. To secure this species it 

 is necessary to take advantage of the first suitable evenings 

 after the male sallows come well into bloom — commonly in 

 the South the first week in April — since it seems to tire of 

 the food after a few days ; and sometimes the only specimens 

 that can then be found are occasional females sitting on the 

 tips of the twigs of oak-bnshes, depositing their eggs in small 

 clusters. I think that this species is over before the black- 

 thorn comes into blossom, and have never been able to tempt 

 it with sugar, however strongly scented. 



A local species and restricted to woods in which oak is 

 plentiful. Formerly found close to London, at Wimbledon 

 Common and near Wandsworth ; still to be found, and some- 

 times commonly, in suitable places in Surrey, Kent, Essex, 

 Middlesex, Sussex, and Hants ; more rarely, except in the 

 most favourable seasons, in Dorset, Devon, Somerset, 

 Gloucestershire, Wilts, and Berks; also in still smaller 

 numbers in Bucks, Hunts and Northamptonshire, Norfolk 

 and Suffolk; apparently more commonly in Worcestershire 

 and Herefordshire; very rarely in North Staffordshire, where it 



