26o LEl'lDOPTERA. 



disturbed by tlie footstep Hies swiftly to a similar liiilin<>: 

 place at some distance. Its natural flight seems to be after 

 dark, and it will come to light late at night. I find no 

 record in England or Wales, but it is found at the Isle of 

 Man; also in Scotland at Ardrossan, on the Kincardineshire 

 coast, and at Unst, Shetland. In Ireland, at the Hill of 

 Howth, near Dublin, in Cork. Kerry, and the Blaskets, and 

 other islands. Abi-oad 1 lind no records, but this may arise 

 from the c'irouuistanci> that by many entomologists it is 

 bi'lieved to be a varii'ty of tiie last species. This opinion 

 has much to recommend it, yet I do not so far think it 

 proved to be correct. Both are extremely striking and 

 handsome ins?cts, and well woi-thy of the expenditure of 

 some time in working out. 



o. S. octomaculana, IIkv. — -Expanse J to \ inch 

 (18-22 mm.). Fore wings ovate, white with black spots 

 or bauds. 



Antennae dark brown ; palpi, head, and thorax white, 

 thickly dusted with black-brown, except at the back of the 

 latter ; abdomen pale yellowish-brown. Fore wings rather 

 broad, almost ovate, snow-white with black or brown-black 

 markings ; close to the base is a black dorsal dot followed 

 by an angulated stripe from the costa ; central baud not 

 very broad, and twice constricted, so as almost to form three 

 blotches ; beyond are a broken spot on the costa near to the 

 apex and two lines of round black dots near the hind 

 margin ; cilia brownish-white. Hind wings ample, smoky 

 white. Female similar. 



Underside of the fore wings very pale smoky-brown, 

 shading off to white in the dorsal area : costa and hind 

 margin spotted with white. Hind wings white with the 

 apex faintly brown. 



Very constant in colour and markings, but 1 have seen a 

 specimen in which the foi'e wings were wholly suffused 

 with grey-black, and the marking and dots blacker. This 



