CNEPHASID^—SCIAPHILA. 263 



the tightly ried down cover of the vessel iu which they had 

 fed up, I found that if the cover was left loosely tied so that 

 they could get out they would spin up in any bits of gauze 

 or rag thrown loosely upon, or by the side of, the vessel, and 

 so could be reared with ease and success. 



The moth sits during the day among the grass and 

 herbage upon the slopes and tops of sea-cliffs and adjoining 

 fields, and when disturbed by the footstejj in the sunshine 

 the male will start up and dash awaj" with a zigzag flight to 

 a similar hiding-place at a short distance. After sunset 

 both sexes become livelj' and fly of their own accord. Most 

 frequent in the neighbourhood of the sea, yet to be found in 

 chalky places further inland. Inhabiting all the English 

 coast counties, and inland to be found in Surrey, Berks, 

 Oxfordshire, Herts and Cambs, also in Somerset and 

 Gloucestershire ; on the Welsh coast rather plentiful ; but 

 in Scotland only recorded from Aberdeenshire and the 

 neighbourhood of Edinburgh. In Ireland common on the 

 Dublin coast, near Cork, Waterford, Galway, Sligo, Tyrone, 

 Donegal, and Antrim. Abroad it does not seem to be 

 well known, but ]\Ir. E. Meyrick records its existence iu 

 Germany. 



5. S. communana, if.-X — Expanse | inch (18-20 mm). 

 Fore wings long, narrow, even iu width, grey with dark 

 grey bands and dots. 



Antennae dark brown ; palpi, head, and thorax light grey- 

 brown dusted with darker ; abdomen black-brown shading 

 to ochreous at the anal tuft. Fore wings long and rather 

 narrow ; costa flatly arched ; apex rounded ; hind margin 

 also rounded and not vei*y oblique ; pale grey dusted and 

 rippled with dark grey-brown ; markings blackish-grey or 

 black ; basal blotch roughly indicated by a bi'oad abbreviated 

 strijje at its outer margin ; central band oblique, its inner 

 margin sinuous and once angulated, its outer margin shading 

 off and throwing a black-brown cloud toward the apex ot 



