30 



LEPIDOPTERA. 



surface unicolorous dull purple with faiut indications of two 

 paler median lines. (C. Fenn.) 



July till April or even May, on Calluna vnltjaris (heather), 

 Erica cinerea and B. tetraMx (cross-leaved, and bell heaths), 

 feeding at night. It is said to remain quiescent in hyberna- 

 tion from early autumn till March, afterwards feeding up 

 rather rapidly. 



Pupa elongate, lively, anal extremity armed with a short 

 spike ; dark bistre-brown, the incisions of segments, and the 

 abdomen tinged with dull yellow or orange. (C. Fenn.) In 

 a slight cocoon among twigs of heath lying upon the ground. 



The moth inhabits boggy heaths, moors, and mosses ; and 

 during the day sits on the ground, choosing the blackest 

 earth to rest upon. Curtis records this habit, saying that it 

 selects the most peaty spots on heaths, and looks like a little 

 stone upon the ground. It is so sluggish that it may then 

 readily be boxed. Occasionally in the hottest sunshine it may 

 be trodden up and induced to fly, but this, curiously enough, 

 seems only to be the case with the female, which when on the 

 wing looks quite like Fidonia atomaria. The male flies at 

 dusk but even then is sluggish and easily captured. Possibl}^ 

 — indeed certainly — from these curious habits, it is often 

 overlooked, and probably exists on heaths in many counties 

 from which it is not recorded. Formerly it was common at 

 Shirley, Surrey, only a few miles from London, but seems 

 now to have quite disappeared thence — perhaps more trampled 

 out by the numerous feet introduced by incessant excursions 

 and picnics, rather than exterminated by collectors. Still 

 found in other parts of Surrey, and tolerably common in the 

 New Forest, Hants, and in Dorset, also found in Kent, 

 Sussex, and Berkshire. Curiously enough I find no records 

 in the rest of the Southern Counties, nor in the Eastern or 

 South-Western, but the insect reappears in Staffordshire, 

 Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cumberland, frequent- 



