228 A CATALOGUE OF THE LEPIDOPTERA OF 



Widely diffiised, and frequently met witli, in the two coun- 

 ties. Newcastle, Tynenioutli, Meklon Park, &c. Darlington. 

 — Win. Backhouse, Esq. Not unfrequent at Sunderland. — E. 

 Backhouse, Juii., Esq. " Twizell."— P. J. Selhij, Esq. "Not 

 very unfrequent in some years about Norton." — J. Hogg, Esq. — 

 Ornshy's Durham. 



25. AcHERONTiA, Och. 

 1. A. Atropos, Linn. 



Sphinx Atropos, Linn. S. Nat. ii. 709. — Hi'ib. Sphin. 68. — 



Don. Brit. Lis. ix. 3. jjI. 289.— Wood Lid. Ent. t. 4,/ 10. 



Acherontia Atropos, Curt. B. E. iv. 1. 147. — Steph. Illust. 



Haust. i. 114. — Staint. Man. i. 88. 

 Larva. Hilh. Gesch. Sphin. III. Leg. C. a. and C. a. h. — 



Dup. Icon. ii. Crepus. p>l. 6. — Don. Brit. Lis. ix. ^;Z. 290. — 



Curtis B. E. ut supra. 

 The well-known " Death's Head Moth," the " Tete de mort " 

 of the French, and " Todtenkopf " of the Germans. A source 

 of fear and alarm amongst the ignorant and superstitious of all 

 countries, as well from the ominous skull pourtrayed on its tho- 

 rax, as from the noise it makes when handled. The short liaus- 

 tellum in the insects of this and the last genus, requires them, 

 unlike the others of the family, to alight before they can feed. 

 This species is very fond of resorting to bee-hives to steal the 

 sweets there, and is supposed, by its imitation of the note of the 

 queen bee, to prevent the workers injuring it whilst robbing 

 them of their treasures. Hence, in former times, it obtained the 

 name of the " Bee Tiger Moth." Wallis says of it, I. p. 358, 

 " The large and beautiful Moth, called the Bee Tiger, was taken 

 some years ago in one of the rooms at Felton Hall, in October. 

 It is now in the collection of Mrs. Thompson, in Northumberland 

 Street, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne."* In some years the larvce are 

 abundant in potatoe fields, towards the end of August and in Sep- 

 tember. The Moth appears generally in a few weeks, and has 

 occurred in various parts of the counties. Darlington and Shull. 

 — Wm. Backhouse, Esq. Darlington. — Mr. Sang. Once on the 



* Tills lady appears to have collected various objects of our local Fauna, and is often 

 referred to by the Rev. author. Wivxi has become of the collection I cannot learn. 



