84 I.EPIDOPTERA. 



young. On Myrica gale, sallow, and willow. Carl Berg 

 discovered larvee on Andromeda polifolia ; and found that 

 they would eat various species of willow — Salix fragilis, S. 

 alba, and S. rosmarinifolia. The late Mr. F. Bond informed 

 Dr. F. D. Wheeler that the larvae which he found at Yaxley 

 were feeding not only upon Myrica gale, but also upon dwarf 

 sallow, and willow ; and he particularly remarked that he took 

 many upon the pollard willow trees bordering the roads 

 through the fen. 



Pupa rather compressed ; pale brown. (Carl Berg). 



The moth is not now known to occur anywhere in these 

 islands. About 1837 it was discovered at Yaxley Fen, 

 Huntingdonshire, by Eichard Weaver, and was taken in 

 plenty. Specimens in Dr. Mason's collection are labelled 

 " Taken by Weaver in 1838." No further record appeared of 

 it for some years, but about 1846 Mr. Doubleday sent Mr. 

 English to Whittlesea Mere, Cambs., and Yaxley Fen, where 

 he found it commonly. The next year Mr. Bond visited the 

 spot, and found the insect in profusion, taking it at both 

 sugar and flowers ; and in the following spring he obtained 

 larvae in plenty, as also did Mr. Doubleday. I find no subse- 

 quent record of its capture there. Apparently the numbers 

 captured and reared were sufficient. Certainly all those 

 which represent the species in our collections appear to have 

 been secured at that time, including magnificent series in Mr. 

 Doubleday 's cabinet at Bethnal Green Museum, and in Mr. 

 Bond's collection, now in the possession of Mr. Sydney Webb, 

 In 1851 these fens were finally drained, but no suspicion 

 seems to have been felt of the destruction of the moth, which 

 must have died out either immediately or gradually, but quite 

 unnoticed. When more recently search was again made, it 

 had quite disappeared. There is no record that it has ever 

 been seen in the other Cambridgeshire fens, nor in those of 

 Norfolk. Hopes have long been cherished — but hitherto 

 disappointed — that it may still exist in some secluded spot. 



