78 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



The Scarce Prominent ( Odontosia carmdita). 



In 1828, when Stephens figured this moth, he only knew of 

 two British specimens, both of which had been reared about 

 sixteen years previously from caterpillars found at Darenth 

 Wood. The wings, which are not thickly scaled, are purplish 

 grey, becoming reddish brown on the front margins of the fore 

 wings ; the outer transverse line of the fore wings starts from a 

 conspicuous creamy patch on the front margin, and the line on 

 the hind wings is most distinct above the anal angle, where it 

 runs through a purplish cloud (Plate 33, Fig. 5). 



In April and May the pale blue eggs are laid on the under- 

 side of birch leaves. The caterpillar in June feeds on the foliage 

 of the birch, and when full grown is green freckled with yellowish 

 above ; a darker line runs along the middle of the back, and a 

 reddish spotted, or tinted, yellow stripe along the sides ; the 

 small head, also green, is marked with yellowish. When the 

 chrysalids are kept indoors the moths emerge earlier than in 

 the open, and it therefore sometimes happens that eggs are laid 

 and the caterpillars hatch before the birch leaves are ready for 

 them. In such cases I have got over the difficulty in a measure 

 by removing a portion of the outer covering of one or two of the 

 most forward buds to give the caterpillars a chance of getting at 

 the unexposed leaves. The moth emerges in April or May, 

 and, as pointed out by Mr. R. Adkin, it sometimes remains in the 

 chrysalis for two winters. Possibly this species may be found 

 in most districts where birch abounds ; but, so far as its distribu- 

 tion m our islands is known, it certainly appears to be distinctly 

 local. Besides Darenth, it also occurs in West Wickham Wood, 

 and at Wateringbury, in Kent ; the Weybridge district, Dorking, 

 and Haslemere, in Surrey ; Ashdown Forest, Blackdown Woods, 

 Haywards Heath, and Tilgate Forest, in Sussex ; New Forest, 

 Hampshire, and Berkshire. There seems to be no record of 



