THE NORTHERN RUSTIC. 213 



The distribution abroad includes Central, Western, and 

 Southern Europe ; Asia Minor ; Northern Africa, Canaries, 

 and Madeira ; North America. 



The Northern Rustic {J gratis {Episilia) luccmed). 



The specimens of this locally variable species shown on 

 Plate 107 are from Scotland (Fig. 9 J ), var. reiiigei-a^ Stephens, 

 and North Wales (Fig. 10 $ ). Barrett {Brit. Lcp.^ vol. 3), 

 discussing the variation, remarks, " On the south coast of 

 England, and especially at Portland, the general tint is pale 

 smoky grey, much darker towards the hind margin, and with 

 the markings moderately distinct ; inland mountainous districts, 

 especially in North Wales, produce a still paler form ; coast 

 districts in the west and north a decidedly darker ; and in 

 the far west, as in Kerry, some specimens are actually slate- 

 black, without more than the faintest trace of markings. The 

 Isle of Wight produces deep slate-coloured specimens, darker 

 than those from the Isle of Man, which are grey brown. 

 Shetland specimens are large and dark, even to glossy blue- 

 black." The caterpillar is dusky olive green, mottled all over 

 with small black streaks and dapplings ; each segment of the 

 body having a faintly indicated pale olive-green spot on each 

 subdorsal region, below which, on each side, is an oblique 

 shading of blackish green. Head shining black-brown, rather 

 lighter brown at the sides (Barrett). It feeds on harebell 

 {Cajnpamda)^ stonecrop {Sedu/n acre), saxifrage, cowslip, 

 chickweed, and grasses, from August to May. The moth flies 

 in July and August, and in the north and west in September. It 

 occurs in rough stony places, on rocky places on the coast, and 

 on hills inland, in Kent (Folkestone district). Isle of Wight, 

 Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Gloucestershire (rare), Sussex, 

 Shropshire, Wales, Lancashire (rare), Yorkshire, and West- 

 moreland. It is widely distributed in Scotland and Ireland- 



