246 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



series of dusky dashes ; a paler line along the black-edged 

 white spiracles ; head pale brown freckled with darker. Feeds 

 in July and August on heather, sallow, bog myrtle, etc., and will 

 thrive on lettuce. The moth is out in May and June, and may 

 be found resting by day on tree trunks, fences, or rocks. This 

 species in England occurs chiefly in hilly districts of the 

 northern counties from Staffordshire to Cumberland ; recorded 

 from Glamorgan. In Scotland it is widely distributed from Ayr 

 to Ross, and is also found in the Hebrides and the Orkneys ; 

 and in Ireland is obtained in several of the northern counties, 

 and on the Hill of Howth. The range abroad extends to 

 Amurland. 



The Shears {Mamestra dentind). 



The ground colour of this species, three specimens of which 

 are shown on Plate 122, Figs. 7, 8 $ , 9 9 , ranges from the normal 

 pale grey through various shades of brownish grey. The 

 markings, usually well in evidence, are sometimes obscured in 

 the darker specimens. The caterpillar is brownish with three 

 white lines and a series of grey-brown diamond-pattern blotches 

 on the back ; the outer lines with blackish spots upon them ; 

 the stripe along the black spiracles greyish ; head pale brown 

 marked with blackish ; plates on first and last rings of the body 

 glossy. Feeds in July and August on dandelion, knotgrass, 

 chickweed, hawk's-beard {Crepis)^ hawkweed {Hieracium), etc. 

 The moth flies in May and June and appears to be found 

 throughout the British Isles. Represented in Siberia by the 

 dark form latcnai^ Pierret. 



The Stranger {Mamestra peregrma). 



This species, which is an inhabitant of Asia Minor, Southern 

 Russia, Turkey, Dalmatia and Northern Italy, occurs in 

 Southern, Western, and Northern France ; and three specimens 



