HELIOTHIS SCUTOSA. ^ 107 



Angleterre." Whilst Heinemann widens into — " Veibreitet 

 bis Nord-deutscliland, aber zerstveut^" 



As to its occurrence in Britain there is some doubt. It is 

 figured by Curtis and Wood, inchided in Stephen's Museum 

 Catalogue of British Lepidoptera, and described in Stainton's 

 Manual ; all on the authority of" the Cumberland specimens ; 

 but in Doubleday's list it never got further than the 'Reputed 

 British Species,' and in consequence was unnoticed in 

 Newman's ' British Moths.' 



In the ' Entomologist' for February, 1875 (Entom. viii. 42), 

 Mr. J. B. Hodgkinson endeavoured to show cause against 

 Scutosa being deleted from our lists, but with, I am afraid, 

 but little if any immediate success ; however, this species 

 has lately been brought prominently forward by the news of 

 its re-discovery in Norfolk, and the history of the four or five 

 specimens taken in Cumberland, more than forty years ago, 

 will now be read with increased interest. I have taken 

 some trouble to learn more of these old, and, I believe, 

 thoroughly genuine captures. Mr. Rothwell has supplied 

 me with every information, and writes me that, " being a 

 diligent collector of Lepidoptera when at school in Cumber- 

 land, I well remember taking many specimens which created 

 quite a commotion amongst the collectors of Carlisle and 

 the neighbourhood — Mr. Hodgkinson, sen., Mr. Heysham, 

 Mr. Cooper, &c. ; and doubtless the species you refer to 

 [Scutosa) was one of them." He especially mentions the 

 " Bee Sphinx [Bomhyliformis), the green Forester {Statices), 

 and the Portland moth {Pracox).^'^ 



After some further correspondence Mr. Rothwell informed 

 me that he had "turned up" three boxes of his old collection, 

 and very kindly invited me to inspect them. This I did ; and 

 though neglected for upwards of forty years I found a by no 

 means dilapidated collection, which contained a number of 

 really good species, especially amongst the Noctna ; but no 

 Scutosa. This was disappointing; but the information 

 elicited quite satisfied me of the authenticity of Mr. 

 Hodgkinson's history, who, from his acquaintance and 

 connections with the captors and localities, was fully 

 justified in championing the British connections of this 

 species. I showed Mr. Rothwell specimens of the moth, 

 which he failed to recognise distinctly, — rather an expected 



