A CATALOGUE OP THE LEPIDOPTEKA OF IRELAND. 311 



Markree Castle and Eockwood, Sligo; Killynon {]\Iiss R.) and 

 Cookesborough, Co. Westmeath ; near Ballinasloe ; and at Clon- 

 brock, abundant, Co. Galway. In Co. Wicklow it is generally 

 distributed, but not numerous, e.r/. Arklow, Glenmalure {G.V.H.), 

 and Wooden Bridge {M. F.). 



Thera juniperata, L. — Clonbrock (R. E. D.), Entom. xxvii. 

 191. Only a few specimens. Juniper is not indigenous in the 

 district, but it is possible that this species may have been intro- 

 duced into the pleasure-grounds of the demesne with imported 

 plants of ornamental varieties. 



Thera simulata, Hb. — By some oversight this is entered in 

 Birchall's Catalogue as " common." He probably referred to 

 T. simularia, Bdv., a variety of the following species. This 

 interesting moth was first discovered in Ireland by Mr. Euss, at 

 Knocknarea, near Sligo, where scanty dwarf juniper plants 

 struggle to exist on the stony wind-swept hill side. From larvae 

 he kindly supplied to me I bred a series of richly coloured 

 specimens of a warmer tint than any I have seen from Scotland. 

 It is also not uncommon about Merlin Park, Galway ; ajid 

 probably in all localities in that county where its food-plant 

 flourishes, as at Ardrahan, &c., it will be found. Mr. W. E. 

 Hart also took it on the Inishoweu shores of L. Eo^de, Co. 

 Donegal. At Glenveagh, a most picturesque valley in that 

 county, the mountain sides are luxuriantly clothed with tall 

 juniper bushes. Here we may expect to find all the indigenous 

 species which feed thereon, waiting the net of the first comer. 



Thera variata, Schiff. — This species, so unstable in its 

 character, is found throughout Ireland abundantly. Until the 

 principal variations are critically tabulated, I am not disposed to 

 concede with Newman that the type is absent. Staudinger 

 describes the type as " forma griscescens," Berce (' Faune Ent. 

 Erangaise ') as " d'un gris un peu olivatre, et saupoudre de 

 blanchatre, avec I'espace basilineaire et une bande mediane 

 noiratre ou brunatre," &c. Sven Lampa, " Askgraaktig." There 

 are Irish forms which correspond pretty well to the above, with 

 a blackish brown median, and dark basal band, but without any 

 olive tint in the ground colour. Three Scandinavian examples 

 in my cabinet from Sven Lampa are very pale forms. That 

 sent as type is similar to many of the slightly marked grey Irish 

 specimens, with a pale brown median band and scarcely traceable 

 basal band. The second seems referable to fidvata, Eb. (obelis- 

 cata), being very similar to Thera Jirmata, Hb., but with the 

 median band slightly more distinct. The third appears to 

 correspond with var. ohliterata, "White, which is apparently a 

 synonym of ab. simularia, Bdv. It is of a unicolorous ochre- 

 grey, with pale fulvous central band not edged with any dark 

 line. This form is found in Ireland occasionally. A very 



