70 LEPIDOPTERA. 



reasons for hoping that it will not readily be exterminated in 

 this, its one locality. The moth is one of the most sluggish of 

 Lepidoptera ; apparently it hardly ever flies of its own free 

 will. Almost all that have been captured have been found 

 sitting on the leaves of lime bushes or trees, and beating these 

 bushes is hardly of use, since the moths drop, or flutter feebly 

 to the ground. Even when reared and kept for pairing the 

 male only flutters round a little about dusk, and it appears 

 to be impossible to obtain males by the attraction of a bred 

 female. Unfortunately the larvae are difficult to rear from 

 the Q^%, as they sometimes refuse to taste their food. The 

 habit of the moth is usually to lay its eggs along the edge of 

 a leaf, and the larvae prefer to gnaw at once into the tip 

 or edge when they leave the egg. If once persuaded to eat 

 there is no great difiiculty in rearing them. The only food 

 which they can usually be induced to accept in this country 

 is the small-leaved lime {Tilia parvifolia), but on the 

 Continent this species is stated to feed also upon birch, oak, 

 common lime, and even beech, and to go through two 

 generations in the year. 1 am much indebted for information 

 upon its life-history to Mr. G. 0. Griffiths of Bristol. 



The only locality in which it has hitherto been found in 

 these Islands is that already indicated, Leigh Woods, Bristol. 

 Abroad it is very rare in Switzerland, more common in 

 Germany, Belgium, Eastern France, Hungary, Livonia and 

 some parts of Eussia, but apparently not met with in plenty 

 anywhere. 



3. D. hamula, Esp. ; binaria, Stand. Cat. — Expanse 1 

 to If inch. 



Yellow- brown ; fore wings rather hooked and having two 

 slender yellow transverse lines and two central black 

 dots. 



Antennae of the male strongly pectinated two-thirds of 

 their length, remainder threadlike ; pectinations blackish ; 

 shaft glossy golden-brown. Head orange-yellow ; thorax 



