282 LEPIDOPTERA. 



The moth hides itself in the daytime among Ammo^jhihi 

 and other coarse grasses on the sand-hills, and very frequently 

 among the overhanging masses of grass roots in any place 

 where the sand has fallen, or been blown away, leaving such 

 shelter available. At dusk it flies freely, and may be attracted 

 by sugar placed on twisted masses of grasses. It, how- 

 ever, greatly prefers flowers, especially those of the common 

 ragwort (ScnecAo jacohn'o) and of the marram -grass (Ammo- 

 phila arundinacea). Apparently its flight is mainly at dusk 

 and during the early part of the night— perhaps again towards 

 morning. Its habits in the daytime are in some degree 

 affected by the weather; when this is moderately cool or 

 damp and cloudy the moth is quite sluggish, and when shaken 

 out of its hiding-place will roll down upon the sand; but if 

 the sun is hot it bustles up when disturbed, and flies vigor- 

 ously to a safer hiding-place. In rare instances, in intensely 

 hot weather, it will fly voluntarily throughout the afternoon, 

 and I have seen it under such circumstances in scores flying 

 to, and feeding from, the blossoms of Seahiosa arvensis, Cen- 

 taurca, Silenc, Crcpis, and other plants. 



Usually attached to sandy coasts, especially where an 

 extensive range of sand-hills has accumulated and become 

 covered with coarse grasses. Common in such situations on 

 the coasts of the Eastern and Southern Counties, but less so 

 toward the South-west. In Dorset it seems to be scarce, and 

 also in Somerset and Gloucestershire ; but more frequent in 

 Devon, on both North and South coasts, and in Cornwall. I 

 have taken it, though rarely, in Pembrokeshire, but have no 

 record from other parts of South Wales, where it surely 

 must occur. Eather common on the coasts of Lancashire 

 and Cheshire and also of Yorkshire, where also it has been 

 taken, rarely, inland. In Scotland it has been found in 

 Ayrshire, at Ardrossan, all suitable places on the East 

 coast to Morayshire, and in the Orkneys — where it is quite 

 as pale in colour as in the south of England. Widely 

 distributed on the Irish coast — Dublin, Antrim, Derry, 



