TRIFIDyE. 365 



sitting in the thick tafts, but if the sun is hot may often He 

 disturbed, when it flies swiftly away ; or in some cases it 

 may be found flying voluntarily in the sunshine, and visiting 

 the heath blossoms. Its natural flight, however, is at dusk 

 and in the night, and it is extremely fond of the flowers of 

 Erica cinrrea, the only species of heath which is in bloom at 

 the usual time of its existence in the winged state. Except 

 perhaps wood-sage, no other flowers seem to attract it, and 

 it usually appears to regard sugar with contempt, though 

 there is a record in Scotland of its capture at that bait. 



Found almost wholly upon sandy heaths, and in such 

 situations abundant in most of the Eastern and Southern 

 counties of England, but scarce in Cornwall ; very scarce in the 

 Eastern midland district and apparently absent from the fens ; 

 but found on heaths throughout the Midlands and in Here- 

 fordshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Westmoreland 

 and Cumberland. Probably common in Wales except in the 

 extreme south-west, where it is scarce. Very generally dis- 

 tributed and common in suitable places in Scotland from 

 Roxburghshire and Arran to Ross, and in the Hebrides and 

 Shetland Isles. In Ireland also plentiful and widely distri- 

 buted, occurring wherever its food plants abound. Abroad it 

 ranges throughout Central Europe and all the more temperate 

 portions of Northern Europe, and is also found in North 

 Italy. 



17. A. praecox, L. — Expanse U to If inch. Fore wings 

 narrow, shining glaucous-green with black lines, white 

 stigmata and spots, and a purple stripe near the hind 

 margin ; hind wings greyish. 



Antennae almost threadlike, but for a short distance from the 

 base pairs of small tufts of fine bristles suggest pectinations ; 

 whole length ciliated ; dark brown, hairs whitish. Palpi 

 small, white, dusted with grey ; apical joint white ; head 

 velvety-white ; collar broadly white, dusted and very faintly 

 barred with grey atoms ; shoulder-lappets rather raised, 



