CALLIMORrHA HERA IN SOUTH DEVON. 293 



that the larvse will eat these plants, but I have not, so far, put 

 them to the test : — Raspberry (Rubus idceus), dog rose {Rosa 

 canina), hawthorn (Cratcegus oxyacantha), dog mercury {Mer- 

 curialis perennis), comfrey {Symphytum officinale), common red 

 nettle {Lamium purpureuin) , coltsfoot {Tussilago farfara), celan- 

 dine flowers {Chelidoniuni majus), groundsel {Senecio vulgaris), 

 jzround-ivy {Glechoma hederacea), white dead-nettle {Lamium 

 album), greater plantain {Plantago major), knotgrass {Polygonum 

 avicalare), dandelion {Leontodon taraxacum), forget-me-not {Myo- 

 sotis pahistris) , borage {Borago officinalis), viper's bugloss {EcJiium 

 vulgare), lettuce {Lactuca). Of these, according to all accounts 

 and my own experience, I should give first place to raspberry and 

 knotgrass before hybernation ; whilst for hybernating them on, 

 ground-ivy, dandelion, and garden strawberry are the best; after 

 hybernation, white dead-nettle and dandelion. Mr. G. T. Porritt, 

 of Hudderstield, hybernated his on dandelion and garden straw- 

 berry, whilst Mr. C. Fenn, of Lee, brought his through the 

 winter on ground-ivy. Both these gentlemen, I may add, were 

 very successful. The larvse have at first a certain amount of 

 resemblance to those of C. domiiiula, and like to rest on the dead 

 and shrivelled leaves of the food-plant. 



Mr. Benthal said that, according to his experience, sixty was 

 the average number of eggs laid by hera ; those I obtfuned 

 averaged 133 each, but this increase in the number of eggs is 

 easily accounted for when it is considered that most of my 

 females were in good condition, whereas when they are worn 

 there is a great chance of their having deposited a part or the 

 whole of their eggs. Still there is this to be said, that when worn 

 they are more likely to be fertile than freshly-emerged specimens. 

 Mr. Benthal also said that the earliest record for C. hera that he 

 knew was July 29th of the present year, and the latest he had 

 known was September 15tli, 1894 ; and that during the four 

 years he had been in the district he had obtained about forty 

 specimens, or a few more, counting very worn ones, which at first 

 he used to set at liberty, but afterwards kept for eggs. 



As the result of numerous tete-a-tetes with the villagers, 

 especially those of the " sere and yellow leaf," I learned that 

 C. hera was formerly much commoner than at present. Many 

 used to be attracted by the light (not a very brilliant one either) 

 in the cottagers' windows, as many as three or four coming in 

 one night, wiiereas now they did not see that number in a season. 

 Although I do not sliare in the opinion expressed by some, that 

 hera will shortly become extinct on account of being overworked, 

 still it must be admitted that it is getting scarcer at its head- 

 quarters ; but it is satisfactory to know that it is gradually 

 spreading its range, and now occurs over a wide tract of country 

 from Exeter to Teignmouth and Torquay, and will, when looked 

 for, and, what is more, worked for, doubtless turn up elsewhere 



