^J^'y^ . GONOPTERIN^. 



THE HERALD. 63 



The Herald {ScoUopteryx Ubatrix). 



Haworth (1802) gave this attractive species the English name 

 of "Furbelow Moth," but Harris (1782) had named it Herald 

 Moth (Plate 22, Fig. i). 



In the majority of specimens the purplish, or grey-brown 

 fore wings, are more or less reddish tinged throughout, but 

 occasionally the outer marginal area is free of this tint ; the 

 orange red marks on the central and basal areas are brighter in 

 some specimens than in others. 



The caterpillar, which feeds on sallow, osier, willow, and 

 probably poplar (a chrysalis having been found in a curled leaf 

 of black poplar), is a long, rather thin, greenish creature 

 without any distinct markings, except that when full grown the 

 front rings have two black spots. It may be found reposing on 

 the upper leaves of its foodplant, from June to August. (Plate 

 25, Fig. I, from a coloured drawing by Mr. A. Sich.) 



The moth may be obtained at sugar, ivy-blossom, etc., from 'p^/i.c/- 

 August to October, and it seems that the earliest to emerge are ^H^^^'^ 

 those that first take up hibernating quarters in barns, outhouses, Aou^^^ 

 roofs, belfries, and under arches. In_the spring it reappears, A /'?}(a'%<- 

 and may be met with even in June. A specimen was taken at ^Z- 

 sugar on July 20, 1899, ^^^ whether this is to be regarded as a*^"^-^' 

 very late date or an unusually early one, I cannot say. Generally 

 distributed throughout Great Britain and Ireland, but of the 

 Scottish Isles onlv recorded from Shetland. Abroad it ranges 

 through Europe to North-West Africa, and through Asia to 

 Amurland and Japan ; also in temperate North America. 



Note. — Stephens (1829) referred this species to the genus 

 Calyptra, Ochs., but in 1831 he adopted Scoliopteryx^ Germar 

 (181 1). Gouoptera^ Latr., which has been frequently used, only 

 dates from 1825, 



