362 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



common in many southern and eastern parts, but widely dis- 

 tributed over England, Wales, and Scotland to Moray. Only 

 doubtfully recorded from Ireland. 



Map-winged Swift {Hepialus fnsconehulosd). 



At one time this species (the velleda of Hiibner) was known 

 as the " Northern Swift," but as it is plentiful in North Devon- 

 shire and Somersetshire, and occurs less commonly in other 

 southern English counties, that name is hardly suitable. 

 Haworth's English name for it — "The Beautiful Swift" — does 

 not quite meet the case, because, although the insect is prettily 

 marked, it is scarcely beautiful. We have then to fall back on 

 Donovan's Map-winged Swift as a popular name, and this 

 seems a fairly apt one, as the markings on the fore wings are 

 somewhat map-like in pattern, especially in the more typical 

 specimens. 



There is much variation in colour and in marking ; some 

 examples, chiefly those from Shetland, are prettily variegated. 

 A uniform reddish-brown variety, ab. gallicus, Lederer, is 

 depicted on Plate 158, Fig. 3; and a more or less typical 

 specimen of each sex is shown on the same plate (Figs, i J, 

 2 $). 



The caterpillar is ochreous white, with orange-brown plates, 

 and rather paler raised dots ; head, reddish brown, and spiracles 

 black. It feeds on the roots of the bracken, and is full grown 

 about May. The moth is out in June and July, and flies, in 

 the gloaming, on hill slopes, heaths, and the edges of mosses 

 and woods ; it seems to be more active than either of the 

 other British "Swifts"; at all events, I have always found it 

 less easy to capture with the net. 



The species is pretty generally distributed throughout the 

 British Isles. 



