84 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



for flowers, but it has been taken at sugar, and the females are 

 found at night upon the food plant. It is known to occur in 

 Berkshire and most of the southern counties from Kent to 

 Devon, and eastward from Essex to Norfolk, Cambs., and 

 Hunts. ; has also been recorded from Yorks., Hereford, and 

 South Wales. 

 The range abroad extends to Amurland. 



The Scarce Blackneck {Toxocampa cracccz). 



This species (Plate 32, Fig. 4) is similar to the last, but the 

 wings are rather less ample, the tint is slightly more brownish, 

 and the veins are paler, especially on the outer area. Dis- 

 tinguishing features are the heavier and deeper black collar, 

 and four blackish dots on the front edge of the fore wings. 

 Var. phimbea^ Bankes, the usual form in Cornwall, is darker 

 than the type, having the fore wings bluish-grey mixed with 

 chocolate, instead of pale ash-grey mixed with light walnut 

 brown ; hind wings brownish grey, instead of pale greyish 

 brown. The caterpillar, which in shape is similar to that of 

 the last species, is ochreous brown, with darker brown lines 

 along the back and sides. It feeds at night on the wood 

 vetch {Vicia sylvatica), but is said to eat other kinds of vetch 

 in confinement. It may be found resting on stems of the food 

 plant by day, or, when feeding at night, by the aid of a lantern, 

 but it quickly falls off when disturbed. The moth flies at dusk 

 in July and August, and has a strong liking for the flowers of 

 the wood-sage, but visits golden-red and other flowers also, and 

 will sometimes turn up at the sugar patch. It is not uncommon 

 in some parts of the rocky coast of North Devon, as near 

 Lynmouth, where it was first met with by the late Rev. E. 

 Horton in 1861. It has since been found commonly on the 

 Cornish coast. From what I know of its habits, I should say 

 that the species would be found all along the North Devon 



