112 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



London. In June, 1868, three or four examples were found in 

 a herbalist's shop in Holborn ; one occurred on a shop window 

 in Oxford Street in 1873 ; one example was taken from a door- 

 post in Cannon Street, July 21, 1879 I and two others have been 

 noted from the same street, but dates were not given. The 

 later records are that of a specimen on July 21, 1898, in a 

 shop in Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, and one at Stroud, 

 Gloucestershire, July, 1910 ; it thus appears that almost all the 

 British specimens known to us have been taken in London. 



The eggs are laid on dry or withered plants, upon which the 

 long brownish or greenish caterpillars feed throughout the 

 autumn, winter, and following spring. They pupate towards 

 mid-May, and the moths appear in June and July. According 

 to Guenee, caterpillars seem to have been found only in herb 

 or drug stores, and the moths occur in gardens and houses in 

 July and August. 



The Small Dusty Wave {Acidalia {Piychopoda) 

 virgularia). 



In most parts of the southern half of England this species, of 

 which three specimens are shown on Plate 45, Figs. 8, 11, 14, is 

 more or less common, and is often to be seen on garden walls, 

 pales, and other kinds of fences. Although apparently infrequent 

 in the Midlands, it has been recorded as common at Rugely 

 in Staffordshire ; in several parts of Cheshire it is not un- 

 common, and its distribution is known to extend to Northumber- 

 land. Possibly the species is more widely spread over England 

 than the records show it to be. In Wales, it has been found 

 in the North ; in Scotland, it occurs locally from Berwick to 

 Aberdeen ; and it is doubtfully recorded from Ireland. The 

 long, thin caterpillar is ochreous-brown, with a pale stripe on 

 each side. It feeds on the leaves of various low plants, and 

 seems, at times, to like its food best when withered. Some 



