142 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



August 14th and i6th, and one specimen on September 3rd. 

 Six or seven occurred during August in Lancashire, and three 

 in Perthshire, also in August. 



The long caterpillar is variable, but is usually some shade of 

 green above, inclining to whitish beneath, and yellowish between 

 the rings ; the lines along the back are paler green, reddish, 

 and olive green. It feeds on low-growing plants, such as knot- 

 grass and dock, and has been reared from the egg in August 

 and September. If eggs were obtained in May it would be 

 possible to raise two generations of moths, or, perhaps, even 

 three, during the year. 



The species is an inhabitant of Southern Europe and North 

 Africa, and its range extends to India, Madeira, and the 

 Canaries. In Central Europe, including the British Isles, its 

 occurrence is always a more or less casual event. 



Note. — It is possibly incorrect to assign this species to 

 Sterrha^ Hiibner, which is adopted by some authors for the 

 Acidaliid ochraria. There is, however, considerable doubt 

 among authorities about accepting the Hiibnerian genus, but 

 Herrich-Schaffer's genus Sterrha appears to be valid and is 

 here employed. If it has to give way, Pseudosterrha, Warren, 

 or Rhodometra, Meyrick, may have to be used. 



Lythria purpuraria has long been reported as a British 

 species, but there does not appear to be any very convincing 

 record of its capture in the British Isles. It is widely dis- 

 tributed in Europe, and generally common. As it is a sun- 

 loving insect, it could hardly escape detection if it occurred in 

 any part of our isles. A note by Mr. V. R. Perkins, in The 

 Zoologist iox 1861, p. 7449, should, however, not be overlooked. 

 This refers to the capture, on June i8th, of two male specimens 

 that were disturbed from broom, " not far from the city of Perth, 

 by Mr. D. P. Morrison." 



