360 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



and the se? ; and is probably the only spot in the British Isles 

 where the Fiery Clearwing is almost certain to be found, either 

 in its early or its perfect stage, at the proper season. The 

 moth has been recorded from Eastbourne, Sussex (1874), ^^'^ 

 from the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire (1902). 



HEPIALID^. 



Of the twenty-two Palaearctic species belonging to this family, 

 nine appear to occur in Europe, and the range of five of these 

 extends to the British Isles. 



In some of the more recent systems of classification, this 

 family is relegated to almost the bottom of the scheme, and 

 therefore occupies a much lower place than do the bulk of the 

 families comprised in the old style " Micro-Lepidoptera." As, 

 however, these insects, commonly called " Swifts," have long 

 received the attention of collectors, and in collections usually 

 occupy a position among the so-called " Bombyces," they have 

 been included in the present volume. 



Ghost Moth {Hepialus humuli). 



On Plate 157 are portraits of a male and a female of the 

 typical form of this species (Figs, i J and 3 ? ) ; and two male 

 examples (Figs. 2 and 4) of the Shetland race var. thtilensis, 

 Newman, better known perhaps as Jiethla?tdica, Staudinger, but 

 the former is the older name. It will be noted that in the 

 ordinary form the male has white wings, and that the female 

 has yellowish fore wings marked with orange, and smoky 

 hind wings. The Shetland male, represented by Fig. 2, has the 

 fore wings whitish buff in colour with brownish markings 

 similar in pattern to those of an ordinary female ; the hind 

 wings are blackish. The second example of thulefisis (Fig. 4) 



