98 THE PROMINENT MOTHS OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. 
boughs of beech trees in the rides of the woods at Buckland 
Common and St. Leonards. It is difficult to rear, as it often 
refuses to feed in confinement. ‘The perfect insect, which is pale 
reddish-brown, clouded with a darker coleur, appears in May 
and June, and-may be found by searching the stems of the 
large detached beech trees. It has been taken several times at 
Velvet Lawn. ‘The pupa, in common with that of all the rest of 
this group, is inclosed in a strong earthen cocoon just below 
the surface of the ground at the foot of the tree on which the 
larva has fed. 
2. Petasia cassinea (the Sprawler Moth).—If you have chanced 
to look up at the gas-lamps on the outskirts of the town on a 
warm, dark, still night in October, you may probably have ob- 
served some largish moths dashing wildly about them, or seated 
at rest on their sides; and if you have taken the trouble to catch 
one of them, the chances are ten to one that you have captured 
the pretty soft-looking pale brown moth streaked with black, 
which, why or wherefore I know not, goes by the name of the 
Sprawler. The caterpillar is a beautiful glossy yellowish-green, 
striped with white. It feeds on various trees in May, e. g., beech, 
hazel, lime, and oak; and is particularly partial to the wych elm, 
from which tree Ihave beaten it in some numbers in Suffolk. I 
used to spread a larze sheet under the tree and beat the boughs 
with along pole. I have taken the perfect insect at lamp-light 
when sitting reading in my room at Drayton-Beauchamp. 
8.  Gluphisia crenata (the Dusky Marbled-Brown Moth).—This 
insect is so rare that I believe only four have ever been taken in 
Great Britain; one of these was beaten, in the caterpillar state, 
from a poplar tree at Halton a few years since by my excellent 
friend the Rev. Joseph Greene, in whose collection I have 
frequently seen the perfect insect. There is little doubt that the 
insect occurs all over the county, and only requires to be looked 
for to be found. The moth is a dull-coloured insect of little 
beauty. ‘Lhe larva is pale green, with a yellow line on each side, 
and some conspicuous rusty-red spots on the back. 
4, Ptilophora plumigera (the Plumed Prominent),—The males 
