148 PORTLAND LEPIDOPTERA. 



In one respect, however, Portland has the advantage, for no less 

 than five species found there regularly, viz : AcidaUa degeneraria, 

 Episclmia lankesiella, Tinea suUilella, T. vinculella, Butalis siccella 

 have not been taken elsewhere in the British Isles, and it is the 

 only locality in the world for E. lanJcesiella.* Besides this the 

 specimen of Helena alUfusa taken by Colonel Partridge is unique 

 as British, and other species such as Plusia ni, Lapliygma exigua, 

 Diasemia ramlurialis, Stigmonota interruptana, Epliestia semirufa 

 have occurred. 



Even on the undercliff itself some species are very local, and 

 this independently of the range of their food plants. For instance 

 AcidaUa rusticata which feeds on pellitory (Parietaria officinalis) 

 and is said also to feed on ivy, bramble, and I think hawthorn, is 

 not by any means to be found wherever its food-plant occurs, 

 pellitory being a very common plant in Portland and the moth only 

 found in a very few spots near Pennsylvania. Again Venilia 

 marulata feeds on nettle, dead nettle and various other plants, but 

 is confined to the northern end of Portland, though there is no lack 

 of its food plants elsewhere. Lyccena minima, the " Little blue 

 butterfly," with Anthyllis vulneraria for its food plant, is very local 

 and so is Sati/rus Semele, the " Grayling butterfly " (food plant 

 grass). Ilithyia carnella (food-plant bird's-foot trefoil, Lotus 

 curniculatus] one of the most generally distributed Portland plants, 

 I have never taken except on a small area below the prison, where 

 it is rather common. There is only one part of the West Cliff 

 where I have found Luperina cespitis, the larva of which feeds on 

 grass, and again Eupitliecia constrictata, a rather scarce moth that 

 feeds on thyme, I have only found in any numbers on a small 

 area, though there are quantities of its food-plant everywhere, and 

 a few specimens of the moth occur in many places. 



* Since the above was written Mr. Bankes has met with T. vinculella 

 in Purbeck, and I have taken a specimen of E. bankesiella at Lulworth. 

 I have reason to believe that the latter insect occurs along the rocky 

 part of the coast towards Swanage. 



