A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



taken at Sunderland, it has never occurred on the coast, and as the juniper is dying off there it 

 is not likely to occur now. T. simulata occurred on the coast, wherever Eupitheda iobrinata 

 was found. This also has not been taken there lately. It occurs, not very commonly, among 

 juniper on the high land in the west. T. variata occurs in fir woods, is not very plentiful, 

 though generally distributed. T. firmata has only been taken in the west of the county, 

 Witton le Wear, Upper Teesdale, etc. Tpsipetes ruberaria occurs in the Derwent Valley and in 

 Hesleden Dene. Wonderful varieties may be reared. T. impluviata occurs both in Castle 

 Eden and Hesleden Denes, also at South Shields and in Upper Teesdale. T. elutata is generally 

 distributed all over the county and is very common. Melantbia rubiginata is well distributed 

 over the county, but never very abundant. M. ocellata is also widely spread, occurring almost 

 everywhere, but, like the last, it is never in great numbers. M. albicillata is decidedly scarce, but 

 has been met with, generally singly, almost all over the county. M . hastata has not been taken 

 for quite fifty years. It was then found at Hoppylands. M. tristata appears to avoid the coast, 

 but it is fairly common elsewhere. M. unangulata and rivata were both taken by the late 

 William Backhouse in Houghall Wood near Durham. It does not occur there now. A 

 coal mine near has destroyed much of the lepidoptera in this wood. There is no other locality 

 in the county for either. M. biriviata and montanata are abundant everywhere. M. galiata 

 has only occurred once or twice, but at distant localities. M. fluctuate is abundant all over the 

 county. The specimens are large and darker than those from the south. The variety 

 Neapolisata occurs. Anticlea badiata is common everywhere, by hedges mixed with rose, and 

 similar places. A derivata is widely distributed but rare. Coremia munitata is even more widely 

 distributed, and rather more plentiful than the last, but it is still a rare species. It is generally 

 found in or near marshy ground. C. propugnata has occurred in the west of the county, 

 but never elsewhere. C. ferrugaria is common in Upper Teesdale, but scarcely taken else- 

 where. Camptogramma bilineata is abundant everywhere. A variety with a black band is not 

 uncommon. Pbibalapteryx lignata has occurred near Sunderland and at Hell Kettles, 

 Darlington. Scotosia dubitata has occurred, generally singly, in most parts of the county. A 

 single specimen of S. certata was taken at Hartlepool in 1864, and of 5. undulata in Upper 

 Teesdale in 1875. Cidaria psittacata is widely distributed, but is very scarce. C. miata is also 

 widely distributed and often common. C. corylata is in all the woods and denes, and never 

 rare. The variety albo-crenata occurs occasionally. C. russata is everywhere, always 

 common. The variety comma-notata, with red centre to the fore-wings occurs also, but 

 not very abundantly. C. immanata is also common in woods and denes, to which it 

 appears to be more closely confined than is russata. C. suffumata, the earliest of the genus, 

 occurs everywhere ; a dark variety, piceata, is also very common. C. silaceata is very generally 

 distributed, but not so common as the last few species. A second brood may be reared in 

 confinement, but is never found at large. C. prunata is only recorded from the south-west of 

 the county. I think it must occur elsewhere, as it is commonly distributed both in Yorkshire 

 and Northumberland. C. testata is common all over. Moorland specimens are generally 

 dark. C. populata occurs over the entire county, most plentifully in the west. C. fuhata 

 appears everywhere among rose. C. pyraliata, like so many others, may be met with any- 

 where, but it is least plentiful near the coast. C. dotata is scarce and very local, appearing 

 only in the west of the county. Pelurga comitata is well distributed, but rarely abundant. 

 Eubolia cerv'mata is scarce and very local. An erroneous idea that the food plant of this insect 

 (Malva sylvestris) is marsh mallow (Althcea officinalis], much used by herbalists, has almost led 

 to its extermination, and has greatly reduced the number of the insect, which was common 

 when I began collecting. E. mensuraria is abundant everywhere. E.plumbariais common on 

 waste ground. E. bipunctaria appears confined to limestone. It occurs all along the coast on 

 Magnesian limestone, and in Upper Teesdale on Mountain limestone. It is plentiful where it 

 occurs, easily disturbed by day, and flying freely at dusk. Anaith plaglata is well distributed, 

 and occurs regularly, but is never very abundant. It is found well up the hills in the west. 

 Chesias spartiata occurs wherever there is broom. This excludes the coast, where broom does 

 not grow. Odezia chteropbyllata is common everywhere in meadows, pastures, hedgesides, and 

 similar places where the food plant grows. 



DREPANULID^; 



Platypteryx lacertula, the Scalloped Hook-tip, is widely distributed, but never plentiful. 

 P. falcula y the Pebbled Hook-tip, occurs sparingly over most of the county. Cilix spinula, the 

 Goose-egg, may be found all over the county among hawthorn. It does not occur on the 

 higher moorland. 



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