INSECTS 



PSEUDO-BOMBYCES 



Centra furcula, the Sallow Kitten, occurs sparingly in the larval state in most parts of the 

 county. I do not know that the imago has been taken. C. bifida, the Poplar Kitten, has 

 occurred about Hartlepool, but it is much rarer than it was twenty-five or thirty years ago. 

 Like the last the imago is never seen. C. vinula, the Puss Moth, occurs everywhere on willow 

 and poplar in the larval state. The moth is seen now and then at rest. Petasia cassinea 

 occurred at Darlington in 1853, when the late John Sang took it at gas lamps. Mr. Winter, 

 of Beccles, told the writer that he had taken it at Hartlepool. I can only say I never saw or 

 heard of it. Pygara bucephala, the Buff-tip, was very common half a century ago. It has now 

 almost, or entirely, left the coast area, but is plentiful enough elsewhere. Clostera curtula, the 

 Chocolate-tip, was once taken at South Shields a stray specimen. C. reclusa, the Small 

 Chocolate-tip, occurs at Wolsingham, and, probably, elsewhere, where dwarf-willow grows. 

 It has not, however, been taken on the sea banks, north of Black Halls, where the plant grows 

 very freely. Ptilodontus palpina has only once been found. I took a larva many years ago in 

 Crimdon Cut, near Hartlepool. Notodanta camelina is to be found over all the county ; never 

 abundantly, but of regular occurrence. N. dictiea, the Swallow Prominent, occurs all over the 

 county, wherever there is plenty of poplar. N. dictteoides is much rarer, but appears to be 

 very generally distributed, especially to the west of the county, where birch is more plentiful. 

 I have beaten the larva both in Castle Eden and Hesleden Denes. N. dramedarius is also widely 

 distributed, but never common. N. ziczac is the most plentiful of the group. It may be 

 found in the larval state on poplars anywhere in the county. N. chaonia is rare. Larvz have 

 been taken in Upper Teesdale and in Hesleden Dene, but only once or twice. Diloba 

 cecrultocephala is uncommon, but has been met with inland mostly. My brother found larvae 

 near Stockton-on-Tees, and a single imago was taken at Hartlepool in 1874, which is the only 

 coast record. 



NOCTU.fi 



Thyatira derasa is rare ; it has only occurred near the River Tyne. 7. bath is much 

 more plentiful, and has occurred in most places ; never abundantly. Cymatophora duplaris is 

 widely distributed, but not common. C. or is recorded in Ornsby's Durham, but no other 

 record is known. C. diluta is common in the north-west, but has not been met with else- 

 where, the variety nubilata with three or more dark bands is not uncommon about Gibside. 

 C.flavlcormt is generally distributed. C, ridens was bred from a larva found at Gibside. The 

 specimen is now in the Museum at Newcastle-on-Tyne. Bryophila per/a is generally common. 

 Acronycta tridens is recorded, but I feel some doubt as to the correctness of the name. A. psi 

 is common generally, and it may be that it has been mistaken for tridens. A. leparlna is widely 

 spread, but is either rare, or we have not learned how to find it. A. aceris has occurred once 

 at Sunderland. A. megacephala, not at all common, though widely spread. A. rumicis is 

 plentiful everywhere ; the dark variety taKch has been reared. A. menyanthidis occurs freely 

 on the moors in the west. Leucania conigera, fithargyria, comma, impura, and pollens are all 

 very common. Nonagria fulva is tolerably plentiful in September. N. elymi formerly occurred 

 at South Shields. So far as I know it is now found only at Hartlepool, where it is fairly 

 common in its now much-restricted habitat. N. lutosa has been taken at Greatham only, 

 where it was sometimes abundant ; the reed has disappeared there, but it is quite likely to exist 

 in other places. Gortyna flavago is generally common. Hydraecia nictitans occurs all over the 

 county, but is most plentiful in the higher lands in the west. H. petasitis occurs at Greatham, 

 and at Dalton le Dale, near Seaham Harbour, and, probably, in all places where the food is 

 plentiful. H. micacea is common everywhere. Xylophasia rurea and the unicolorous variety 

 combusta are generally plentiful. X. Kthoxylea is very uncertain, sometimes plentiful, and at 

 other times not seen at all. X. polyodon and the black variety injfuscata are generally common. 

 The variety is just as uncertain as Kthoxylea and very similar in its manners. H. hepatica is 

 much rarer than the others of the genus, though widely distributed. Htliophobus popularis is 

 sometimes common. Charaas graminis occurs everywhere, but is seldom plentiful. Cerigo 

 cytherea is often common. Luperina testacea is always plentiful. L. cespitis is rare. It was taken 

 at Shotley Bridge by the late W. Backhouse, and in Upper Teesdale by Dr. Lees. Single 

 specimens have occurred at South Shields and Hartlepool. Mamettra abjecta occurs about 

 Hartlepool and Greatham, probably all along the coast. It is decidedly rare. M. anceps is 

 taken regularly at Hartlepool, and has been met with at South Shields and Darlington. This 

 also is rare. M. albicolon is rather common at Hartlepool and South Shields. I have seen no 

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