A HISTORY OF SURREY 



not uncommon on the trunks of fir trees at Oxshott and Esher. The 

 Sword Grasses (Calocampa vetusta, Hb., and C. exo/efa, L.) are both 

 mentioned by Mr. Webb as occurring near Reigate, Mr. Barrett records 

 vetusta from Haslemere, they are both included in Mr. Kaye's and 

 Major Ficklin's lists for Surrey and both have occurred at Wimbledon. 

 Xylina rhizolitha, Fb. ; X. semibrunnea, Haw., and X. petrificata, Fb., are 

 included by Mr. Webb in his list of Reigate species. X. semibrunnea, 

 according to Major Ficklin, is not uncommon at ivy bloom near 

 Molesey and Kingston ; and rhizolitha and petrificata are reported from 

 Haslemere. X. rhizolitha also occurs at Worcester Park, Surbiton and 

 nearly everywhere in the county. Cucullla verbasci, L. ; C. lycbnitis, 

 Rbr. ; C. asteris, Schiff. ; C. cbamomillce, Schiff., and C. umbratica, L., are 

 reported by Mr. Barrett from Haslemere, and with the exception of 

 C. asteris (which is reported from Croydon) they have all been taken 

 about Box Hill and in the Reigate district. C. verbasci, C. cbamomillce 

 and C. umbratica are frequently taken at Worcester Park, Surbiton, 

 Kingston, Leatherhead, Wimbledon, Croydon and elsewhere in the 

 metropolitan district. Heliothis marginata, Fb. ; H. peltigera, Schiff., and 

 H. dipsacea, L., are recorded by Mr. Barrett from Haslemere ; the first 

 species is included by Mr. Webb in his Reigate list and he also mentions 

 H. armigera, Hb. H. dipsacea probably occurs on the heaths and in clover 

 fields in many other parts of the county but I have not met with it in 

 Surrey. The Beautiful Yellow Underwing (Anarta myrtilli, L.) is frequent 

 everywhere on heaths throughout the county, and Heliodes arbuti, Fb., is 

 often plentiful in meadows. I have seen it in abundance at Horsley, 

 Surbiton and Kingston. The lovely Acontia luctuosa, Esp., has been 

 taken near Croydon and Horsley. Erastria fuscula, Bork., occurs in 

 many woods throughout the county and was abundant in 1900 on the 

 trunks of the fir trees near Esher and Oxshott. Brepbos partbenias, L., is 

 generally distributed in birch woods. Mr. Barrett records it from 

 Haslemere, Mr. Webb from the Reigate district, and I have found it 

 commonly amongst the birch trees on Abrook Common between Esher 

 and Oxshott, and have also seen it years ago on Tolworth Common, 

 Surbiton. Abrostola urticce, Hb., and A. triplasia, L., are not uncommon 

 throughout the county. Plusia cbrysitis, L. ; P.festucee, L. ; P. iota, L. ; 

 P. v-aureum, Gn., and P. gamma, L., are recorded from Haslemere by 

 Mr. Barrett, and with the exception of v-aureum they are also recorded 

 from the Reigate district. Mr. Webb also mentions P. interrogations, L., 

 as occurring near Reigate, but in my experience this species is J almost 

 confined to the north of England and Scotland. P. gamma is of course as 

 abundant everywhere in Surrey as in other counties. P. moneta, which 

 has only been found in the United Kingdom of recent years, has been 

 lately taken in all parts of the county. Mr. Briggs records it from 

 Leatherhead, Mr. N. P. Fenwick informs me that he has taken it in his 

 garden at Esher, and Mr. Richards says he caught six specimens in his 



1 Mr. Barrett reminds me that one specimen has been taken at Battle, Sussex. Two specimens 

 have been reported from Devon, and one from Cambridge. H. G. 



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