HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



Hesperia comma, Linn. (Silver-spotted Skipper). 

 Chesham, High Wycombe, Wendover and 

 on the Chilterns ; always on chalk slopes, 

 but widely distributed and sometimes 

 plentiful 



Cyclopides paniscus, Fab., palsmon, St.C. 

 The Rev. C. F. Thornewill reports it 

 as to be found on the north border of 



the county near Whlttlebury Forest ; its 

 principal haunts with us are in the' ad- 

 joining counties 



Nisoniades tages, Linn. (Dingy Skipper). 

 Generally distributed, but more especi- 

 ally attached to railway banks and the 

 stony portions of chalk hills 



HETEROCERA 



Smerinthus ocellata, Linn. (Eyed Hawk 

 Moth). Generally distributed in the 

 county, but not often captured. The 

 larva is frequent on sallows and wil- 

 lows, but the Rev. Joseph Greene re- 

 ports that it was usually obtained by 

 him in the pupa state by digging at 

 the roots of willow trees. Messrs. 

 Peachell have taken it at High Wycombe 

 at electric light 



populi, Linn. (Poplar Hawk Moth). Gene- 



rally common, but most frequently ob- 

 tained as a pupa by digging at the roots 

 of poplars 



tilis, Linn. (Lime Hawk Moth). Buck- 



ingham, Ha/ton, Chesham ; tolerably 

 common ; usually obtained, as stated 

 by the Rev. J. Greene, by digging at 

 the roots of elms not limes for the 

 pupa 



Acherontia atropos, Linn. (Death's-head 

 Moth). Buckingham, Chesham, Halton, 

 Black Park, Woherton ; usually found 

 in the larva state fee' ,g on potato 

 leaves, or in the pupa state by digging 

 among potatoes ; but in 1867 Mr. Bar- 

 low of Stantonbury recorded the find- 

 ing of from fifteen to eighteen larva; 

 all feeding upon the tea-tree (Lycium 

 barbarum) 



Sphinx convolvuli, Linn. (Convolvulus Hawk 

 Moth). A specimen was taken in July, 

 1854, hovering over honeysuckle blos- 

 som by the Rev. Joseph Greene ; another 

 m August, 1887, at rest in a cleft of a 

 tree in Chalfint Park, by the Rev T 

 Seymour St. John ; two more by Dr 

 Churchill at Chesham some years ago 

 and the pupa has recently been found 

 near Haddenham 



ligustri, Linn. (Privet Hawk Moth). Hal- 

 ton, Buckingham, Chesham, Claydon, High 

 Wycombe ; probably widely distributed. 

 Its larva, which usually feeds upon pri- 

 vet or ash, has been taken in this county 

 feeding freely upon the common dog- 

 wood (Cornus sanguinea) and the mealy 

 guelder rose (Viburnum lantana). 



Deilephila galii, Schiff. (Galium Hawk Moth). 

 The capture of a single specimen of 

 this rarity in his garden was recorded 

 in July, 1888, by Mr. W. Thompson 

 of Stantonbury, Stoney Stratford; and one 

 was seen in the rectory garden at Leek- 

 hampstead by the Rev. C. F. Thorne- 

 will 



livornica, Esp. (Striped Hawk Moth). A 



specimen of this equally rare species 

 was secured in April, 1867, near Wol- 

 verton by Mr. Fisher, and recorded by 

 Mr. J. Barlow of Stantonbury 

 Chzrocampa porcellus, Linn. (Small Elephant 

 Hawk). Halton, Chesham, Long Down, 

 Claydon ; not scarceon chalk hills among 

 yellow bedstraw (Galium verum) 



elpenor, Linn. (Large Elephant Hawk 



Moth). Halton, Claydon, Chesham, 

 Buckingham. Larvas are found here 

 abundantly in some seasons feeding 

 upon willow-herb (Epilobium hirsutum) 

 on the banks of the river Ouse. 

 Mr. Crewe found others feeding freely 

 upon Galium uliginosum 

 Macroglossa stellatarum, Linn. (Humming- 

 bird Hawk Moth). Buckingham, High 

 Wycombe, Chesham, Claydon, Halton, 

 Leckhampstead ; probably generally dis- 

 tributed, and in some widely separated 

 years, common 



fuciformis, Linn. (Broad-bordered Bee 



Hawk). Very uncommon, but found at 

 Ha/ton by the Rev. Joseph Greene and 

 on the borders of Whittlebury Forest 

 near Leckhampstead by the Rev. C. F. 

 Thornewill ; taken by A. T. Goodson 

 and W. H. Smith in 1901, 1902 near 

 Aston Hills (Tring side) 



bombyliformis, Esp. (Narrow-bordered 



Bee Hawk). Also uncommon, but it 

 has been taken at Halton, and the Rev. 

 H. H. Crewe secured two specimens in 

 the year 1851 at Claydon, hovering over 

 the flowers of ragged-robin (Lychnis 

 flos-cucuh) ; two specimens taken by 

 A. T. Goodson in 1901, not found in 

 1902 



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