A HISTORY OF ESSEX 



frequently met with on or near the coast than inland. The Large Foot- 

 man (L. quadra} has been taken among other places at Colchester, 

 Harwich and Hazeleigh, but was always rare, and has not been found 

 recently. The Red-necked Footman (L. rubricollis), like most members 

 of its family, is a somewhat uncertain species. It was at one time 

 very abundant at Langham and Little Bentley, but is not of frequent 

 occurrence now, though it may still be occasionally found in some 

 woods in the Tendring Hundred. The Crimson-speckled Footman 

 (Deiopeia pulchella) is a rare migrant which was captured at Epping 

 in 1846, at Southend in 1882, and at St. Osyth, where Mr. Fitch 

 found two specimens on June 6, 1892. 



The Cinnabar (Euchelia jacobcece] occurs sparingly in many places, 

 but seems only to be well established and common in two or three 

 localities in the Epping and Southend districts. 



The Clouded Buff (Nemeophila russuld) is scarce and local, but has 

 been taken in Epping Forest by Professor Meldola, at Eastwood by 

 Mr. Whittle, and near Brentwood by Messrs. Burrows and Raynor. It 

 formerly occurred sparingly near Colchester, but has not been seen since 

 1867. ' 



The Wood Tiger (N. plantaginls] was not uncommon twenty years 

 ago in one of the St. Osyth woods, but has died out or gone elsewhere. 



The Common Tiger (Arctia cajd) was until recently extremely 

 common everywhere, but for several years has been very uncommon in 

 the northern part of the county. The last time the larvas abounded they 

 were largely infested with ichneumons, and it may very probably be to 

 this cause that their present scarcity is due. The Cream-spot Tiger (A. 

 villica] is now much commoner than it was formerly, especially on the 

 coast, where the larvae in some seasons abound. Several specimens of a 

 very beautiful and striking variety have been obtained by Mr. Mathew at 

 Dovercourt, and other fine forms have been bred from larva? found else- 

 where. The Ruby Tiger (Spilosoma fuliginosa) appears to be scarce and 

 local, for it is only reported for the Colchester district in recent years, 

 though there are old records of its occurrence at Epping and Witham. 

 The Muslin Moth (S. mendicd) is found sparingly all over the county. 

 The Buff Ermine (S. lubricipedd] and the White Ermine (S. menthastri) 

 are generally common, but the Water Ermine (S. urticce) is scarce and 

 local. It has occurred at Colchester and Frinton. The Ghost (Hepialus 

 humult) is common in grassy places everywhere. The Wood Swift (H. 

 sylvanus) may sometimes be found on the coast, but more frequently 

 among bracken in woods. The Common Swift (H. lupulinus) abounds in 

 all directions, and the Golden Swift (H. hectus) is common for a few 

 minutes about sunset in damp places in woods. The Goat Moth 

 (Cossus ligniperda], though still common, is less abundant than formerly, 

 as large numbers of infested trees have been removed and the wood- 

 peckers have been unremitting in their attentions to those that still re- 

 main. The Wood Leopard (Zeuzera pyrina] is far from common generally, 

 but occurs sparingly in many places, including Colchester, Ilford, Maldon 



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