168 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Eriopselx fractijasciana , Haw. — Rare and local ; two or three speci- 

 mens were taken by me some years ago in an open space in Epping 

 Forest, somewhat to my surprise. I have bred it in May from larvae 

 taken at Box Hill the previous autumn, feeding underneath the radical 

 leaves of Scabiosa columbaria. 



Phtheochroa riujosana, St. — Not uncommon, flying at dusk in early 

 June along hedgerows, and generally worn. The larva is more com- 

 monly met with in July and August, feeding in the fruit and shoots 

 of Bryonia dioica. This insect should be killed at once, as it is usually 

 very restless when boxed. 



Cnephasia musculana, Hb. — Common generally ; may be beaten, 

 usually rather freely, in May from whitethorn and birch shrubs. 



Sciaphila nubUana, Hb. — Often in swarms, the males only, round 

 whitethorn and blackthorn (upon which the larva feeds in May). A 

 species which soon gets worn, and is best bred, thereby ensuring a 

 good set of females, which are not free fliers. 



S. conspersana, Dougl. — Local, but occurs in a few localities on the 

 coast ; I have not met with it inland. Near St. Osyth, near Bright- 

 lingsea, and about fifteen years ago near Southend, on ground now 

 covered with buildings, I believe. 



8. subjectana, St. — Swarming almost everywhere ; an old wooden 

 fence skirting a dry meadow often finds a resting place for hundreds 

 of this variable little moth. 



S. virgaureana, Tr. — Common, but not nearly so much so as the 

 last species ; although commonly found with it at rest on fences, I 

 have quite as often beaten it from oaks, &c. ; the shelter afforded by 

 trees seems to be more acceptable to this insect than to subjectana. 



S. pascuaiia, Hb. — Distributed, but much more uncommon than 

 the last species. I have found it on fences in the Lea valley, and 

 bred it from larvae found at Stanford-ie-Hope in spun-together tops of 

 milfoil. A very curious form of this insect occurs only in the salt 

 marshes ; pale yellowish, or straw colour, would roughly describe it. 

 I have bred this from a folded leaf of Aster tripolium. 



S. chri/santheana, Dup. — Not common, but has occurred in many 

 places. Near Upminster, Harold Wood, Warley, Leyton Marshes, 

 may be mentioned. I found this larva on two occasions — the first 

 week in June, 1890, and 1891, at Harold Wood, feeding on the leaves 

 of Tiissilacjo farfara, in some cases turning down a lobe of the leaf, 

 and in others puckering the leaf by partly drawing two portions 

 together with silk. Of course, I expected some common Pyrale to 

 appear, possibly liUealis, and I was greatly surprised when this insect 

 came out. About eight were bred. 



S. sinuana, St. — Local, as, indeed, it seems to be everywhere. I 

 have only taken it near Brentwood ; a single male at rest on an oak, 

 but a fair number of larvje taken on what I expect is its only food- 

 plant — viz. the spun-together flower-heads of the wild hyacinth [Scilla 

 nutans). Eleven were bred this summer, and thirteen last year (1900). 

 Some of the females are very fine. 



S.{^) hijbridana, Hb. — Fairly common; frequently found amongst 

 elm bushes and blackthorns, on one or both of which I expect the 

 larva feeds, but many hours have been spent in vain looking for it ! 

 I once bred a single specimen from a pupa spun up in a composite 



