75 



species, and been altogether overlooked. It must be remem- 

 bered that we are not dealing with an obscure species of 

 insignificant size, but with one of our largest moths, whose 

 habits are well known, and that its food-plant is the same as 

 that of several other species that are constantly in request ; 

 even, therefore, had this larvae not been specially sought, it is 

 probable that it would have been found had it existed ; but 

 we know that it has been sought frequently and without avail. 

 A good deal has been said too about the relative size of the 

 specimens captured, and those bred, in this country, and those 

 of known Continental origin. I have here a table of measure- 

 ments of the extremes of nearly 500 specimens, the measure- 

 ments are given in millimetres. 



On comparing these figures we find that in both the Aus- 

 trian and other Continental lists we have measurements in 

 excess of both the captured and bred British examples ; but 

 if we exclude the Austrian specimens, we are left with but 

 one that is larger than the largest of the bred British insects. 

 On the other hand, we find that several of the Continental 

 are smaller than the British captured specimens ; but as I 

 believe only the largest of those reared in England are given, 

 any comparison with them would be manifestly unfair, and it 

 appears that the only information that we can draw from these 

 figures is that the insects captured in England more nearly 

 approach those of known Continental origin than do those 

 bred in this country ; and although this taken by itself must 

 be regarded as of small moment, it may be of some little 

 importance when taken in conjunction with other evidence. 

 The species has a wide Continental range, stopping short only 

 of the most northern countries, but appears to be a much 

 more common insect in the Mediteranean littoral than in the 

 cooler districts further north. 



