8 CATALOGUE OP MOTHS. 



were taken at Richmond in Yorkshire. The only habitat 1 

 know of in these counties is Hezleden Dene, in some parts of 

 which it is very abundant, generally on the slopes of dry banks 

 not covered with trees, but sometimes on low open ground. 

 The larvae feed here on Origanum vulgare, but in some places it 

 feeds on Nepeta cataria (cat-mint). That, however, is rare in 

 these counties as a hedge side plant. Punicealis seems to 

 prefer a place where there is an abundance of its food. It 

 evidently likes the company of its kind. 



10. P, purpuralis, Linn. Ceimsojst and Gold. 



Pyrausta purpuralis. Staint. Man., vol ii., p. 138. 

 ,, ,, Leech, Brit. Pyr., p. 23. 



,, ,, Meyr. Hdbk. Brit. Lep., p. 413. 



Imago. Leech, pi. ii., fig. 12. 



Another pretty little day-flying species of similar habit to 

 the last, but occurring in open ground at Black Hall Bocks, on 

 banks facing the sea. The " Manual " gives Darlington as a 

 locality for it, but the specimens were taken at Richmond, 

 Yorkshire. 



11. P. ostrinalis, Hub. Yellow-banded Pueple. 



Pyrausta ostrinalis. Staint. Man., vol ii., p. 138. 



,, ,, Leech, Brit. Pyr., p. 24. 



Imago. Leech, pi. ii., fig. 13. 



It seems more than doubtful whether this is truly distinct 

 from the preceding species. They are nearly always found 

 together, the larvae are not distinguishable, and feed on the 

 same plant. The chief differences in the imagines are that in 

 Purpuralis the band is broken into spots, while in Ostrinalis it 

 is continuous. Ostrinalis^ too is always smaller, and it may be 

 the reduced size causes the spots to run together. The differ- 

 ences are very well shown in Leech's figures, but they do not 

 seem enough to constitute two distinct species. Ostritialis 

 occurs at Black Hall Rocks, near Hartlepool, with Purpuralis. 



