134 CATALOGUE OF MOTHS. 



Meyrick gives its northern distribution as "■ York to Cumber- 

 land"; and Barnard Castle, in West Durham, is not far from 

 Cumberland. I have no other record but that of Mr. Sang, 

 who took it there on 2nd June, 1865. 



PRAYS, Hub. 



69. Prays curtisellus, Don. 



Prays curtisellus. Staint. Man., vol. ii., p. 310. 

 ,, ,, Meyr. Hdbk. Brit. Lep., p. 694. 



A common species, very generally distributed. The "Manual" 

 gives both Newcastle-on-Tyne and Darlington as places where 

 it occurs regularly. Mr. Finlay found it scarce to the west of 

 Netberwitton ; Mr. Maling says, " In June, at rest on palings. 

 Very variable, some specimens nearly black. Found the larvae 

 feeding in young shoots of ash in May" (Trans., 1875, p. 282). 

 Mr. Cordcr took it near Sunderland. In Hezleden Dene both 

 the type and the dark variety (var. rustica, Haw.) are very 

 common. There it sits on tree trunks. Mr. Backhouse also 

 records it from Shotley. 



PLUTELLA, Schrk. 



70. Plutella cruciferarum, Zell. 



Plutella cruciferarum. Staint. Man., vol. ii , p. 312. 

 „ „ Meyr. Hdbk. Brit. Lep., p. 702. 



This is recognised as one of the more injurious of the Lepi- 

 doptera, though I am doubtful if it does as much harm as it is 

 blamed for. It is always common everywhere; and occasionally, 

 from immigration or other cause, it appears in enormous numbers. 

 The eggs are laid on cruciferous plants, especially on the turnip, 

 and the swarms of young larvse devour the leaves of the 

 springing turnips. But the turnip is a quick grower, and soon 

 recovers the loss of the earlier leaves, though it must doubtless 

 be more or less thrown back. A few years ago this moth seemed 

 to come across the sea in unusually large numbers. The swarm 

 appeared first on the sea coast, and gradually spread inland, 

 missing certain sheltered places as it went on. This year, 1905, 



