CA'iALOGtJE OF MOTHS. 57 



attract the opposite sex. The male flies a little before sunset in 

 a wild, erratic manner about the tops of low herbage until he 

 comes within the range of attraction, then he flies more slowly 

 and carefully until he finds his mate. This flight seldom lasts 

 more than a quarter of an hour. 



The shortness of time the insect is on the wing, and the sub- 

 terranean life of the larvae, causes the species to be less noticed 

 than might be expected from its abundance. For Northumber- 

 land I have but few notes. It is in the Twizell list; Mr. 

 Henderson found it freely about Jesmond, and Mr. Wasserman 

 (Nat. Hist. Trans., vol. v., p. 286), records it from both sides of 

 the river Tyne. In Durham, notes of its occurrence are more 

 numerous and it is more generally spread over the county. In 

 the west Dr. F. A. Lees found it common in Upper Teesdale, Mr. 

 Pickard at Wolsingham, and Mr. Hedworth from the Derwent 

 district say it is always plentiful. Mr. Eoss found it common 

 at Eishop Auckland, Mr. Backhouse took it freely in Hoffall 

 "Woods, Mr. Sibson about Stockton, and Mr. Maddison at Dur- 

 ham. On the coast we find it swarming around Hartlepool, and 

 Mr. Brady says it occurs in '' myriads" at Sunderland. It is also 

 recorded in Ornsby's Durham. 



4. Hepialus Sylvinus, (Linn ). The Beautiful Swift. 

 Hepialus Sylvinus. Staint. Man., vol. i., p. 111. 



,, ,, Kewm. Brit. Moths, p. 19. 



„ „ Barr. Lep. Brit Is., vol. ii., p. 158. 



„ „ Meyr. Hdbk. Brit. Lep., p. 800. 



Laeva. Buck ,vol. ii., pl.xxx., fig. 5; 0=Wils., pi. ix.,fig.lO. 

 This species is also well distributed in our district. I have 

 records as follows : Twizell ; Chollcrf ord, W. Patterson ; ' ' Plen- 

 tiful at ITewbiggin-by-the-Sea and at Whitley, "W. Maling; 

 Jesmond, W. Henderson ; on both sides of the Tyne, Wasser- 

 man (Nat. Hist. Trans., vol. v., p. 286) ; Thornley-on-Derwent 

 among ferns, T. H. Hedworth ; South Shields, on the sand- 

 banks, C. Eales and T. H. Hedworth ; Eyhope, L. S. Brady ; 

 Darlington and Shull, W. Backhouse ; Bishop Auckland, Geo. 

 Eoss ; Upper Teesdale, F. A. Lees ; Darlington, J. Sang ; Stock- 



