CATAI06TJE OF MOTHS. 83 



The only notice I have of this very rare species is that '* a 

 nice female from Castle Eden" was sold at the sale of Dr. 

 Wheeler's Collection, 10th July, 1895, for 32/6 (see Entom. 

 xxviii., p. 231). 



The price shows there could he no doubt as to the authenticity 

 of the specimen, hut I would rather expect it to occur on the 

 higher moors in the western part of the county, where Vac- 

 ciniiim myrtillus (Bilberry) grows freely. My friend Mr. Gard- 

 ner has searched assiduously for the larva on the Teesdale moors, 

 so far without success, but does not despair yet of finding it 

 there. 



SATURNIA, Sch. 



39. Saturnia Carpini, Bork. Emperoe Moth. 



Saturnia Pavonia-minor, Staint. Man., vol.i., p. 140. 



,, Carpini. Newm. Brit. Moths, p. 48. 



,, ,, Barr.Lep. Brit. Is.,vol. iii.,p.57. 



„ Pavonia. Meyr. Hdbk. Brit. Lep., p. 313. 



Laeva. Buck., vol. iii., pi. Hi., fig. 1 ; 0. Wils., pi. xv., fig. 4. 



The Emperor Moth, beautiful both as a larva and as a perfect 

 insect, occurs on all the heaths and moors in both counties, 

 generally fairly plentiful. It is given in the Twizell list, and 

 other ^Northumberland records are — '^Redewater district," E,. 

 Howse; "common on the moors," J. Einlay; "larvae on the 

 moors at Eothbury and Sweethope, males flying in the sun," 

 W. Maling; "Bellingham," J. Ehagg. Durham records are 

 — " On heaths near Durham and in the west of the county," 

 Ornsby's Durham ; "larvae on Ling at ShuU," "W". Backhouse ; 

 "above High Force," R. Howse; "common on the Teesdale 

 moors," J. Gardner; *' locally abundant on the Ling," E. A. 

 Lees; "common on the moors," R. Green well, Bishop Auck- 

 land. Though Ling or Heather is the natural food of the larva 

 it will eat many other plants, and a solitary example was found 

 on a Willow tree in a garden at West Hartlepool in 1874, 



