126 CATA.LOGUE OF MOTHS. 



Common and generally distributed, occurring freely on heaths 

 and moors, as well as in cultivated districts, and near the sea. 

 It is given in all the lists, I therefore omit localities. The per- 

 fect insect flies freely in the morning sun from eight o'clock, 

 retiring before midday. It sometimes appears in enormous num- 

 bers, and the larvae then entirely destroy the grass by devouring 

 the roots. Such a swarm appeared in Yorkshire and N^orth 

 Lancashire in 1881, but the species was not unusually numerous 

 here that year. A specimen without the trifurcate mark, from 

 which it derives its trivial name, was taken here some years 

 ago. The imago does not come much to sugar, but frequents 

 flowers at night and is much attracted by light. 



HELIOPHOBUS, Boid. 

 57. Heliophobus popularis, Fab. Teatheeed Gothic. 



Heliophohus popular is, Staint. Man., vol. i., p. 203. 



,, „ IS'ewm. Brit. Moths, p. 291. 



,, ,, Barr. Lep. Brit. Is., vol. iv., p. 133. 



Neuronia ,, Meyr. Hdbk. Brit. Lep., p. 76. 



Laeva. Buck., vol. iv., pi. Ixiv., fig. 2. 



Generally distributed over both counties, but not very com- 

 mon, perhaps more abundant than appears, as we scarcely know 

 how to take it except at light, for it does not frequent flowers 

 and never comes to sugar. It is in the Twizell list ; Mr. Bolam 

 took a single specimen at light on 4th September, 1882; Mr. 

 rinlay found it in all the cultivated parts of his district ; Mr. 

 Henderson met with it at Jesmond; Mr. Maling, Mr. Rhagg, 

 and my son, Mr. Thomas Eobson, got it at light near IN'ewcastle. 

 It is given in Ornsby's Durham ; Mr. Backhouse took it at 

 Polam, Darlington ; Mr. Sang found it on Black well Bridge and 

 on lamps within the town, Darlington being also a Manual 

 locality; Mr. Boss found it at Bishop Auckland. In 1865 I 

 was lodging in a cottage overlooking Hezleden Dene, and Popu- 

 laris came freely to a window in which I placed a lamp. Since 

 then I have only once met with it — 7th September, 1886 — but 

 there is no reason to suppose it is less numerous, 



