142 CATALOGUE OF MOTHS. 



A very common species, abundaiit wherever there is plenty of 

 Hawthorn, but appearing in September or October, and often 

 overlooked by those who cease to collect at the end of summer. 

 The larva feeds on Hawthorn, and closely resembles a twig of 

 that tree. JSTone of the lists mention the occurrence of the curi- 

 ous unicolorous variety Capucina, which certainly ought to occur. 



LUPERINA, Bois. 



85. Luperina testacea, Hub. Elounced Rustic. 



Luperina testacea. Staint. Man., vol. i., p. 206. 



,, ,, I^ewm. Brit. Moths, p. 296. 



,, ,, Barr. Lep. Brit. Is., vol. iv., p. 332. 



„ „ Meyr. Hdbk. Brit. Lep., p. 115. 



Laeva. Buck., vol. iv., pi. Ixv., fig. 3. 



A very common species, on all the lists, and no doubt occur- 

 ring in all grassy places in both counties. The larva feeds on 

 the grass roots, below the surface, and is therefore not affected 

 by smoky or other deposits on the blades. It is thus enabled to 

 survive where others cannot exist. I have known it abound in 

 the grassy tufts at the foot of palings around a large rolling mill. 

 The imagines, as they emerged, which they do about 9 p.m., 

 crawled up the palings till their wings were dry. At any place 

 like this they can easily be examined, and as it is a very variable 

 species, fine forms can be selected at leisure. I have taken pale 

 specimens thus, scarcely differing from what has been called 

 Gueneei, and others exceedingly dark, which might possibly 

 represent Nickerlii, as Mr. Barrett supposes the British record 

 of the capture of this insect to refer to a dark form of Testacea. 

 The shape of the wings varies much as well as the colouring, 

 and the paler forms often have the fore-wings very narrow, 

 especially in the female. Mr. Barrett states that this tendency 

 to variation is confined to specimens occurring on the coast. I 

 have no experience with it inland. It is an insect that comes 

 freely to light. 



