234 CATALOGUE OF MOTHS. 



I have felt doubtful about this record, as no one else has taken 

 it on the Durham coast, and Euholia plumbaria, which so much 

 resembles it, is common there. Mr. Pickard took Petraria on 

 the moors at Wolsingham, and Mr. Backhouse at ShuU and 

 Hoffall Wood. The larva feeds on common Bracken, so that 

 the species might occur anywhere; but with us, it seems to be 

 more of a moorland insect. 



NUMERIA, Dup. 



65. Numeria pulveraria, (Linn.). Baered IJmber. 



Numeria pulveraria. Staint. Man., vol. ii., p. 59. 



,, ,, JSTewm. Brit. Moths, p. 90. 



Metrocampa ,, Meyr. Hdbk. Brit. Lep., p. 281. 



Larva. Buck., vol.vii.,pl.cxxii.,fig.I ; O.Wils., pl.xxii.,fig.2. 



Generally a common insect, but not in these counties. Mr. 

 "Wailes met with it in Meldon Park (see Steph. Illust., vol. iii., 

 p. 195), and gives A.pril and June as the time of its appear- 

 ance. This must be an error, as it is a single brooded species, 

 and does not appear even in the South till quite the end of 

 May — Stephens says June. Mr. Pinlay never met with the 

 insect in Meldon Park nor elsewhere, and I have no further 

 notice of it in JN'orthumberland except that the Manual gives 

 N'ewcastle as a locality for it, but this probably refers to Mr. 

 Wailes' captures. In Durham, Mr. Hedworth found it common 

 at Thornley, but not elsewhere, and none of the recent New- 

 castle collectors appear to have met with it at all. Mr. Back- 

 house got it at Hoffall Wood. Darlington is a Manual locality, 

 with the ! signifying it to occur regularly. Mr. Gardner and I 

 have met with it sparingly in Hezleden Dene, and no doubt it 

 occurs in Castle Eden Dene and other suitable localities, but it 

 is less plentiful towards the Korth, and even in Yorkshire is 

 scarce where it occurs. In fact it seems to be dying out in our 

 district, and if it has not already disappeared from Meldon 

 Park, Thornley Woods, etc., its most northerly habitats, its re- 

 discovery there would be a matter of considerable interest. 



