A HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND > 
NOCTUZ 
Bryophila perla, Fb., is found on old walls, often commonly. Demas 
coryli, L., is rare, Keswick and Cockermouth being the only localities 
where it has been taken. Of the two ‘Daggers,’ Acronycta tridens, Schiff., 
is reported to occur rarely near Keswick, but 4. ps7, L., is of universal dis- 
tribution. 4. /eporina, L., is taken at ‘sugar’ all over the county, and the 
beautiful larva, which is green with long snowy-white hairs, is not un- 
frequently found and dearly loves a lump of cork to pupate in. a. 
megacephala, Fb., and A. ligustri, Fb., though of wide distribution are 
somewhat local ; the first-named is attached to willow and poplar, the 
latter entirely to ash. One of the most abundant of the genus is 4. 
rumicis, L., which is a regular visitor to the lepidopterist’s treacle patches 
in June ; the larva is often found in kitchen gardens feeding on the leaves 
of strawberry and raspberry. 4. menyanthidis, View., is confined to moors 
and heaths, where it is found resting on tree trunks and sometimes on 
the bare ground ; the larve are taken on heath and sweet gale. Dzloba 
ceruleocephala, L., is abundant in the larval state on hawthorn and crab. 
Leucania conigera, Fb., and L. lithargyria, Esp., visit flowers pretty freely 
in June. L. “ittoralis, Curt., is said by Stephens to have been taken on the 
Cumberland coast by Weaver in 1827, about which period T. C. Hey- 
sham is credited with having captured L. zmpudens, Hb., on Cardew Mire, 
but neither species have been heard of since. L. comma, L., L. impura, 
Hb., and L. pallens, L., are common in reed beds during the summer. 
Tapinostola fulva, Hb., frequents damp meadows, heaths and woods, and 
may be noticed in plenty on the wing towards dusk at the end of August. 
Red forms are not uncommon. Of that fine species Nonagria arundinis, 
Fb., Mr. J. E. Thwaytes took a single specimen at light on the railway 
in Carlisle in 1898, but as there is no other Cumberland record it is 
possible that this specimen was introduced into the district in a railway 
truck. Hydrecia nictitans, Bork., is common at most of the stations, and 
is fond of visiting the flower heads of black knapweed and devil’s-bit- 
scabious. H. petasitis, Dbl., has been found amongst butterbur near 
Carlisle. H. micacea, Esp.,is very common at the flowers of ragwort and 
at ‘sugar’; pupe may be freely taken at the roots of the common dock. 
Axylia putris, L., is rather scarce, and does not appear to have been 
noticed at all in the southern half of the county.  Xylophasia rurea, 
Fb., and its var. combusta, Dup., X. lithoxylea, Fb., and X. monoglypha, 
Hufn., are generally abundant ; but X. sud/ustris, Esp., is confined to 
Keswick and Salkeld; while X. 4epatica, L., though occurring in 
many places, is seldom common. Dypterygia scabriuscula, L., has not 
been seen near Carlisle for some years, but still visits ‘sugar’ in Castle 
Head Wood, Keswick. Neuronia popularis, Fb., is common at light, 
at least the males are, few females being captured. Chareas graminis, 
L., is very common in meadows and at street lamps, and on more 
than one occasion during the nineteenth century has been known to 
do considerable damage to grass pastures. Cerigo matura, Hufn., is rare, 
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