A HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND 
I have taken a specimen as late as December 17th. <Aplecta prasina, 
Fb., is widely diffused but seldom common. 4. occulta, L., has been 
taken sparingly near Brampton by Mr. Routledge. 4. nedbulosa, Hufn., 
occurs generally, but 4. sincfa, Brahm, does not appear to have been 
taken away from the lakes, where at times it is not uncommon. Hadena 
adusta, Esp., is moderately common throughout the county. One of the 
most variable Noctue is H. protea, Bork., which is always abundant, 
while H. glauca, Hb., is scarce and appears to be peculiar to heaths, 
H. dentina, Esp., is rather commoner and varies extensively. H. 
oleracea, L., abounds in gardens, H. pis, L., amongst broom, etc., and 
H. thalassina, Rott., visits ‘sugar’ in early summer. H. contigua, Vill., 
is found sparingly near Brampton by Mr. Routledge. The beautiful 
H. rectilinea, Esp., was taken near Keswick years ago, and the Carlisle 
lepidopterists have taken a fair number quite recently. One of the 
earliest Noctue of the year is Xy/ocampa areola, Esp., which is readily 
found resting on trees, walls, etc., wherever there is much honeysuckle, its 
food plant, growing. Cal/ocampa vetusta, Hb., is rare, but C. exoleta, L., 
is universally common. C. so/idaginis, Hb., is confined to hilly districts ; 
I have taken it on Lazonby Fell, and other localities are Keswick, Gelt 
Valley and Penrith Beacon. Asteroscopus sphinx, Hufn., occurs sparingly 
at light and I have beaten the larva from crab. Cuculla umbratica, L., is 
common at flowers in gardens. C. chamomille, Schiff., is sometimes 
taken near Carlisle. Gonoptera hbatrix, L., visits ‘sugar’ or may be 
easily bred from larve taken on sallow and osier. Habrostola tripartita, 
Hufn., and H. triplasia, L., occur pretty generally at flowers in gardens 
and lanes. The commonest P/usias are P. chrysitis, L., P. wota, L., P. 
pulchrina, Haw., and P. gamma, L.  P. bractea, Fb., has been taken near 
Carlisle by Mr. G. Wilkinson and in other localities by other collectors 
but is rare. P. festuce, L., is moderately common. P. interrogationts, 
L., occurs among heath on the hills, though it has been found quite close 
to Carlisle. A typical heath-loving species is Anarta myrtill, L., and 
as is to be expected in this county of heaths and ‘ mosses’ is abundant. 
It flies rapidly during the heat of the day. Heliaca tenebrata, Scop., 
occurs in meadows, but its short jerky flight easily escapes observation. 
Of the very rare Heliothis scutosa, Schiff., two specimens were taken in 
Cumberland upwards of sixty years ago. The first of these, which 
was also the first British specimen, was captured on the banks of the 
Caldew near Dalston in July, 1833 ; the second being taken on the coast 
near Skinburness. It is not improbable that other specimens were 
found subsequently but no trace can now be made of any. Chariclea 
umbra, Hufn., occurs in a railway cutting near How Mill and will 
likely turn up when the coast sandhills are more diligently worked. 
Hydreha uncula, Clerck, does not appear to have been noticed for some 
years, though formerly common at Orton when the ‘ moss’ there was 
more extensive than now. Phytometra viridaria, Clerck, is common on 
heaths though easily overlooked. LEuclidia mi, Clerck, and E. g/yphica, 
L., haunt grassy places. Rivw/a sericealis, Scop., is taken near Keswick, 
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