26 



BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



the autumn, spring and early summer, and may be seen any 

 bright day throughout the winter ; wild flowers are most plentiful from 

 the end of November to the end of March, and, about Christmas, 

 various species of sweet-smelling narcissus are in flower in the 

 various little rocky valleys that abound throughout Malta, and 

 S. stellatarum is very partial to these. In gardens, the flowers of 

 Lanlana, Plumbago and evergreen privet are very attractive when they 

 are out. I think the first ova must be deposited in October and 

 then all through the winter, for I have seen larvae full grown and 

 quite small early in the year (Mathew). Mathew further gives (in 

 lilt.) the following table of observations recorded in his diaries, 

 of course, a very small proportion of the whole, but still sufficient to 

 give considerable food for reflection : — 



Feb. nth, 1862 



Gibraltar 



Many seen flying about the face of 

 the rock in the hot sun. 



Feb. 15th, 1863 



Lisbon 



Several flying about in the hot sun. 



Nov, 1 2th, 1865 



Malta 



Ditto. * 



Feb. 16th, 1866 



Gibraltar 



In great numbers ; a pair seen riving 

 slowly in cop. 



April 21 st-24th, 1866 



Malta to Gibraltar 



Several seen flying about ship during 

 passage. 



April 28th, 1878 



Mediterranean 



At sea, 150 miles E. of Malta ; many 

 seen about ship. 



May 24th, 1878 



Sea of Marmora 



Off Bulair Lines ; noticed ovipositing 

 on a plant on which was full-grown 

 larva. Cochrania croatica also seen 

 nearly every day. 



June 13th, 1878 



G-allipoli 



Very numerous with Cuchraniacroatica. 



Aug. 14th - Sept. 



Besika Bay 



Numerous. 



12th, 1878 







Oct. 13th, 1878 



Artaki Bay 



An example, still alive in the claws of 

 a mantis. 



Feb. 27 th - March 



Malta 



Seen frequently. 



24th, 1879 







Oct. 17th, 1896 



Salonika 



Many seen at flowers of plumbago. 



Jan. 3rd, 1897 



Malta 



Several ; one of these moths probed the 

 flowers of a bunch of narcissus, held 

 in the hand. 



Feb. 27th, 1897 



Malta 



Several. 



Sept. 30th, 1897 



Malta 



Ditto. 



March nth, 1898 



Flatea 



Unusually abundant. Flies in the 

 dullest and coldest weather. Often 

 found them in cabin at dusk ; these 

 commence to fly about as soon as 

 electric light is turned on. 



Other records are — November 1st, 1900, at Nauplia, November 19th 

 off Crete, December 1st at Ayas Bay, January 30th, 1901, at Platea 

 in Greece, February 18th at Zea, March 2nd, 1901, again April 

 26th to the end of May, abundant at Malta, July 26th, 1901, 

 at Malta, &c. In 1902, observed at Malta, February 26th-March 

 1 st, abundant, March 8th-i2th, commonly, March 26th a few, 

 May 13th, one or two absolutely fine, evidently the forerunners of 

 a brood commencing to emerge, on May isth-iyth, a few were taken 

 quite fresh, and May 24th one, common again August i8th-2oth, then 

 October 12th, abundant at the Lantana flowers (Fletcher); may 

 be seen any line day throughout the year along the Mediterranean 

 coast, examples seen on Christmas day, 1886, on the rock of 



