MANDUCA ATROPOS. 441 



from the coast. Clogg notes (Ent., ii., p. 341) that, in 1865, one was 

 taken on board a schooner in the Bristol Channel, 10 miles from 

 land, and another came on board a fishing-vessel, in the English 

 Channel, when 4 miles from land. Lighton observes (Ent., ii., p. 133, 

 the capture of one on a boat in October, 1864, in the port at 

 Dartmouth. Kerry records (Ent., xii., p. 271) that, in September, 

 1879, a specimen was caught off the Harwich coast, on the 

 " Cork" lightship, which was moored at the time 7 miles from land ; 

 he further notes (Young Nat., iv., p. 23) a specimen captured 

 September 21st, 1882, on board a ship in Harwich harbour. 

 Dillwyn records that, in 1864, the captain of a vessel 

 brought him a specimen of M. atropos, which he saw fly, 

 and then settle on the sails of his vessel, when it .was 

 several miles from shore, near the mouth of the Bristol Channel. 

 Clarke notes (Nat., 1892, p. 339) that, in October, 1892, a 

 specimen flew into a boat a little distance out at sea off Scarborough. 

 Daws records (Ent. Rec, xi., p. 318) having a specimen brought 

 to him, on September 17th, 1899, that had been taken on a fishing-boat 

 whilst voyaging between Scarborough and Penzance. Kent mentions 

 (Ent. Wk. Lit., viii., p. 67) one picked up alive at sea off St. Leonards, 

 on May 23rd, i860, and Potter (op. cit., vii., p. 27) that a $ 

 was captured on board H.M.S. " Minx," when lying in the 

 river off Woolwich, on October nth, 1859; Backhouse notes 

 one taken off the coast of Northumberland, four miles out at sea, 

 and Hedworth says that two were taken on board a wherry at 

 Dunston, whilst Robson states that, at Hartlepool, when herring-nets 

 are spread out to dry, the insect is occasionally found entangled 

 by its hooked claws ... It has also been brought to him 

 by herring-fishers flying to the lights of the boat when at sea. 

 He further observes ( Young Nat., vi., p. 239) that one was 

 picked up on the beach at Hartlepool, among seaweed, in 

 September, 1885, and also notes ( Young Nat., vii., p. 128) a 2 taken 

 on board one of the fishing-boats off Hartlepool, in 1886, and a 

 second found on the rocks two days later. Esson records one 

 (Ento/n., xxiii., p. 168) taken by a fisherman at Aberdeen. Fro- 

 hawk notes (Ent., xxviii., p. 280) a $ specimen being washed ashore 

 in a breaker in September, 1895, at Porthcawl, and another (as noted 

 above) taken at the lighthouse of St. Agnes (toe. cit., p. 310), in 

 the Scilly Isles. Beare records (Ent. Rec, xiv., p. 276) a specimen 

 captured on the s.s. " Neiman " on a voyage from Leith to Ham- 

 burg, it flew on board when the vessel was about 20 miles 

 east of the May Island, whilst Hill mentions (Ent. Rec, iv., p. 

 272) a specimen captured on the beach at Seaford on September 28th, 

 1893. Powell writes {in litt.) : " The perfect insect is scarce at Hyeres, 

 and is rarely met with. 1 met, however, with a single one, one evening 

 some 8 years ago, out at sea, between the Island of Porquerolles 

 and the mainland, when the insect struck against the sail and 

 fell into the boat; it was in the summer-time but I have no 

 record of the date." Robbing beehives : The fact that the 

 imagines of this species rob bee-hives* of the honey stored 

 * Levoiturie states (Pet. Nouv. Ent., i., p. 354) that Al. atropos also visits the 

 nests of Vespa crabro, but Huber avers that the moths do not frighten wasps 

 when they enter their nests, as they do bees, but that, on the contrary, the 

 wasps soon turn them out in a dying state, 



