BIRCHAXL CATALOGUE OF IRTSR LEPIDOPTERA. 63 



]S"ola Cristulalis. — Wicklow. Mr. Barrett ; also at Dublin and Howth. 



,, Strigula. — Killarney. 

 Nudaria Mundana. — Common. 

 Setina Irrorella. — Common on the coast. 

 Calligenia Miniata. — Galway. 



Lithosia Mesomella Mr. Greene's list ; locality unknown. 



,, Aureola. — Abundant in Killarney. 

 ,, Helveola. — Mr. Greene's list ; locality unknown. 

 ,, Complanuta. — Generally distributed. 

 ,, Hubricollis. — Do. 



Caniola (PL I., Fig. 4).— Discovered by Mr. Barrett in 1860, on the Hill 

 of Howth. Abundant, but extremely local. So far as at pre- 

 sent observed, it only occurs on one closely sheltered bank, 

 although its food plant {Lotus corniculatus) grows every- 

 where on the Hill. The larva feeds at night on the flowers 

 of the Lotus, preferring them to the leaves, though it will 

 eat the latter in confinement. 



On the Continent it is understood to feed exclusively on lichens, 

 frequenting the roofs of houses and churches. Lichens of various 

 sorts abound at Howth, but the larvae do not appear to eat it. 



How this South European insect obtained a settlement on one point 

 of the Irish coast, and in no other part of the British Islands, is a curious 

 problem in Natural History. The extreme sensitiveness of the larvae to 

 cold, the slightest frost (in confinement) proving fatal, gives the idea 

 of an insect not thoroughly acclimatized ; and it does not seem impro- 

 bable that it has been introduced in the larva state among moss or 

 lichen by some of the smugglers, for which this part of the coast was for- 

 merly notorious, and for whose repression a numerous Coast Guard is 

 still maintained, as the entomologist who attempts to use a lantern on 

 the cliffs of Howth will soon find to his cost. The Moth appears early 

 in August; it flies for about half an hour at dusk, and again in the 

 morning dawn. The males may be attracted abundantly by a bred fe- 

 male, and both sexes come freely to sugar. 



Euchelia Jacobsea. — Very common. 



Callimorpha dominula. — Mr. Halliday ; locality not stated. 

 Euthemonia Russula. — Abundant on the heaths of south and west. 

 Chelonia Plantaginis. — Generally distributed. 

 ,, Caja — Common. 



,, Villica. — Mr. Greene's list. I have not met with the in- 

 sect. 

 Arctia Euliginosa. — Common. 



„ Mendica. — Mr. Greene's list. 

 ,, Lubricipeda. — Common. 

 ,, Menthastri. — Do., especially in the west. 

 Liparis Chrysorrhea. — Common. 

 ,, Auriflua. — Do. 

 Salicis. — Do. 



