THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



185 



THE LEPIDOPTERA OF LONDON. 



By ERNEST ANDERSON. 

 (Continued from page 139J 



We now come to the Geometrse, the first of which U. sambucata (Swallow 

 Tail moth) is frequently observed on summer evenings, coming in at our 

 open windows, or boldly dashing round our gardens. The larvae principally 

 feed upon ivy, and live throughout the winter, but are very rarely noticed as 

 they so exactly resemble the ivy stems, that even when searched for by ex- 

 perienced lepidopterists they are hard to find, but they are easily reared from 

 the ova, and are very good examples of the " stick " larvae of this division. 

 The pupa is enclosed in a loose silken mesh, which is suspended from a twig 

 or leaf, swinging about freely at the slightest touch, in this precarious position 

 it remains a very short time, the imago emerging in about 1^ or 14 days. R. 

 cratcegata (Brimstone moth) is fairly abundant where hawthorn trees are grown, 

 first appearing in May and being found throughout the summer, there being 

 several broods ; it is a conspicuous species at dusk, and also comes to light, 

 being accompanied sometimes by €L elinguaria (Scolloped Oak) which, how- 

 ever, is by no means so common, though the large larvae are frequently ob- 

 served in the spring making havoc of our lilac bushes. It is curious to note 

 that these town-fed larvae are of a uniform sooty black colour, instead of the 

 the usual pretty colour with markings down the back. The moths, however, 

 produced from them, in no way differ from the ordinary type. This species 

 is well worth breeding, and the ova are easily obtained, but it must be re- 

 membered that though laid in autumn, they do not hatch until the following 

 spring ; a fact that seems to be unknown to many young naturalists, as I 

 have heard of one or two broods being thrown away in disgust as unfertile, 

 through this lack of knowledge on the part of their owners. 



Of the Thorn moths, E. angularia is perhaps the only representative, but 

 some very fine forms are occasionally taken in our parks, I am afraid, how- 

 ever, that this species is rapidly disappearing, the great attractions light has 

 for the perfect insects proving fatal to many. 



The next species, P. pilomria, I mention with some doubt, as the only 

 record I have of it is the solitary specimen mentioned at the commencement 

 of this article in the May number. Emerging as it does in the early part of 

 the year, long before the town lepidopterist thinks of commencing operations, 

 it is very likely to be overlooked. I shall be very glad to hear of it from 

 other parts of London. 



There is no doubt about our next species being a true Londoner, since one 

 of its common names is derived from the fact, I refer to B. UHaria (Cockney 



