30 



THE lOUNG 



NATURALIST. 



small wings. In Mr. Newman's figure of 

 Zonaria these are shown, though the text 

 states in both insects that "the female is 

 entirely without wings." Zonavia may be 

 readily distinguished from Hispidaria by the 

 former having grey bands across the body ; 

 the latter, too, is rather more slender in 

 shape. Pilosaria appears in February, and 

 is generally distributed. Zonaria appears 

 in April, and, I believe, has only been taken 

 on the Cheshire coast. Hispidaria appears 

 in February or March, and, though more 

 generally distributed than its near relation, 

 is not very common. There are eight moths 

 with more slender bodies, viz., Hyhernia 

 rupicapraria, leucophearia, aurantiaria, pro- 

 gemmaria and defoliaria, Anisopteryx ascularia, 

 Cheimatobia brumata and boreata. Their date 

 of appearance is as follows: — October, H. 

 aurantiaria and defoliaria, C. brumata and 

 boreata. These continue to emerge through 

 November and the latter pair even in Dec- 

 ember. In January H. rupicapraria appears. 

 In February H. leucophearia and progemmaria 

 appear, continuing out through February 

 and into March, when the latest, A. ascularia, 

 emerges. Two of these are entirely apterous : 

 H. defoliaria, which may be instantly recog- 

 nized by the double row of dark spots on a 

 light ground. It is also larger than the 

 female of A. ascularia, which may be dis- 

 tinguished from all others by having a con- 

 spicuous anal tuft. H. progemmaria has 

 wings of considerable size, and which always 

 stand out as if the specimen had been set 

 for the cabinet. The markings of the male 

 may also be traced in them. H. aurantiaria 

 has short and very narrow wings, orange 

 yellow in colour, with two distinctly darker 

 Imes across. The wings of C. boreata are 

 rounded at the hind magin, like those of 

 Aurantiaria, but they are less in size and 

 quite different in colour. H. rupicapraria and 

 C. brumata also have short, very narrow 

 wings, rather straight at the hind margin, 

 almost as if cut off. These two are perhaps 



the most difficult to distinguish, but brumata 

 is less in size. Besides, brumata is not often 

 seen after we have entered on the new year' 

 while rupicapraria does not emerge till 

 January at soonest. There remains now 

 only Leucophearia to speak of. The female 

 has rudimentary wings it is true, but they 

 are mere rudiments, and the species may be 

 thus recognized. Perhaps if the above in- 

 formation be put in tabular form it will be 

 better understood. 



Date. Species. Wings of female. 



October, &c. H. aurantiaria, Short, narrow, 

 orange 



,, defoliaria apterous 



,, C. brumata very short, nar- 



row, brown, 

 hind margin 

 rounded. 



,, boreata very short, 



narrow, pale 

 brown, hind 

 margin straight 

 January H. rupicapraria Very short, nar- 

 row, hind margin 

 straight, a darker 

 central band. 

 February H. leucophearia A mere trace of 

 wings. 



,, progemmaria Wings of consid- 



erable size. 

 March A . asciilaria Apterous, with an 

 anal tuft. 



A NIGHT'S MOTH HUNTING 

 IN NOVEMBER. 



By J. W. Carter. 



Those who are altogether unaccqainted 

 with the natural phenomena of an English 

 year, seem greatly surprised when they are 

 told that moths are to be found abundantly 

 in November and December ; indeed nothing 

 short of ocular proof will convince them 

 that such is the case. They generally do 

 not know the difference between moths and 



