114 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



The individuals we see in woods are generally much paler than those inhabit- 

 ing open ground, and are besides of a fuller make and larger size. The 

 thrushes we see on commons and such places are much slenderer than the 

 sylvan mavises, and their colours are fuller and richer. 



There is rather an uncommon bird in yonder hedge. Its general colour 

 seems to be reddish chesnut, but it has a pearly grey head. Examining it 

 through a field-glass we see the underside of the bird is pale rusty red, and 

 its back a reddish chesnut, the wings seem to be composed of black feathers 

 edged with red. The feathers of the tail are half white and the other half 

 black ; the head, neck, and upper part of the shoulders are pearly grey with a 

 black stripe running from the base of the beak to the eye. It is a red-backed 

 shrike [Euneocto'nus collurio), and has probably not been long here. They 

 come at the end of May, and at once commence nest building. 



Here is a moth at rest on a tree trunk. You passed it without noticing 

 it, and no wonder, perhaps, for it so much resembles a piece of grey lichen 

 that one needs sharp eyes to see it. It is the sycamore moth (Acronycta 

 aceris), and is developed from a very pretty reddish caterpillar, with yellowish 

 or reddish hairs down the sides, and a row of white lozenge-shaped markings 

 bordered with black down the back. It may be found occasionally on syca- 

 more trees at the end of summer. Here on this lime tree we have another 

 of the genus. It is the grey dagger moth {Acronycta tridens), and like the 

 sycamore moth has a very lichen-like appearance. Others of the genus are 

 out now, one of which known as the dagger moth (A. psi) is very much like 

 the preceding, and with difficulty distinguished from it. The other species 

 are the miller moth [A. leporina), which we may look out for on palings near 

 where birch trees are growing ; A. megacephala, to be found at rest on poplar 

 trees ; A, menyant/iides, to be looked for on heaths in the north; A. ligustri, 

 on palings and gate posts near privet hedges ; A. alni, on willow, lime or 

 other trees; and the common A. rumicis, and its smaller and darker variety 

 salicis. Besides these there is the rare and local A. myricce, to obtain which 

 'it will be necessary to take a journey to Eannoch. 



That pretty greenish golden little moth flying about those buttercups is 

 one of the Micropterygidse, a family of the Tineina. It may be either Micro- 

 pteryx calthella or seppella, but most likely it is the former. Upon captur- 

 ing it we see the base of the wing is purple in colour from the costa to the 

 inner margin. This at once identifies it as the first of these two species. In 

 seppeUa the base is only purple at the costa. 



There is another little moth of a bright bronzy green colour, with extra- 

 ordinarily long antennae. This is Adela viridella. Others of the genus are 

 found now as degeerella, sulzella, andjibulella. 



