68 



The Naturalist. 



are some of the most strikingly-marked moths in the whole order of 

 the Pyrales. They are found in various situations, some being 

 partial to the clearings, or open spaces in woods, others frequent 

 downs and sea-cliffs, whilst one occurs only on sandhills. To notice 

 them more particularly, the three species in the first genus, viz., 

 Pyrcumta punicealis^ purpiiralis, and ostrinalis, together with Herhula 

 cespitalis and Eiwychia cingulalis and auguinalis all delight in sandy or 

 chalky slopes or downs, as well as clearings and open places in woods. 

 They skip about with great rapidity, and are rather difficult to see in 

 the blazing sun, and consequently not always easy to get hold of. As 

 several different species, too, often fly together, it requires a little 

 patience if you only happen to want one particular kind. I have 

 taken several of them in the woods of Kent and Sussex, and on the 

 Sussex downs and cliffs. It may be as well to say here, too, that 

 although purpuralis and osirinalis are generally placed as distinct 

 species, I have very great doubt about it myself. Of their larvse that 

 of cingulalis is said to feed on Salvia pratensis ; it commences in summer 

 but hibernates, and is not full-grown until April following ; punicealis 

 in June, July, and Augast, in flower-heads of Nepeta cataria ; purpu- 

 ralis, and ostrinalis, in June and July, between the leaves of Mentha 

 a?'vensis ; and Herhula cespitalis under leaves of Salvia 'pratensis and 

 Plantago in June. The lovely little EJiodaria sanguinalis is only found 

 on sandhills near the sea, Wallasey, in Cheshire, being perhaps its 

 best locality ; I believe it is on the wing in June and again in 

 August, and its larva is found in July on thyme flowers. The 

 remaining species in the family, Bnnychia octomaculalis, is perhaps the 

 best known of all, and is always a great favourite ; it is the largest 

 species, and its intensely black ground with eight equally white spots 

 make it a beautiful and conspicuous object, either on the wing or 

 when pinned in the cabinet. It is a generally-distributed species, 

 for, although more plentiful in the north of England, I have found it 

 commonly in the Sussex woods; it is abundant in Wales, and- 

 equally so in the Lake district, occurring in every part of it in 

 which I have collected ; I once took one or two even on the mountain 

 sides near Witherslack. It is out a long time from early summer 

 onwards. Unfortunately nothing whatever seems to be known of its 

 early history, consequently I should be very glad if some member of 

 our Society would endeavour to work it out. One I know has taken 

 a fair number of specimens during the past summer. Five species of 

 the family are recorded from this neighbourhood, but I fear some of 

 them are gone, Ennyclda octomaculalis at any rate, for I have not 

 heard of a specimen for years. 



