46 
oile or two males each year in his moth trap near Exeter. Once, when 
I was quite a boy, I took one at Hammersmith, I should think about 
the year 1864. The specimen was taken resting on the side of the 
house, and it is still in my cabinet. There were certainly no woods in 
the neighbourhood in those days, hut the country was fairly open, and 
as apple is said to be one of its food-plants it may possibly have fed up 
on that tree, as there were plenty of gardens and orchards at no great 
distance. The most northerly locality in which 1 have any knowledge 
of recent captures is Wyre Forest, on the borders of Worcestershire 
and Staffordshire, where a specimen was taken by Mr. A. J. Hodges, 
in June 1898 or 1899. It was resting on a small sapling oak with the 
wings almost wrapped round the tree. Mr. Massey tells me there is 
one recorded for Yorkshire about 40 years ago, and one for Lancashire, 
but with those exceptions it must he considered quite a southern insect. 
I saw one exhibited at the South London Entomological Society some 
years ago, which was taken by Mr. Kane in Ireland, and at the time 
he said it was the only Irish specimen known to exist. It was remark¬ 
able for being much lighter than the general run. Mr. Horne and Mr. 
Cannon both say they have never seen or heard of a Scotch specimen. 
I understand that in the Heading district they show a preference 
for resting on small trees, also that when one is found it frequently 
happens that one or more are found in close proximity. The only time I 
ever took the species at Brentwood, after taking one male, I remem¬ 
bered having heard of their congregating propensity, and with con¬ 
siderable searching I took another male a few yards from the first. 
Mr. Studd tells me the only time he ever took them in Epping Forest 
he found two, male and female, on the same beech tree, not touching 
each other, but head to head, following the length of the tree. 
From Mr. Hamm I learn that the earliest date on which it has 
ever been taken in the wood round Reading was April 25th, and it has 
been found from that date until -July 18th, in varying intervals accord¬ 
ing to weather, etc. He says “ 1 have known them to occur quite 
plentifully in some seasons in the middle of May, and then perhaps 
hardly one would be seen for a fortnight or more, when there would 
he a burst again, and then, perhaps, they would occur sparingly into 
July.” Mr. \Y. Barnes found one in Sulham Wood on November 6th, 
1891, and Mr. W. Holland found two in Chazry Wood, on November 
4th, in the same year. These captures undoubtedly formed part of a 
second brood. The earliest date on which Mr. Burrows has taken 
them in the Brentwood district, was on May 23rd, 1893, and the latest 
July 4th, 1886. Strangely enough, my only record for Brentford was 
on the very day before Mr. Burrows took his earliest, being May 22nd, 
1893. I believe the dark form was first taken by the Rev. B. Smith, 
at Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire, by assembling. Mr. Hamm tells 
me it was not taken at Reading until 1891 or 1892. In the latter 
year the species was very abundant and a large number were taken by 
Mr. Holland and Mr. Clarke. Mr. Burrows took the black variety at 
Brentwood as long ago as June 12th, 1886. In the Reading district 1 
am told the dark form occurs on an average of one to every eight of 
normal colour, and there are also intermediate forms. Mr. Clarke 
seems to think the dark form has increased somewhat during the last 
live or six years, but it may be that he has become more expert in 
finding them. 1 am told that about Reading the dark ones are far 
