Page:VCH Norfolk 1.djvu/172

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A HISTORY OF NORFOLK HETEROCERA Smerinthus ocellatus, Linn. Widely distri- buted, and rather common in the fens, feeding quite as frequently upon Salix capraa as upon the narrow-leaved wil- lows — populi, Linn. Common, and not con- fined to poplar, but feeding also upon broad-leaved sallows — tiliae, Linn. Scarce, but found on lime near Norwich, Merton, Thetford, Lynn, Raveningham, Sparham, Cawston and Homing Acherontia atropos, Linn. Found occasion- ally in all parts of the county, but usually in the larva state Sphinx convolvuli, Linn. Also found occa- sionally in various parts of the county ; in the year 1887 it suddenly appeared in considerable numbers, and many were taken — nearly thirty in my own garden at King's Lynn — ligustri, Linn. Generally common ; its magnificent green larva, with lilac and white oblique side-stripes, and a caudal horn, may be found on privet bushes in the gardens, and at the road-sides Deilephila galii, Sch. Very rare, but taken at Denton in 1888 by the Rev. C. T. Cruttwell ; also at Gillingham near Beccles by Dr. Crowfoot ; and at Tar- mouth — euphorbiae, Linn. I had the singularly good fortune to capture a male speci- men, hovering at flowers of verbena, in my garden at King's Lynn, on Sej>- tember 7th, 1887. This I believe to be the only example ever taken in the county — livornica, Esp. There is a reliable record of the capture of a single specimen at Thetford in 1857 ; and another of the occurrence of an example at the electric light at Carrow near Norwich in 1891. Stephens gave this rare species as an inhabitant of the county {Illustra- tions, vol. i. p. 127), but without locality Chaerocampa celerio, Linn. Also recorded by Stephens, but without definite locality — porcellus, Linn. Norwich, Tarmouth, Ketteringham, Horning, Lynn, Hun- stanton, Cawston, Merton, Thetford, Broome ; not very common — elpenor, Linn. Generally distributed, especially frequenting marshy spots Macroglossa stellatarum, Linn. Widely dis- tributed ; rather common on the coast ; most attractive from its habit of poising itself at flowers like a humming-bird Macroglossa fuciformis, Linn. Merton, Hey- don, Cawston, Horsford, Briston, Drayton and around Kings Lynn ; not common — bombyliformis, Esp. Woodbastwick, Caw- ston, Horsford ; scarce Sesia spheciformis, Sch. Taken by the Rev. T. H. Marsh at Horsford near Nor- wich ; possibly wherever alder is abun- dant — tipuliformis, Linn. Norwich, Yarmouth, Lynn ; in gardens — myopiformis, Bkh. Norwich; in gardens, among old apple trees — culiciformis, Linn. Norwich and Dilham ; rare — formiciformis, Esp. Norwich, Brundall and Kings Lynn ; among osier — ichneumoniformis, Sch. Recorded by old authors as having been taken at South Creake in 1823. It does not seem to have been noticed in the county since that date Sphaecia apiformis, Linn. Common around Norwich; also found at Costessey, Mort- ham, Cawston and elsewhere, on pop- lars ; more frequent in the eastern counties than elsewhere in the United Kingdom — bembeciformis, Hb. Foxley, Hockering, Sparham, Hindolveston, Kerdiston, and Neatishead ; among sallow Procris statices, Linn. Brandon ; recorded by Paget long ago at Caistor ; found recently in plenty by Mr. Atmore near Lynn ; and singly at Hemsby by Mr. Knights Zygaena trifolii, Esp. Near Norwich and Lynn, also at Cawston, Ranworth, Horning and Neatishead ; in damp meadows and fens — lonicerse, Esp. Foxley Wood and Aldeby ; local — filipendulae, Linn. Thetford, Aldeby, Cawston and near Lynn ; but tmcom- mon and very local in this county ; abimdant in many parts of England Macrogaster arundinis, Hb. Two specimens were taken at Ranworth Fen in June, 1878, by Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher ; three near Horsey in August, 1898, by Mr. Percy C. Reid, and one this year near Hickling, by Dr. F. D. Wheeler Zeuzera aesculi, Linn. Norwich, Lynn, Tar- mouth, Thetford, Merton, Denton, Gel- destone, Whitwell ; scarce. Dr. Plow- 140