Page:VCH Essex 1.djvu/196

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A HISTORY OF ESSEX at Epping and Hainault, and Mr. Mathew reports it for the Harwich district, but it does not seem to have occurred elsewhere in north Essex. Odontopera bidentata and Crocallis elinguaria occur in all parts of the county, the latter being much the commoner. Eugonia autumnaria has once been taken at Shoeburyness by Mr. Whittle. Another example was captured by Mr. Mathew at Dovercourt on Oct. 4, 1901. E.alniaria (fi/iariayEork.) comes freely to 'light.' E. fuscantaria is scarce, but is found at Colchester, Harwich, and probably generally in the ash districts. E. erosaria and E. quercinaria (angu/aria, Bork.) are found in many oak woods, the former being much the scarcer. Himera pennaria may be found everywhere, and comes freely to suburban gas lamps in the late autumn. AMPHIDASYD^: Phigalia pedaria (pi/osaria, Hb.) is frequently found on the trunks of trees in January if the weather be mild, and is of general occurrence. Nyssia hispidaria occurs similarly in February and March, but is much scarcer and more local. Biston birtaria is generally common, especially about elms and at gas lamps. Amphidasys strataria (prodromaria, Schiff.) is frequently found on the boles of oak during mild weather in the spring. A. betularia is generally distributed and common ; the black variety doubledayaria and intermediate forms are occasionally captured or bred. BOARMIIDjE Hemeropbila abruptaria is of frequent occurrence at rest on walls and palings. Cleora lichenaria was formerly common in the Colchester dis- trict especially at Birch and Layer-de-la-Haye but has disappeared in recent years. Boarmia repandata and B. gemmaria (rhomboidaria, Hb.) are found everywhere. B. abietaria and B. cinctaria occur about Epping and Ongar. B. roboraria was formerly frequently obtained on the oak trees at Langham Lodge Wood, but has since been vainly sought for in the few acres that remain of that once grand hunting ground. A single specimen was obtained at Colchester in 1897, and it also occurs at Hainault, St. Osyth and Warley. B. comortaria is also recorded from Hainault by Mr. Machin, and was at one time common at St. Osyth. Tepbrosia consonaria, T. crepuscularia and T. biundularia are Epping insects crepuscularia being also recorded from the Harwich district by Mr. Mathew, and a single specimen of T. biundularia was found at Colchester in May, 1901. T. luridata (extersaria, Hb.) though very far from com- mon has an extensive range, and probably occurs in all large woods. T. punctulata is moderately common among alder and birch at Colchester and doubtless elsewhere. GEOMETRID^E Pseudoterpna pruinata (cytisaria, Schiff.) is of general occurrence among broom and furze. Geometra papilionaria is scarce, but is found in many places among alder, birch and hazel. G. vernaria is somewhat local but not uncommon among Clematis vitalba. Pborodesma pustulata (bajularia, Schiff.) is to be found in nearly all oak woods, and in recent 158