I INSECTS BOARMIIN^E (continued) species being the chief offenders ; at such times it is uncomfortable to pass through the woods in conse- quence of the number of pendent silken threads and larvae which catch one's face, etc. The perfect insects show great variation from a unicolorous brown to pale specimens richly marked with dark bars Anisopteryx asscularia, Schiff. Generally distributed and fairly common Phigalia pedaria, F. (pilosaria [S.V.], Hb.) Common. All are of the usual form ; the black form has not yet been no- ticed. I think however ours are per- haps dullerandless richly marked than some southern ones Biston hispidaria (S.V.), F. Far from com- mon. Occurs regularly in Chakot Wood, Knowle ; also recorded from Hay Wood and Umbenlade (W. Kiss) ; Atherstone (C. Baker) ; Button Park (Blatch Hand. ; F. Knock, Sat. Guide = has not however been seen there for many years, C. J. W.) ; Rugby = Wolscote, Brandon Woods, etc. (Rugby lists) hirtaria, Cl. Very rare. Mr. W. G. Blatch has it from Knowle, and it also occurs in the Rugby lists, though from a communication received from Mr. N. V. Sidgwick I think it is probably in mistake strataria, Hufn. (prodromaria, SchirF.) Rare ; but I think it occurs through- out the district. It is usually obtained in the pupal stage, and the greater portion never develop, but emerge and become cripples. Even when found at liberty a large proportion are imperfect Amphidasis betularia, L. Common through- out the district ; generally taken in the larval stage from poplars, etc. ; var. Doubledayaria, Mill., is very common, and although I think the larger portion are still the type, yet the variety is very rapidly obtaining a majority Hemerophila abruptaria, Thnbg. Not common, but generally distributed, and comes to ' light ' sometimes in the suburbs of Birmingham Boarmia gemmaria, Brahm. (rhomboidaria [S.V.], Hb.) Common everywhere. Is particularly common in gardens amongst the ivy on houses, etc. [ ribeata, Cl. (abietaria [S.V.], Hb.) Is recorded from Frankton Wood by G. BOARMIIN^E (continued) B. Longstaff in E.M.M. 1866, p. 138, but probably in error, as I do not think it occurs with us at all] Boarmia repandata, L. Common every- where ; but while gemmaria occurs in gardens, this seems to belong to the woods. Var. conversaria, Hb., has not been recorded in the county roboraria, Schiff. Very rare. It is re- corded several times in the Rugby lists from Brandon Woods, Frankton, etc. Mr. W. C. E. Wheeler says it occurs at Wolford, but is not com- mon ; and Mr. R. C. Bradley has a specimen supposed to have been taken near Coventry lichenaria, Hufn. Mr. W.C.E. Wheeler gives it in his Wolford list, and it occurs in the Rugby lists, but I think it is very doubtful if it really occurs in the county crepuscularia (S.V.), Hb.) I am told bistortata, Goeze. [that all our specimens are bistortata, and that crepuscularia is not a midland in- sect. I confess however that I cannot follow the distinctions or synonomy of this pair of species. Our species is fairly common and generally dis- tributed, and the commoner form seems to be the one with but slight markings and evenly dusted with grey luridata, Bkh. (extersaria, Hb.) Rare. Wolford (W. C. E. Wheeler) ; Rugby = Brandon floods, etc. (Rugby lists) ; Whitchurch (L. C. Keighley-Peach) punctularia, Hb. Not common. Coven- try (G. H. Kenrick) ; Atherstone (C. Baker) ; Rugby = Brandon Woods, etc. (Rugby lists) Ematurga atomaria, L. Very common in Sutton Park, and probably equally so wherever heather grows. Recorded from Knowle (R. C. Bradley) ; Mars- ton Green (G. W. Wynn) ; Wolford (W. C. E. Wheeler) ; Athentone (C. Baker) Bupalus piniarius, L. Very common in Sutton Park, and also recorded from Knowle (R. C. Bradley, etc.); Rugby = Frankton, Brandon Woods, Prince- thorpe, etc. (Rugby lists) Thamnonoma wauaria, L. Common, especially in gardens Phasiane petraria, Hb. Fairly common. Sutton (P. W. Abbott, R. C. Brad- ley, etc.) ; Knowle (R. C. Bradley, etc.) ; Atherstone (C. Baker) ; Rugby 147
