Hesperiid^ Syrichthus malvae, L. from Silverdale Nisoniades tages, L. INSECTS Has been recorded Not uncommon Hesperiid^ {continued) Hesperia sylvanus, Espr. Chat Simomwood, Grange, etc. — thaumas, Huf. Silverdale only Mo. HETEROCERA Of the 2,014 species of Heterocera or moths recorded in South's list, rather more than 1,300 have been recorded from Lancashire. Sphingid^ Acherontia atropos, L. Generally dis- tributed and sometimes common in potato districts Sphinx convolvuli, L. Generally distributed but very irregular in appearance ; one specimen of S. ligustri, L., has been recorded from near Charley Deilephila galii, SchifiF. Has appeared in some numbers on the sandhills during certain years. The last of these was 1888. Previous years were 1870, 1859 and 1834. Afew larvse were taken by Rev. A. M. Moss also in 1897. For these ap- parently irregular manifestations an explanation has been sought in a theory of continental immigration, which however seems hardly ade- quate to support the facts of the case. More probably this moth persists in small numbers from year to year in suitable localities, and its years of abundance are caused by a concatenation of particularly favourable phenological conditions extending probably over more than one year. (The subject is discussed more in detail in a paper by the present author contributed to the Liverpool Biological Society. See Trans, vol. vii. ' Occasional Abund- ance of Insects ') — livornica, Espr. Some half-dozen stray captures are reported since 1846 Chaerocampa. All our three British species are recorded — porcellus, L. Most commonly from the mosses and the sandhill zone — nerii. Two records from near Man- chester (1885 and 1847) Smerinthus populi, L. Abundant — ocellatus, L. „ Macroglossa stellatorum, L. Frequent and generally distributed — bombyliformis, Och. Not uncommon on the moors of the northern part of the county Sesiid^ Trochilium crabroniformis, Lewin. Gener- ally distributed Sesia sphegiformis, F. Chat Moss formerly — culiciformis, L. „ „ — myopceformis, Bord. Doubtfully re- corded from near Grange — tipuliformis, Clerck. Generally dis- tributed ZyGjENID^ Ino statices, L. Chat Moss, Crosby, War- rington — geryon, Hb. Occasional on the mosses and at Witherslack Zygaena filipendulae, L. Is the only mem- ber of the genus at all common Nycteolid^ Sarothripus undulanus, Hb. Grange Hylophila prasinana, L. Local on the moors ; Silverdale and near Bolton NOLID^ Nola cucullatella, L. Generally common — confusalis, H.S. Recorded from Grange by Hodgkinson LithoshdjE Nudaria mundana, L. Generally dis- tributed but not common Lithosia mesomella, "j Found on most of L. j- the mosses of — sericea, Greg. J the south-west — lurideola, Zinc. Generally distributed EuCHELIIDjS Gnophria quadra, L. Recorded from Birkdale and Maghull Euchelia jacobaeae, L. Always frequent, and sometimes in profusion on the sandhills and mosses Cheloniid^ Nemophila russula, L.") Occur on the mosses — plantaginis, L. J and moors Arctia caia, L; Generally common Spilosoma lubricipeda, Esp, Abundant — menthastri, Esp. „ — mendica, Clerck. Occasional — fuliginosa, L. Common on the sand- hills and mosses Hepiaud^ All our British species of Hepialus occur more or less commonly 129
