This moth (Plate 143, Figs. 8, 9) is also widely spread over the British Isles, occurring most freely on the coast, but not uncommonly inland. It appears in the autumn, and is frequently seen at light, and although not very partial to sugar it occasionally visits that attraction as well as ragwort blossom, etc. The caterpillar is dull smoky pink, with a faintly darker central stripe; the usual dots dark brown, and the spiracles black; head, and plates on first and last rings of the body ochreous brown. May to August on dock, plantain, feeding in the stems and down into the roots. Sometimes it attacks the potato, eating down the stalk into the tuber. The range abroad extends to Amurland. [Illustration] Pl. 142. 1, 3. OLD LADY MOTH. 2. GOTHIC MOTH. [Illustration] Pl. 143. 1, 2. THE CRESCENT. 3, 4. EAR MOTH. 5, 6. EAR MOTH, _saltern form_. 7. BUTTERBUR MOTH. 8, 9. ROSY RUSTIC. {295} THE BUTTERBUR (_Hydroecia_ (_Gortyna_) _petasitis_). This is a larger species than the last, and more dingy in coloration. Its chief haunts, among the butterbur (_Petasites_), are in the northern counties from Cheshire to Durham. It was first met with by Stainton in 1846 at Falkirk in Scotland, and Doubleday named and described it in 1847. An account of its caterpillar feeding in the roots of the butterbur was published by N. Cooke in 1850, and by 1855 the northern collectors had reared and distributed large numbers of the moths among their confrères in other parts of the country. The species is still common in the north of England, but continues scarce and very local in Scotland. Odd specimens have been reported from the eastern counties and once from Somerset. The caterpillar is greyish white with black dots; head, and plate on first ring of the body brown. July and August. The moth occurs among its food plant in August and September. (Plate 143, Fig. 7.) THE FROSTED ORANGE (_Ochria ochracea_). Except that it sometimes visits a strong light, and may then be captured, this moth (Plate 144, Figs. 1[male], 2[female]) is most easily obtained in its early stages. The caterpillar is pale ochreous white with conspicuous black dots; head ochreous brown, the plate on first ring of the body is blackish with white lines upon it. It feeds in the stems of thistles, burdock, hemp-agrimony, etc. April to July, or later. The brownish chrysalis may be found in stems of the plants, generally low down near the ground. The moth, also known as _flavago_, Schiff., occurs from August to October in most places, especially marshy ground, where {296} thistles flourish, throughout England and Wales. It is found in Scotland up to Perthshire and Aberdeen. Only recorded from Wicklow, Galway, Sligo, and Clare, in Ireland. REED WAINSCOT (_Nonagria algæ_ (_cannæ_)).