{97} This species was first made known as an inhabitant of the British Isles by Doubleday, who described it as _Hypenodes humidalis_, in 1850, from specimens taken in Ireland by Weaver in 1848. In 1850 it was found plentifully on one of the Cheshire moors; and Harrison, in _The Zoologist_ for 1851, writes: "From the middle of July up to the 8th of August, it might be seen any fine evening, between the hours of six and eight, flying on most of our swamps [Keswick] in plenty." He goes on to state that the moths were so common that he boxed forty in less than an hour, and could have secured as many dozens. At the present day the species is to be found on boggy heaths and moors in Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, and from Somerset through Gloucestershire into Berkshire, and thence northwards through Warwick and Staffordshire to Cheshire, Lancashire, and Cumberland. Barrett mentions Perthshire as a Scottish locality, and Kane states that it is common at Killarney in Ireland. When this species and its allies receive more of the collector's attention they may probably be found in many localities from which there are no records at present. The range abroad extends to Amurland. BREPHIDAE. By some systematists this small group of moths is treated as a subfamily of the Geometridae. _Brephos_, however, which is typical of the family, does not seem to have any close affinities with the Noctuidae or with the Geometers, and is therefore better considered as apart from both those families. Meyrick includes _Brephos_ with _Aplasta_, _Erannis_, and _Baptria_, in his family Monocteniadae. Only five species are known to inhabit the Palaearctic Region, and two of these occur in Britain. THE ORANGE UNDERWING (_Brephos parthenias_). The white markings of the fore wings vary a good deal in size; in some specimens, chiefly males, they are very small and confined to the front margin; in others, mainly females, they are much enlarged, and the central one is continued as a band across the wings. On the orange hind wings the blackish {98} central band is usually more or less complete, but sometimes it is nearly or quite absent above the blackish triangular patch on the inner margin. Occasionally, there is a yellow blotch at the anal angle, and frequently another on the costal area. Still more rarely the whole ground colour is yellow. (Figured on Plate 38, Figs. 1 [male] and 2 [female].) The caterpillar is green, with six white lines along the back, and white stripes along the sides. When young it feeds on the catkins of birch, and afterwards on the foliage. April to early June. (Plate 39, Fig. 1.) The moth is out in March and April, and on sunny days the males may be seen flying, generally pretty high up, on the lee side of the birch trees growing on heaths; also in open spaces in or around birch woods. The females rest on the twigs, as also do the males when the sun is obscured. Both sexes have been found sitting on the ground in sunny glades.