Page:VCH Sussex 1.djvu/216

A HISTORY OF SUSSEX especially plentiful on waste ground, in old chalk pits and on banks by the left side of the London Road leading from Brighton to Clayton near the mouth of the Patcham Tunnel. The Holly Blue (L. argiolus, L.) is widely distributed and often abundant in gardens, woods and hedgerows. It has in Sussex, as in Surrey and other metropolitan counties, greatly increased in numbers of late years. The Duke of Burgundy {Nemeobius lucina, L.) is very local, but abundant in New- timber Copse near Poynings. It has also been reported from the Holm Bush, from Horsham, Laughton, Plashet Wood, Slindon, and from St. Leonards Forest and Tilgate Forest. The Grizzled Skipper {Syrich- thus alveolus, Hb.) is generally distributed in woods and other suitable localities, but is not often met with on the chalk hills. The Dingy Skipper {I'hanaos tages, L.) is generally distributed throughout the county and is sometimes abundant on the chalk hills. The Small Skip- per (Hesperia liiiea, Fb.) and the Large Skipper [H. syhamis, Esp.) are both generally distributed and common. The Silver Spotted Skipper (H. comma, L.) is very local, but is abundant in Hollingbury Combe between Brighton and Lewes, in Bible Bottom, on Cliife Hill and in other localities near Lewes, and in several places between Eastbourne and Seafard. It is also reported from Arundel Park, Cocking Down, Kingley Vale and West Stoke. H. lineola^ Ochs., which is chiefly an Essex species, has also been recorded from Kent and Sussex. I have only taken it near Thorpe and Walton-on-the-Naze in east Essex. It is much to be regretted that owing to the claims of other subjects no detailed account in narrative form of the moths of the county can be found space for. The following list of species has been compiled by Mr. Fletcher and Mr. J. H. A. Jenner partly from their own knowledge, partly from records already pubhshed and from notes supplied to them by myself, by Mr. Robert Adkin, F.E.S., Mr. Joseph Anderson, F.E.S., the Rev. C. D. Ash, M.A., Mr. C. G. Barrett, F.E.S., the Rev. E. N. Bloomfield, M.A., F.E.S., Mr. W. M. Christy, M.A., F.L.S., Mr. D. A. Edgell, Mr. A. Lloyd, F.C.S., Mr. A. C. Vine and others. HETEROCERA Moths SPHINGES considerable numbers of the moth are caught while hovering round flowers, The Death's-Head Hawk (Acherontia atropos, especially those of the petunia and Linn.) is somewhat sporadic in appear- white tobacco (Nicotiana aflinis). The ance. In some years large numbers of larvae and pupae are not often observed, larvffi and pupae are found in potato but several were found by potato dig- fields and gardens. The imago is gers in the county in the early autumn much less commonly observed at large. of 1 90 1. The Convolvulus Hawk (Sphinx convolvuli, The Privet Hawk (S. ligustri, Linn.) Com- Linn.) Like the preceding is some- mon in most places what sporadic in appearance. Occurs [The Spurge Hawk (Deilcphila euphorbias, throughout the county. In some years Linn.) Mr. Jenner reports (Barrett, ' Mr. Fletcher cites Meyrick's Brit. Lep. p. 3 58, and B.irrctt's Tir'it. Lrp. i. 282 as to the occurrence of the species in Sussex. — H.G. 170