the grey-faced petrel ( pterodroma gouldi ) is a petrel endemic to the north island of new zealand .

in new zealand it is also known by its māori name oi and ( along with other species such as the sooty shearwater ) as a muttonbird .

grey - faced petrel

grey - faced petrel has been split from great - winged petrel . this grey - faced petrel photo off tasmania taken by paul brooks / macaulay library
find out more about the grey - faced petrel at new zealand birds online .
nobody uploaded sound recordings for grey - faced petrel ( pterodroma gouldi ) yet .
grey - faced petrel ( pterodroma gouldi ) several grey - faced petrels flying around at sea . | the internet bird collection | hbw alive
a grey - faced petrel briefly landing on the water ' s surface before flying away .
grey - faced petrel has been split from great - winged petrel . both species occur in australian waters . many organised pelagic trips already routinely reported these as subspecies in the past .
imber , m . j . 1976 . breeding biology of the grey - faced petrel pterodroma macroptera gouldi . ibis 118 : 51 - 64 .
grey - faced petrel . in flight , dorsal . off wollongong , new south wales , australia , december 2006 . image © brook whylie by brook whylie urltoken
taylor , g . a . 2013 . grey - faced petrel . in miskelly , c . m . ( ed . ) new zealand birds online . urltoken
this subspecies is often split as grey - faced petrel . this form is a breeding endemic to new zealand , breeding off the nw coast of north island .
grey - faced petrels breed on tiritiri matangi and can often be heard at night during the breeding season .
, this dark gadfly petrel is slightly larger , with pale grey area around bill often extending to . . .
johnstone , r . m . ; davis , l . s . 1990 . incubation routines and foraging - trip regulation in the grey - faced petrel pterodroma macroptera gouldi . ibis 132 : 14 - 20 .
each of the two monotypic groups of great - winged petrel is elevated to species rank , based on differences in mitochondrial dna , vocalizations , plumage , morphometrics , and in other aspects of their biology ( wood et al . 2016 ; see also onley and scofield 2007 and howell 2012 ) : great - winged petrel ( great - winged ) pterodroma macroptera macroptera becomes great - winged petrel pterodroma macroptera , and great - winged petrel ( gray - faced ) pterodroma macroptera gouldi becomes gray - faced petrel pterodroma gouldi .
the largest breeding colony of grey - faced petrel is on whale island , moutohora , near whakatane in the eastern bay of plenty . there are also small colonies on the mainland near whakatane but these colonies are very fragile .
following the split , leach’s storm - petrel now contains only two subspecies , each of which is recognized as a monotypic group : leach’s storm - petrel ( leach’s ) oceanodroma leucorhoa leucorhoa and leach’s storm - petrel ( chapman’s ) oceanodroma leucorhoa chapmani .
correct the english name of the polytypic group zimmerius chrysops minimus / cumanensis from golden - faced tyrannulet ( coopman’s ) to golden - faced tyrannulet ( coopmans’s ) .
there are two sub - species of grey–faced petrel , macroptera , which breeds on islands in the atlantic and indian oceans and off southwestern australia , and gouldii , which breeds on off shore islands and coastal headlands of the northern north island of new zealand .
ventral view of two birds . bird behind is a great - winged petrel ( pterodroma macroptera ) .
the grey - faced petrel is a large dark gadfly petrel with long narrow wings and a long pointed tail . the entire body is uniformly dark black - brown but with occasional paler brown worn feathers . the base of the bill and throat are either grey or buff - white . in the hand , the stout black bill ( 33 - 40 mm long ) has a large sharp hook that can slice through squid and the hands of those holding these birds . the eyes and legs are black .
similar species : other all - dark gadfly petrels are rare in new zealand coastal water . providence petrel is greyer and has white flashes on the underwing . dark morph kermadec petrel is smaller with a shorter tail and white shafts on the primaries . kerguelen petrel ( most likely to occur august - october ) is smaller with a shorter bill and glossy grey sheen on its plumage and silver - white leading edge on the underwing .
the most obvious evidence of the update in process is likely to be the my ebird pages . this update does not only involve name changes and changes to the species sequence , but also a number of splits . each split needs to be carefully considered . if ebird had a subspecies group ( e . g . “great - winged petrel ( grey - faced ) ” ) that was relevant to the new split , then those entries will be upgraded from a subspecies group to the new species ( e . g . grey - faced petrel ) . if you did not specify the subspecies , then we try to assign records based on known range and occurrence patterns where possible .
the grey - faced petrel is blackish brown except for the pale grey forehead , sides of the face , chin and throat . the black bill is stout , the legs and feet are black and the wings are long and narrow . the call is ‘o - hi’ or ‘o - hoe’ , uttered at dusk as they fly over their breeding colonies . birds on the ground or in burrows utter a loud ‘or - wik’ and ‘si - si - si’ .
the grey–faced petrels have many predators including — stoats , rats , dogs , illegal harvesting , fire , birds of prey . by visiting their colonies at night they do not run the risk of being harassed by birds of prey .
ainley , d . g . 1980 . geographic variation in leach’s storm - petrel . auk 97 : 837 - 853 .
revise the range description of gray - faced petrel from “breeds on islands off north i . ( new zealand ) and sw australia” to “breeds on islands off north island ( new zealand ) ; ranges in tasman sea and southwestern pacific ocean . ”
imber , m . j . 1973 . the food of grey - faced petrels ( pterodroma macroptera gouldi ( hutton ) ) , with special reference to diurnal vertical migration of their prey . journal of animal ecology 42 : 645 - 662 .
the major threat to grey - faced petrels is mammalian predators on their breeding grounds , especially feral cats and rats . many former colonies have been lost due to predators , and some mainland colonies are sustained by immigration from island colonies . eradication of rats from islands has benefitted grey - faced petrels at many sites , as rats take eggs and chicks . a small colony at rapanui in taranaki has been protected by the building of a predator - exclusion fence . long - term studies of grey - faced petrels at several sites have improved our understanding of the ecology of this species . the information obtained supported the conservation of the related and critically endangered chatham island taiko . these studies included captive - rearing trials , testing of tracking devices , long - term marking projects and research on the breeding biology and diet . translocations of chicks to establish new colony sites have been attempted but are still in the early stages of chick returns . grey - faced petrels occasionally follow fishing boats and sometimes occur as by - catch on long - line fisheries .
wood , j . r . , h . a . lawrence , r . p . scofield , g . a . taylor , p . o’b . lyver , and d . m . gleeson . 2016 . morphological , behavioural , and genetic evidence supports reinstatement of full species status for the grey - faced petrel , pterodroma macroptera gouldi ( procellariiformes : procellariidae ) . zoological journal of the linnean society .
41 cm . , 550 g . , plumage black brown , pale grey face and throat , bill , legs and feet black .
the breeding biology of the grey - faced petrel is well known from several long - term studies . the season is broadly march to january with the single white egg ( 68 x 48 mm ) laid between mid - june and late july . the well - lined nest chamber is at the end of a long burrow dug into soil , or amongst vegetation . the egg hatches in august or september after c . 55 days of incubation , and the chick fledges between november and january at c . 118 days - old . grey - faced petrel mostly breed annually ; very few pairs skip a breeding season . incubation and chick - care are shared . the chick is independent of the parents at fledging . immatures begin to return to colonies at 3 years of age and can breed as early as four years of age but most delay breeding until they are 8 - 10 years old .
white - faced cuckoo - dove is not monotypic ; sulaensis forbes and robinson 1900 , long considered to be a junior synomym of nominate manadensis , is vocally distinct ( ng and rheindt 2016 ) . therefore , white - faced cuckoo - dove is split into two species : white - faced cuckoo - dove turacoena manadensis , with range “sulawesi and the togian islands” ; and sula cuckoo - dove turacoena sulaensis , with range “banggai islands and sula islands . ”
in the breeding season of the year 2000 a study was being done on one of the mainland colonies near whakatane by phillipa gardner of grey–faced petrels , using a safety door on their burrows . this was a trial for the protection of petrels that are at risk from predators eating their chick or egg .
a large dark gadfly petrel with uniformly dark black - brown body with occasional paler brown worn feathers , long narrow wings , a long pointed tail , and black eyes and legs . the stout black bill has a large sharp hook and the base of the bill and throat are either grey or buff - white .
grey - faced petrels are nocturnally active at the breeding grounds . unlike their relatives on southern islands , grey - faced petrels are very active on the colony surface at night , with birds calling , prospecting for burrows , displaying and sleeping ashore . activity ashore is more pronounced on dark nights during periods of wet weather , but birds will return in bright moonlight on windy nights . spectacular aerial courtship chases over the colony are a feature of this species and the breeding sites can be quite noisy during april / may and again in august . at sea , grey - faced petrels fly rapidly out to the continental shelf edge before they begin foraging for food . they can cover large distances in their quest for food with birds recorded flying to the east coast of australia while their partner is sitting on the egg . after breeding the birds disperse mainly to warmer water in the north tasman sea or off southern and eastern australia .
del hoyo , j . , collar , n . & kirwan , g . m . ( 2018 ) . grey - faced petrel ( pterodroma gouldi ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .
correct the scientific name for the polytypic group ashy drongo ( island white - faced ) from dicrurus leucophaeus periophthalmicus / siberu to dicrurus leucophaeus [ periophthalmicus group ] .
macleod , c . j . ; adams , j . ; lyver , p . 2008 . at - sea distribution of satellite - tracked grey - faced petrels , pterodroma macroptera gouldi , captured on the ruamaahua ( aldermen ) islands , new zealand . papers & proceedings of the royal society of tasmania 142 : 73 - 88 .
during the breeding season , grey - faced petrels feed mainly in the tasman sea or east of new zealand , around the continental shelf edge or over deeper oceanic water , ranging thousands of kilometres . during the summer moult period , they disperse widely across the tasman sea to the coast of australia , and some reach the coral sea .
insert a newly added subspecies , obscurior matthews 1923 , immediately following subspecies curnamona , with range “southeastern australia ( grey range periphery , northwestern new south wales ) ” ( black 2011 ) .
the first indication that the petrel population was under stress was in 1962 , when muttonbirders , local people of maori decent with hereditary rights to kill for food the young petrels before they fledge , concerned at the scarcity of petrel chicks for exploitation , requested a ban on the harvest , rahui in 1963 and 1964 . wildlife refuge status imposed on moutohora in 1964 has legally protected the petrels since then .
in accord with aou - sacc ( proposal 628 ) , based on isler et al . ( 2013 ) , change the scientific name of rufous - faced antbird from schistocichla rufifacies to myrmelastes rufifacies .
ng , n . s . r . , and f . e . rheindt . 2016 . species delimitation in the white‑faced cuckoo‑dove ( turacoena manadensis ) based on bioacoustic data . avian research 7 : 2 .
grey - faced petrels are generalists feeding most often on squid but they also eat crustaceans and fish . they have been observed capturing prey at night but activity recorders also show they frequently alight at sea during the day and presumably take prey . smaller squid are captured alive on the surface , but larger squid are probably scavenged when dead animals float to the surface . studies of the diving ability of the species reveals they mainly feed in the top 5m of the water column but are capable of occasional deeper dives , perhaps down to 20 m .
every year young fledgling grey–faced petrels are brought into whakatane bird rescue , as instead of heading out to sea the birds get disorientated and land in town . sometimes heading for the lights of night industry such as the kawerau paper mills . once checked out most of the birds can be released in the evening . some years more birds are brought in , this maybe due to the cloudy conditions , no moon or stars to guide them , or wind conditions . strong northerly winds will send the birds towards whakatane instead of heading out to sea .
revise the range description of great - winged petrel from “breeds and ranges islands and seas in southern oceans” to “breeds on islands in southern atlantic and indian oceans ( tristan da cunha , gough , marion , crozet and kerguelen islands , and off southwestern australia ) ; primarily ranges from southern atlantic and indian oceans to tasman sea . ”
grey - faced petrels are one of the few burrowing petrels to still survive on the new zealand mainland . small colonies are scattered around the coasts of the upper north island , mainly on headlands and peninsulas adjacent to the sea . over 100 colonies are still present but most sites have fewer than 500 breeding pairs . the largest colonies occur on the three kings , hen and chickens , mokohinau , mercury and alderman island groups , and also on cuvier , moutohora , white and east islands . nests are mainly in burrows under tall forest , but also under grass or shrublands , especially near cliffs above the sea . sandy or friable soils with few rocks and tree roots are preferred .
as these updates are applied , you might encounter species lists with the same species listed twice , or you might view lists of your records of great - winged petrel ( for example ) and see that some of the records have changed names and some have not . for brief periods , you might also see the same record on your list twice . the updates to your personal lists usually take an hour or more for each species .
has been considered conspecific with p . lessonii , and until recently treated as conspecific with p . macroptera , but differs in much more grey on forehead , face and chin ( 3 ) ; slightly larger size ( bill , wings , tail ) ( allow 1 ) ; and osteological morphology # r ( allow 1 ) , vocalizations ( allow 1 ) and breeding biology ( allow 1 ) # r . monotypic .
geographical variation : two subspecies : the nominate pt . m . macroptera breeds at tristan da cunha , gough , prince edward , marion , kerguelen and crozet islands , and islands off western australia ; pt . m . gouldi breeds only in new zealand .
voice : the main flight calls are high pitched whistles whis - her , wik - wik or low moans oor - wik . these same calls are given frequently on the surface or from burrows .
the largest colonies are on moutohora island and hongiora island in the bay of plenty . over 100 , 000 pairs breed on these two islands combined . elsewhere there are many smaller colonies with mostly less than 500 pairs but some of the larger islands have 1000 - 20 , 000 pairs . the world population is estimated to be 200 , 000 to 300 , 000 pairs .
brooke , m . 2004 . albatrosses and petrels across the world . oxford university press , oxford .
marchant , s . ; higgins , p . j . ( eds ) , 1990 . handbook of australian , new zealand and antarctic birds . vol . 1 , ratites to ducks . oxford university press , melbourne .
miskelly , c . m . ; taylor , g . a . ; gummer , h . ; williams , r . 2009 . translocations of eight species of burrow - nesting seabirds ( genera pterodroma , pelecanoides , pachyptila and puffinus : family procellariidae ) . biological conservation 142 : 1965 - 1980 .
onley , d ; scofield , p . 2007 . albatrosses , petrels and shearwaters of the world . princeton university press , princeton .
taylor , g . a . 2000 . action plan for seabird conservation in new zealand , part b : non - threatened seabirds . threatened species occasional publication 17 . department of conservation , wellington .
taylor , g . a . 2008 . maximum dive depths of eight new zealand procellariiformes including pterodroma species . papers & proceedings of the royal society of tasmania 142 : 189 - 198 .
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our 2018 concert will feature an afternoon of light classics and jazz courtesy of the auckland ph . .
for the social on 19 march the speaker will be ben goodwin of auckland zoo , who will talk about t . .
thankfully doc staff andre de graaf and polly hall and their assistants have trapped the rat whic . .
aka - the grand christmas shopping expedition to tiritiri matangi island shop dreading . .
the 2018 photo competition is now open for entries . click here ( / 2018 - photo - competition - tiritiri - mat . .
two new reports have been added to the website . the first gives details of a summer students . .
our latest calendar , beautifully illustrated with images taken on the island , is now available fo . .
for a wonderful day of wildlife photography please join us on tiritiri matangi island for a ph . .
tiritiri matangi island , the perfect winter ' s day trip . the birds are at their best , warm up w . .
in 1993 and 1995 , sixteen little spotted kiwi were released on tiritiri matangi island . the ma . .
breeding takes place in winter . adults return to clean out their burrows and court in march . after a long pre - laying exodus of two months , the females return and in late june or early july lay one white egg in a burrow 0 . 5 - 2 metres long . both sexes incubate for spells of several days and the egg hatches between mid - august and mid - september after 51–58 days . the chick is fed at the nest for several months and finally departs from about december to late january , at around 118 days old . young birds can return to the breeding colony from the age of three years onwards , but most do not breed until they are over seven years old .
references : heather , b . d . ; robertson , h . a . 2000 the field guide to the birds of new zealand . auckland , viking . moon , g the reed field guide to new zealand birds .
exclamations are short utterances that you make when you are very surprised or upset . they are not always whole sentences . sometimes they are more like a noise than a word . in this case they are call . . .
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hbw alive contains information on descriptive notes , voice , habitat , food and feeding , breeding , movements , status and conservation plus a list of bibliographical references for this species account .
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tasman sea , temperate and subtropical sw pacific ocean , breeding on many islands , clifftops and headlands along w , n & ne coasts of north i ( new zealand ) .
, but “bor - r - r” and braying “eee - aw” or “o - hee” calls ( . . .
marine and highly pelagic . breeds on islands and headlands around north i , new zealand .
study in new zealand found that cephalopods dominated the diet , with ratios of squid , fish and crustaceans , respectively , as follows : 58 % , . . .
breeds in winter , returning to colonies in feb , followed by pre - laying exodus of c . 50 days ( by males ) or 60 days ( females ) at least , egg - . . .
in off - season visits w tasman sea , off new south wales , in oct–apr . further afield , in sw pacific . . .
not globally threatened ( least concern ) . reasonably abundant , with 200 , 000–300 , 000 pairs , of which most important colonies are on moutohora and hongiora is , which support c . . . .
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sometimes divided into several subgenera # r . includes several species described in genus aestrelata , which was erroneously emended by some authors to oestrelata .
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the birds visit their burrows after dusk and leave again before dawn . they start to breed from 6 to 7 years of age . the petrels visit their colonies between march and april to clean out their burrows and take part in pair bonding . egg laying starts from late june to the end of july , one white egg is laid . the egg hatches after 51 – 58 days of incubation .
both parents help in incubation and after the chick hatches the parent guards the chick for the first few days . the chick is then left on its own and is visited every few days with food , sometimes this may mean a wait of 7 days or more before its next feed . the parent has to travel many miles from their burrows in search of food , which is regurgitated for the chick . this may include squid , fish and crustaceans . the chick continues to grow and fledging takes place from early december to the end of january . the moult of the adult birds , take place from january to april .
unfortunately a high percentage of the chicks in the study were taken illegally for food . these birds are protected by law , and illegal harvesting will see these fragile colonies die out . if the chicks are taken then there will be no replacement egg laid . this in time will mean that once the parents die , no new adult offspring will be replacing them . the birds taken would have weighed no more than 300g and with the feathers and head removed probably weighed no more than 150g .
on a recent trip to whale island in december , the petrels could be seen just before dusk gathering off the island . the birds were coming back to feed the young that were nearly due to fledge . as dusk fell , birds would skim over the island looking for their burrows , they then crash through the trees and head for their nest site . sometimes they liked to sit before going underground . some birds get caught in the trees as they crash through and die .
whale island was once home to goats , rats , and rabbits . the wildlife service , and then the department of conservation eradicated these pests . it is vital that our islands are kept free of predators and that bait stations are monitored . it will only take one rat or stoat to undo all the work of the previous years .
in april and may , and at other times , the birds can be heard calling during the night over ohope and otarawairere in whakatane . one colony at ohope is against the hillside and on occasions birds crash into new homes that were not there the previous nesting season . it must be quite a shock for the birds to suddenly find something blocking their flight path to their burrows .
the main colonies are on hen , mokohinaus , the mercury and alderman , whale and white islands .
godman , frederick du cane , monograph of the petrels , 1907 - 1910 .
heather , b . , & robertson , h . , field guide to the birds of new zealand , 2000 . marchant & higgins , 1993 . oliver , w . r . b . new zealand birds , 1955 . imber , mike , harrison , malcolm , and harrison , jan , new zealand journal of ecology ( 2000 ) 24 ( 2 ) ; 153 - 164 .
the annual ebird taxonomy update will begin this tuesday , 9 august . the process will continue for at least a couple of days ( until wednesday , 10 aug or thursday , 11 aug ) . we do this once a year to reflect the most recent changes in avian taxonomy : splits , lumps , name changes , and changes in the sequence of the species lists . you may notice some unusual behaviour with your lists and other tools ( see below ) , but this is nothing to worry about . the 2016 splits and lumps will be published very soon on this page . we will summarise these changes in an ebird story once the taxonomy update is complete . a more thorough discussion of this year’s changes can be found at the clements checklist , where the 2016 updates have been posted .
other unexpected behaviour should likewise be temporary . if you see odd behaviour on a data entry checklist , save your work and go back to manage my observations a few minutes later to continue data entry .
if you use ebird mobile , we recommend submitting any “not submitted” lists in advance of august 9 . don’t worry though , as long as you are running the most recent version of the app , everything will update correctly even if you have “not submitted” lists on the phone . please make sure to update your app version to the one current in the app store or google play store .
western whistler by geoffrey groom / macaulay library although male golden whistlers are bright and easily identifiable , females and juveniles are not so easy to tell apart .
the annual ebird taxonomy update is now underway . work is still going in the background to update existing checklists , update maps etc . , but the revised taxonomy should already appear as you enter new checklists . it is worth having a look at which australian species are being treated differently with the 2016 update .
every year , the ebird / clements taxonomy is updated . this year , for australian ebirders , there are several changes to be aware of .
emerald doves on christmas island ( natalis ) are now part of the asian emerald dove . those normally found in the rest of australia ( and lord howe ) are pacific emerald dove .
spotted catbirds have also been split into several species , which mostly affects observations from new guinea . in australia , the former spotted catbird is now treated as two species :
black - eared catbird ailuroedus melanotis [ northern cape york , e . g . iron range np ]
the former golden whistler ( pachycephala pectoralis ) , has been split into two species . note that the sa and victorian mallee birds ( formerly treated as part of p . p . fuliginosa ) are retained in golden whistler , and the split between species is essentialy at the sa / wa state border .
the ebird / clements taxonomy makes extensive use of subspecies groups to allow observers to explicitly record subspecies , or groups of subspecies , that are identifiable in the field . subspecies groups have been recognized for several more australian species . when recording a subspecies group , be sure to include field notes regarding the characters you used to identify the group . new subspecies groups are as follows :
with golden whistler , note that the eastern parts of the former “western” subspecies are retained as golden whistler ( i . e . the split to western whistler only takes the wa part of the former fuliginosa range ) :
western grasswren ( western ) amytornis textilis textilis [ e . g monkey mia wa ]
western grasswren ( gawler ranges ) amytornis textilis myall [ e . g . whyalla sa ]
australian ringneck : as well as the lump of mallee ringneck and western ringneck , the 2016 update also subsumes the former occidentalis and whitei into zonarius . the subspecies recognised in ebird are now :
some species pairs may be difficult to separate in the field , or were previously lumped , and in these cases ebird allows you to record the fact that you saw one or other of the pair but could not decide which . new slash taxa for australia include :
the updates and corrections are grouped into four sections . within each section , items are listed in the order in which they are encountered in the ebird / clements checklist v2016 spreadsheet , although we also continue to reference by page number the relevant entry in the last published edition of the clements checklist ( sixth edition , 2007 ) .
3 standard updates and correction – all other changes , listed in sequence as they occur in the spreadsheet ( posted april 2018 ) .
howell , s . n . g . 2012 . petrels , albatrosses , and storm - petrels of north america : a photographic guide . princeton university press , princeton , new jersey .
onley , d . , and p . scofield . 2007 . albatrosses , petrels , and shearwaters of the world . princeton university press , princeton , new jersey .
chesser , r . t . , k . j . burns , c . cicero , j . l . dunn , a . w . kratter , i . j . lovette , p . c . rasmussen , j . v . remsen , jr . , j . d . rising , d . f . stotz , and k . winker . 2016 . fifty - seventh supplement to the american ornithologists’ union check - list of north american birds . auk 133 : 544 - 560 .
following nominate cajaneus , insert a previously overlooked subspecies , avicenniae ( stotz 1992 ) , with range “mangroves of southeastern brazil ( são paulo south at least to paraná , and possibly to santa catarina ) ” . we also recognize avicenniae as a new monotypic group , gray - cowled wood - rail ( gray - backed ) .
marcondes , r . s . , and l . f . silveira . 2015 . a taxonomic review of aramides cajaneus ( aves , gruiformes , rallidae ) with notes on morphological variation in other species of the genus . zookeys 500 : 111 - 140 .
stotz , d . f . 1992 . a new subspecies of aramides cajanea from brazil . bulletin of the british ornithologists’ club 112 : 231 - 234 .
based primarily on vocal differences , dusky cuckoo - dove macropygia magna is split into three species ( ng et al . 2016 ) : a polytypic flores sea cuckoo - dove macropygia macassariensis , including subspecies macassariensis and longa ; a monotypic timor cuckoo - dove macropygia magna ; and a monotypic tanimbar cuckoo - dove macropygia timorlaoensis .
ng , e . y . x . , j . a . eaton , p . verbelen , r . o . hutchinson , and f . e . rheindt . 2016 . using bioacoustic data to test species limits in an indo - pacific island radiation of macropygia cuckoo doves . biological journal of the linnean society 118 : 786 - 812 .
based primarily on vocal differences , slender - billed cuckoo - dove macropygia amboinensis split into two species ( ng et al . 2016 ) : a polytypic amboyna cuckoo - dove macropygia amboinensis , including subspecies amboinensis , keyensis , maforensis , griseinucha , kerstingi , meeki , admiralitatis , hueskeri , carteretia , goldiei , cinereiceps , and cunctata ; and a polytypic sultan’s cuckoo - dove macropygia doreya , including subspecies sanghirensis , albicapilla , atrata , sedecima , albiceps , doreya , and balim . the sequence of subspecies within amboyna cuckoo - dove is revised , to reflect the order in which they are listed above .
revise the range description of subspecies maforensis from “numfor i . ( geelvink bay off n new guinea ) ” to “numfor i . ( geelvink bay off n new guinea ) ; population on biak island is not identified to subspecies , but vocally is similar to maforensis , and birds on yapen island presumably are the same subspecies as birds on biak” ( ng et al . 2016 ) .
add a previously overlooked subspecies , admiralitatis mayr 1937 ( ng et al . 2016 ) , with range “admiralty islands , bismarck archipelago . ” insert subspecies almiralitatis immediately following subspecies meeki .
revise the range description for subspecies carteretia from “bismarck archipelago ( except new hanover ) and lihir is . ” to “bismarck archipelago ( except admiralty islands and new hanover ) and lihir is . ”
add a previously overlooked subspecies , atrata ripley 1941 ( white and bruce 1986 , ng et al . 2016 ) , with range “togian island ( off sulawesi ) . ”
add a previously overlooked subspecies , sedecima neumann 1939 ( white and bruce 1986 , ng et al . 2016 ) , with range “sula islands . ”
change the name of the subspecies of the northern moluccas from batchianensis to the older available name albiceps ( mees 1982 ) .
add a previously overlooked subspecies , balim rand 1941 ( ng et al . 2016 ) , with range “balim valley , western new guinea . ”
mayr , e . 1937 . birds collected during the whitney south sea expedition , xxxvi . notes on new guinea birds 3 . american museum novitates number 947 .
mees , g . f . 1982 . bird records from the moluccas . zoologische mededelingen 56 : 91 - 111 .
newman , o . 1939 . a new species and eight new races from peleng and talaiboe . bulletin of the british ornithologists’ club 59 : 89 - 94 .
ripley , s . d . 1941 . notes on a collection of birds from northern celebes . occasional papers of the boston society of natural history 8 : 343 - 358 .
white , c . m . n . , and m . d . bruce . 1986 . the birds of wallacea . ( sulawesi , the moluccas & lesser sunda islands , indonesia ) . british ornithologists’ union check - list number 7 . british ornithologists’ union , london .
based primarily on vocal differences , ruddy cuckoo - dove macropygia emiliana is split into three species ( ng et al . 2016 ) : a polytypic ruddy cuckoo - dove macropygia emiliana , including subspecies emiliana and megala ; a monotypic enggano cuckoo - dove macropygia cinnamomea ; and a polytypic barusan cuckoo - dove macropygia modiglianii , including subspecies hypopercna , modiglianii , and elassa .
emerald dove chalcophaps indica is split into two species ( rasmussen and anderton 2005 , beehler and pratt 2016 ) : a polytypic asian emerald dove chalcophaps indica , with subspecies indica , robinsoni , natalis , minima , and augusta ; and a polytypic pacific emerald dove chalcophaps longirostris , with subspecies rogersi , longirostris , and sandwichensis .
revise the range description of subspecies indica from “india to malaysia , philippines , indonesia and w papuan islands” to “india to southeastern china , south to the philippines , indonesia and western papuan islands . ”
beehler , b . m . , and t . k . pratt . 2016 . birds of new guinea : distribution , taxonomy , and systematics . princeton university press , princeton , new jersey .
rasmussen , p . c . , and j . c . anderton . 2005 . birds of south asia . the ripley guide . volume 2 : attributes and status . smithsonian institution and lynx edicions , washington d . c . and barcelona .
crimson - crowned fruit - dove ptilinopus porphyraceus is split into three species ( cibois et al . 2014 , hayes et al . 2016 , pratt and mittermeier 2016 ) : a monotypic purple - capped fruit - dove ptilinopus ponapensis ; a monotypic kosrae fruit - dove ptilinopus hernsheimi ; and a polytypic crimson - crowned fruit - dove ptilinopus porphyraceus , with subspecies porphyraceus and fasciatus .
cibois , a . , j . - c . thibault , c . bonillo , c . e . filardi , d . watling , and e . pasquet . 2014 . phylogeny and biogeography of the fruit doves ( aves : columbidae ) . molecular phylogenetics and evolution 70 : 442 - 453 .
hayes , f . e . , h . d . pratt , and c . j . cianchini . 2016 . the avifauna of kosrae , micronesia : history , status , and taxonomy . pacific science 70 : 91–127 .
pratt , h . d . , and j . c . mittermeier . 2016 . notes on the natural history , taxonomy , and conservation of the endemic avifaua of the samoan archipelago . wilson journal of ornithology 128 : 217 - 241 .
yellowbill ceuthmochares aereus is split into two species ( payne 2005 ) : the polytypic group yellowbill ( blue ) ceuthmochares aereus aereus / flavirostris becomes blue malkoha ceuthmochares aereus , with subspecies aereus and flavirostri s ; and the monotypic group yellowbill ( green ) ceuthmochares aereus australis becomes green malkoha ceuthmochares australis .
payne , r . b . 2005 . the cuckoos . oxford university press , new york and oxford , united kingdom .
each of the two monotypic groups of large hawk - cuckoo hierococcyx sparverioides is recognized as a separate species ( sorenson and payne 2005 , payne 2005 ) : large hawk - cuckoo ( large ) hierococcyx sparverioides sparverioides becomes large hawk - cuckoo hierococcyx sparverioides , and large hawk - cuckoo ( dark ) hierococcyx sparverioides bocki becomes dark hawk - cuckoo hierococcyx bocki . revise the range description of large hawk - cuckoo from “n pakistan to india , s china , myanmar , thailand and indochina” to “breeds from northern pakistan to india , southern china , myanmar , thailand and indochina ; winters to southern india ( eastern and western ghats ) , bangladesh , the malay peninsula , sumatra , java , bali , the philippines , borneo , and sulawesi” .
sorenson , m . d . , and r . b . payne . 2005 . a molecular genetic analysis of cuckoo phylogeny . pages 68 - 94 in r . b . payne , the cuckoos . oxford university press , new york , new york , and oxford , united kingdom .
cleere , n . 2010 . nightjars : potoos , frogmouths , oilbird and owlet - nightjars of the world . princeton university press , princeton , new jersey .
dickinson , e . c . , and j . v . remsen , jr . ( editors ) . 2013 . the howard & moore complete checklist of the birds of the world . fourth edition . volume 1 . aves press , eastbourne , united kingdom .
sigurdsson , s . and j . cracraft . 2014 . deciphering the diversity and history of new world nightjars ( aves : caprimulgidae ) using molecular phylogenetics . zoological journal of the linnean society 170 : 506 - 545 .
green violetear colibri thalassinus is split into two species , a monotypic mexican violetear colibri thalassinus , which is equivalent to the former ebird group green violetear ( northern ) colibri thalassinus thalassinus ; and the polytypic lesser violetear colibri cyanotus , which includes the ebird groups green violetear ( costa rican ) colibri thalassinus cabanidis and green violetear ( andean ) colibri thalassinus cyanotus / crissalis . this split follows actions by aou - nacc ( chesser et al . 2016 ) ; see also remsen et al . ( 2015 ) .
with the split of green violetear into two species , change the names of the monotypic group green violetear ( costa rican ) colibri thalassinus cabanidis to lesser violetear ( costa rican ) colibri cyanotus cabanidis ; and change the names of the polytypic group green violetear ( andean ) colibri thalassinus cyanotus / crissalis to lesser violetear ( andean ) colibri cyanotus cyanotus / crissalis .
remsen , j . v . , jr . , f . g . stiles , and j . a . mcguire . 2015 . classification of the polytminae ( aves : trochilidae ) . zootaxa 3957 : 143 - 150 .
in accord with aou - nacc ( chesser et al . 2016 ) , blue - crowned motmot momotus coeruliceps is split into two species . the monotypic group blue - crowned motmot ( blue - crowned ) momotus coeruliceps coeruliceps is elevated to species rank as blue - capped motmot momotus coeruliceps ; and the remaining taxa , of the polytypic group blue - crowned motmot ( lesson’s ) momotus coeruliceps [ lessonii group ] , become lesson’s motmot momotus lessonii , which includes the subspecies lessonii , goldmani , and exiguus . “ momotus coeruliceps is treated as separate from m . lessonii on the basis of strong differences in plumage maintained in apparent parapatry” ( chesser et al . 2016 ) .
in accord with aou - nacc ( chesser et al . 2016 ) , the extinct subspecies maugei , which formerly occurred on mona island and on adjacent puerto rico , is split as a separate species , puerto rican parakeet psittacara maugei . this split follows olson ( 2015 ) , who argued that maugei and chloropterus differ “in plumage and particularly in bill morphology , such that a probable difference in diet is suggested” . with this split , hispaniolan parakeet becomes monotypic .
olson , s . l . 2015 . history , morphology , and fossil record of the extinct puerto rican parakeet psittacara maugei souancé . wilson journal of ornithology 127 : 1 - 12 .
in accord with aou - sacc ( proposal 589 ) , each of the three subspecies of stipple - throated antwren epinecrophylla haematonota is elevated to species rank , following whitney et al . ( 2013 ) : the monotypic group stipple - throated antwren ( negro ) epinecrophylla haematonota pyrrhonota becomes fulvous - throated antwren epinecrophylla pyrrhonota ; the monotypic group stipple - throated antwren ( napo ) epinecrophylla haematonota haematonota becomes rufous - backed antwren epinecrophylla haematonota ; and the monotypic group stipple - throated antwren ( madeira ) epinecrophylla haematonota amazonica becomes madeira antwren epinecrophylla amazonica . all of these english names are provisional , pending a final decision on this issue by aou - sacc ( see proposal 696 ) .
whitney , b . m . , m . l . isler , g . a . bravo , n . aristizábal , f . schunck , l . f . silveira , and v . de q . piacentini . 2013 . a new species of epinecrophylla antwren from the aripuanã - machado interfluvium in central amazonian brazil with revision of the “stipple - throated antwren” complex . pages 263 - 267 in j . del hoyo , a . elliott , j . sargatal , and d . christie ( editors ) , handbook of the birds of the world . special volume . new species and global index . lynx edicions , barcelona .
in accord with aou - sacc ( proposal 684 ) , the monotypic group rufous gnateater ( ceara ) conopophaga lineata cearae is elevated to species rank as ceara gnateater conopophaga cearae . this split long was anticipated , based on vocal differences between cearae and other subspecies of rufous gnateater ( whitney 2003 ) , and was confirmed with genetic data showing that ceara gnateater is more closely related to ash - throated gnateater ( conopophaga peruviana ) than it is to rufous gnateater ( batalha - filho et al . 2014 ) .
batalha - filho , h . , r . o . pessoa , p . - h . fabre , j . fjeldså , m . irestedt , p . g . p . ericson , l . f . silveira , and c . y . miyaki . 2014 . phylogeny and historical biogeography of gnateaters ( passeriformes , conopophagidae ) in the south america forests . molecular phylogenetics and evolution 79 : 422 - 432 .
whitney , b . m . 2003 . family conopophagidae ( gnateaters ) . pages 732 - 747 in j . del hoyo , a . elliott , and d . christie ( editors ) , handbook of the birds of the world . volume 8 . lynx edicions , barcelona .
yet another new species of tapaculo was described by avendaño et al . ( 2015 ) , and was endorsed by aou - sacc ( proposal 670 ) as perija tapaculo scytalopus perijanus , with range “sierra de perijá , colombia ( and venezuela ? ) ” . insert perija tapaculo immediately following brown - rumped tapaculo scytalopus latebricola .
avendaño , j . e . , a . m . cuervo , j . p . lópez - o . , n . gutiérrez - pinto , a . cortés - diago , and c . d . cadena . 2015 . a new species of tapaculo ( rhinocryptidae : scytalopus ) from the serranía de perijá of colombia and venezuela . auk 132 : 450 - 466 .
in accord with aou - sacc ( proposal 697 ) , the monotypic group vilcabamba thistletail ( ayacucho ) asthenes vilcabambae ayacuchensis is elevated to species rank as ayacucho thistletail asthenes ayacuchensis , based on vocal and genetic differences ( hosner et al . 2015 ) .
hosner , p . a . , l . cueto - aparicio , g . ferro - meza , d . miranda , and m . b . robbins . 2015 . vocal and molecular phylogenetic evidence for recognition of a thistletail species ( furnariidae : asthenes ) endemic to the elfin forests of ayacucho , peru . wilson journal of ornithology 127 : 724 - 765 .
in accord with aou - sacc ( proposal 686 ) , elaenia chiriquensis brachyptera is elevated to species rank as coopmans’s elaenia ( elaenia brachyptera ) . this split is based primarily on vocal differences between coopmans’s and lesser elaenias , as well as on a relatively deep genetic divergence between coopmans’s elaenia and the two other subspecies of lesser elaenia ( rheindt et al . 2015 ) . also , revise the range description of brachyptera from “pacific slope of sw colombia ( nariño ) and nw ecuador” to “pacific slope of southwestern colombia ( nariño ) and northwestern ecuador ; also east slope of the andes of ecuador . ”
rheindt , f . e . , n . krabbe , a . k . s . wee , and l . christidis . 2015 . cryptic speciation in the lesser elaenia elaenia chiriquensis ( aves : passeriformes : tyrannidae ) . zootaxa 4032 : 251 - 263 .
white - eared catbird ailuroedus buccoides is split into three species ( irestedt et al . 2016 ) : white - eared catbird ailuroedus buccoides , which is monotypic ; ochre - breasted catbird ailurodeus stonii , which includes subspecies stonii and cinnamomeus ; and tan - capped catbird ailuroedus geislerorum , which includes geislerorum and a newly added subspecies , molestus . following irestedt et al . ( 2016 ) , we recognize subspecies molestus , with range “lowlands of southeastern new guinea ( north side of owen stanley range ) ” ; described in 1929 , molestus previously was considered to be a junior synonym of geislerorum . subspecies oorti , with range “w papuan islands and w new guinea” , is merged with buccoides ( mees 1964 , beehler and pratt 2016 ) . revise the range of buccoides from “s new guinea ( triton bay to upper fly river ) ” to “western papuan islands and northwestern new guinea , east through southern lowlands to upper kikori river” .
irestedt , m . , h . batalha - filho , c . s . roselaar , l . christidis , and p . g . p . ericson . 2016 . contrasting phylogeographic signatures in two australo - papuan bowerbird species complexes ( aves : ailuroedus ) . zoologica scripta 45 : 365 - 379 .
mees , g . f . 1964 . four new subspecies of birds from the moluccas and new guinea . zoologische mededelingen 40 : 125 - 130 .
spotted catbird ailuroedus melanotis is split into six species ( irestedt et al . 2016 ) : spotted catbird ailuroedus maculosus , which is monotypic ; huon catbird ailurodeus astigmaticus , which is monotypic ; black - capped catbird ailuroedus melanocephalus , which is monotypic ; northern catbird ailuroedus jobiensis , which is monotypic ; arfak catbird ailuroedus arfakianus , which includes subspecies arfakianus and misoliensis ; and black - eared catbird ailuroedus melanotis , which includes the subspecies melanotis , facialis , and joanae . subspecies guttaticollis is considered to be a junior synonym of jobiensis ( beehler and pratt 2016 , irestedt et al . 2016 ) , and is deleted . revise the range description of jobiensis from “new guinea ( weyland and adelbert mountains ) ” to “north central new guinea ( north slope of western , border , and eastern ranges , and coastal ranges from foja mountains east to adelbert mountains ) ” . note that the scientific name associated with the english name spotted catbird has changed from ailuroedus melanotis ( now black - eared catbird ) to ailuroedus maculosus .


epirrita filigrammaria , the small autumnal moth or small autumnal carpet , is a moth of the family geometridae .

it is found in scotland , northern england , wales and ireland .

epirrita filigrammaria is endemic to the british isles the wingspan is 30 – 38 mm .

the ground colour is greyish brown .

there are a few small dark bands across the forewings ( sometimes obscure ) and a well-defined fringe along the edge of the forewings .

very similar to the autumnal moth .

the moth flies in august & september .

the larvae feed on heather ( calluna vulgaris ) and bilberry ( vaccinium myrtillus ) .

epirrita filigrammaria

small autumnal moth ( epirrita filigrammaria ) - norfolk moths - the macro and micro moths of norfolk .
id pointers – an epirrita moth in late august on the upland moors is almost certain to be this species .
id : very similar to the other three epirrita species ; averages smaller but with overlap through most of the size range . usually distinguishable from the other three species by flight season as none of them fly before the end of september . male genitalia : octavals short , widely spaced and inclined medially . valvae with an angular prominence on the ventral border but without a distinct dentate projection ( which is present in e . dilutata and e . christyi ) . dissection group suggests that e . autumnata and e . filigrammaria cannot be separated on male genital features . pierce states that the octavals are smaller with a shallower excavation between them in e . autumnata and that the number of hairs on the christae , ~ 19 in e . autumnata , ~ 7 in e . filigrammaria , provides a clear distinction . female genitalia : there is probably no reliable means of separating female epirrita species , though pierce suggests that the signa of e . autumnata are distinctly smaller than those of the other 3 species .
notes : common on moorland throughout much of scotland , northern england and wales , rare elsewhere ; problems in identifying individuals to specific status mean that all epirrita species are under - recorded . unlikely to be recorded in hampshire or on the isle of wight . wingspan 30 - 38 mm . one of four very similar species of epirrita found in the uk , which are generally separable only by dissection of the genitalia . larva feeds on heather , bilberry and sallow , over - wintering as an egg .
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the fore wings are pale yellow inclining to ochreous , and the front edge is more or less tinged with the same colour as that of the oblique stripe from the tips of the wings to the middle of the inner margin . in the type , this stripe is purplish - brown , but in ab . labda , cramer , it is crimson , and in ab . atrifasciaria , stefan , it is blackish . in ab . sanguinaria , esper , the ground colour is pinkish . the hind wings are always white . ( plate 54 , figs . 1 and 2 . )
from 1857 , in which year the first specimen recorded as british was captured in september at plymouth , to 1874 , one or more examples of this interesting migrant seem to have occurred during the autumns of most years , in some part of the british isles , but chiefly in the south of england . the years in which it was apparently unrecorded were 1860 , 1861 , 1870 , 1872 , and 1873 . since 1874 there have been very few records . in 1879 a male specimen was taken at chingford , essex , august 17th , and a female ( ova obtained ) on september 1st ; a specimen occurred at christchurch , hants , october , 1893 ; a male was obtained in the isle of purbeck , dorset , september , 1895 , and one was secured at timoleague , co . cork , in august , 1898 ; one was accounted for at malvern , worcestershire , in august , 1901 ; a female in fine condition was captured , as it flew in the sunshine over a cambridgeshire meadow , in the autumn of 1906 . mr . h . m . edelsten obtained a male specimen in south devon , on september 12 , 1908 . the largest number of specimens appears to have been recorded in 1867 , when nearly thirty were secured , and of these four were taken in may in the isle of wight , where also two females were captured on
august 14th and 16th , and one specimen on september 3rd . six or seven occurred during august in lancashire , and three in perthshire , also in august .
the long caterpillar is variable , but is usually some shade of green above , inclining to whitish beneath , and yellowish between the rings ; the lines along the back are paler green , reddish , and olive green . it feeds on low - growing plants , such as knotgrass and dock , and has been reared from the egg in august and september . if eggs were obtained in may it would be possible to raise two generations of moths , or , perhaps , even three , during the year .
the species is an inhabitant of southern europe and north africa , and its range extends to india , madeira , and the canaries . in central europe , including the british isles , its occurrence is always a more or less casual event .
appears to be valid and is here employed . if it has to give way ,
has long been reported as a british species , but there does not appear to be any very convincing record of its capture in the british isles . it is widely distributed in europe , and generally common . as it is a sun - loving insect , it could hardly escape detection if it occurred in any part of our isles . a note by mr . v . r . perkins , in
for 1861 , p . 7449 , should , however , not be overlooked . this refers to the capture , on june 18th , of two male specimens that were disturbed from broom ,
not far from the city of perth , by mr . d . p . morrison .
two ordinary examples of this species are shown on plate 54 , figs . 4 , 5 . the ground colour is greyish , ranging in one direction to whitish , and in the other to brownish ; on the fore wings there are three cross lines , usually reddish - brown in colour , but sometimes dark brown inclining to blackish ; the first of these lines is always slender and sometimes very indistinct ; the second is often shaded on its outer edge , and the third on its inner edge , with brownish ; occasionally the space between the second and third is more or less dusky , especially on the lower half ; sometimes these two lines approach each other very closely on the inner margin ; the short oblique streak from the tip of the wing to the wavy submarginal line , and also the blackish central dot , are far more distinct in some specimens than in others .
the long stick - like caterpillar is pale ochreous brown , often striped with darker brown or blackish . it feeds on furze ( ulex ) and broom ( cytisus ) , from august to april . the moth is out in may and june , earlier or later according to the season , and is to be found almost everywhere that its food plants flourish .
the fore wings of this species are normally ochreous brown , inclining to reddish , but sometimes the general colour is of a light chocolate tint , and in such specimens the slender white lines edging the dark markings , and the white wavy submarginal line , are more distinct ; the central band - like marking occasionally tapers towards the inner margin . ( plate 54 , figs . 6 , 7 . )
the long caterpillar ( figured from a coloured drawing by mr . a . sich , plate
to yellowish between the rings ; there are indications of darker lines on the middle of the back and along the sides ; the usual dots are whitish and the spiracles black ; in some specimens the central line on the back is pinkish . it hatches from the egg in march or april , and feeds until june on mallow (
the moth appears in september and october , and is sometimes seen in november . it hides under the mallow , and other plants around , and is not much inclined to move during the day , but it becomes active in the evening , and then flies pretty briskly . the occurrence of this species in any locality will , of course , largely depend upon the presence of the food plant , but it seems to be widely distributed throughout the greater part of the british isles . it is , however , most frequent in the southern half of england .
to the earliest british entomologists this species ( plate 54 , figs . 8 and 9 ) was known by the english name given to it by moses harris , which is here revived . haworth ' s popular name for the insect is the
small mallow ,
but this seems less suitable .
the fore wings are usually ochreous brown in colour , with a darker brown band , the inner area of which is often paler . the ground colour , however , varies considerably , in some examples tending to whity brown , and in others to a smoky hue . the whitish hind wings are generally more or less dusky clouded , chiefly from the base of the wing to the dark brown or blackish cross shade ; but sometimes these wings are entirely blackish , with just a trace of a pale cross stripe .
the caterpillar is greyish , with a pinkish tinge and black dots ; there are three lines along the back , the central one slaty blue , and the others ochreous , shaded on each side with pale brown ; a pinkish irregular ridge runs low down along the sides . it feeds on clover , vetch , grass , etc . , from september to june . ( plate 52 , fig . 2 , after hofmann . )
the moth is out in july and august , and is often common in fields and grassy places , generally throughout the greater part of the british isles . in ancient times it was dubbed the
aurelian ' s plague .
the range abroad extends to amurland .
ortholitha moeniata . —except that one specimen was said to have been taken near baron wood , carlisle , some years prior to 1855 ; and another , in 1866 , near york ; there is no evidence that this species is an inhabitant of the british isles .
in this species ( plate 54 , figs . 11 and 12 ) the ground colour of the fore wings is white ( inclining to bluish - white in some specimens ) , more or less stippled and scored with greyish brown ; the cross band is darker grey brown , and there are two black dots placed : - wise ( sometimes united ) in the paler central space of the band . hind wings , smoky grey , with a darker shade across the middle , and a pale one parallel with the outer margin . in some rare instances , the ground colour of the fore wings is entirely white , and the band exceedingly dark ; but specimens with the general colour , slaty - black and the band and basal patch grey , are extremely rare ; barrett mentions one such example , from box hill , surrey , in mr . r . adkin ' s collection .
the caterpillar is whity brown , more or less tinged with pink , dotted with black , and lined with grey along the back , the sides , and the under surface . it feeds , at night , on clover and trefoils , from september to june . ( plate
, fig . 3 , after hofmann . ) the moth is out in july and august , and in suitable localities , such as chalk downs , lime - stone hills , etc . , is generally plentiful
throughout england and south wales . it does not appear to have been noted in ireland , or in scotland , except that it has been recorded from the isle of arran .
the sexes of this species are shown on plate 54 , figs . 3 ♂ , 10 ♀ . the fore wings are greyish , inclining to whitish or to brownish , with two white - edged oblique bands , which in the lighter coloured specimens are broad and show up conspicuously , but in the darker are narrower and much less distinct .
the caterpillar is brownish , but varies in tint , in some cases inclining to pink ; there are three lines along the back , the central one dark green or brown , and the others more or less yellowish ; a blackish or dark grey line low down along the sides . it feeds on yellow bedstraw ( galium verum ) , and may be reared on other kinds of galium . there are two broods , one in may and june , and the other in august and september .
the moth , which frequents sand - hills and shelving banks by the seaside , is found resting upon its food plant or other vegetation around , in may and june , and again in july and august .
the species has a wide distribution , and occurs in suitable localities around the coasts of england ( except the north - east ) , and on the west coast of wales . it also inhabits the breck sand district of norfolk and suffolk , and has been found on chalk downs and hills in the south of england , and in cambridgeshire and berkshire . in ireland , it has been recorded from the counties of down and kerry .
texture . after it has flown for a time , the wings become paler , and lose most of their sheen .
the species has been recorded from pembrokeshire , glamorganshire , and monmouth , in south wales ; and it appears to be found in most of the counties of england southwards from worcester , hereford , gloucester , oxford , and bucks . except that it has been doubtfully recorded from stowmarket , suffolk , it does not seem to be found in the eastern counties ; and i cannot find that it has been noted from devon or cornwall .
, figs . 4 ♂ , 5 ♀ ) is very constant , and except that specimens after having been on the wing for a day or two become sooty brown , there is nothing much to note . it is the fringe at the tip of the
fore wings rather than the tip itself that is white , and this sometimes extends for a short distance along the fringe of the outer margin . haworth ' s english name for this insect ( his
) was
the looping chimney sweeper
in reference to its caterpillar , and to distinguish it from his
chimney sweeper ,
chimney sweeper ' s boy ,
and other oddities in the vernacular among the psychids .
the caterpillar , which feeds in the spring on flowers of the earth - nut ( conopodium denudatum , or bunium flexuosum ) , is green , and paler on the sides than on the back ; there are three darker green lines along the back , the central one merging into reddish on the last ring , and the others narrowly edged on each side with white ; a whitish stripe runs below the red spiracles .
the moth is a sun lover , and flits about flowers growing among or near its food plant , in june and july .
the species is widely distributed over england , wales , ireland , and scotland , but it does not appear to have been noted north of moray in the last - named country . it is always very local , frequents moist fields , borders of woods , and even waysides .
the more or less greyish moth , shown on plate 55 , fig . 3 , varies in tint , some specimens being decidedly more grey than others . at the apex of the fore wings is a short blackish dash , and from this a curved dusky line may be traced to the inner margin . the female has the wings rather shorter than those of the male .
) , in july and august . when reared in captivity it will thrive on other kinds of cruciferæ .
the moth is out in june , sometimes late may ; it is exceedingly local in britain , and only occurs in the breck district , where it was first met with about fifty years ago . tuddenham , in suffolk , is a noted locality , as also is thetford , in norfolk .
this is a greyish white species , of which specimens of both generations are shown on plate 55 , figs . 6 ♂ , 7 ♀ ( 1st generation ) , fig . 8 ♂ ( 2nd generation ) . the chief variation is in the cross central bars of the fore wings , which are sometimes much widened , and occasionally joined from the middle to the inner margin ; or the space between these two bars is more or less filled up with dark grey . on the other hand , the bars are sometimes very faint , but such aberrations are perhaps most frequent in the second generation , which consists of smaller specimens .
the long caterpillar is brown , inclining to reddish or to greenish , with several darker and paler lines on the back and a yellowish line low down along the sides . it feeds on st . john ' s wort ( hypericum ) in june and july ; the caterpillars , hatching in the autumn , are not mature until the following april .
usually there are two generations of the moth , the first appearing in may and june , and the second in august and september . the species is pretty generally distributed over the british isles , extending to the hebrides and the orkneys ; and will probably be found in all localities where its food plant occurs freely . it affects cliffs and sandhills by the sea , rough places on chalk slopes , and sometimes the moths fly up in numbers as we walk over the herbage in such spots .
in general character this species somewhat resembles that last considered . it is , however , much smaller , and there are reddish clouds on the outer marginal area .
this reddish shading is more or less absent in the type , which is otherwise less variegated than var . imbutata , the form to which our british specimens are almost entirely referable . ( plate 55 , figs . 9 and 10 . )
the caterpillar is of somewhat stoutish build , and reddish brown in colour ; three darker lines along the back , and yellow stripe low down along the sides , the latter edged above with black on the front three rings , and blotched with pinkish on the middle rings ; the head is rather paler than the body , and the dots on the latter are yellow . it feeds on cowberry ( vaccinium vitis - idæa ) and cranberry ( v . oxycoccos ) , and seems to have a preference for the flowers of these plants : april to june .
the moth is out in july and august among the vaccinium in its swampy haunts on the heaths and moors of the north of england , and scotland , even to the shetlands . mcarthur took a specimen in the isle of lewis in 1901 . it also occurs in ireland . in england it does not seem to have been noted south of staffordshire .
the most striking features of this shining brownish coloured species are the oval - shaped marks on the disk of the fore wings , and the long whitish streak running to the tips of the wings . ( plate 57 , figs . 3 ♂ , 4 ♀ . )
the long caterpillar ( plate 56 , fig . 2 ) is deep green , with a darker line along the middle of the back , and whitish lines along the sides and the under surface ; the spiracles are reddish , encircled with black , and the head is flecked with brown . it feeds in the spring on broom ( cytisus scoparius ) .
the moth is out in september and october , and secretes itself during the day , but may be found at night flying about the broom bushes for a short time , and later on it sits upon the twigs . it occurs in almost every part of the british isles where the food plant of the caterpillar is well established .
a noticeable character in this glossy , greyish moth ( plate 57 , figs . 1 ♂ , 2 ♀ ) is the black mark on the upper part of the second cross line of the fore wings ( which probably suggested the english name
chevron
given to the species by donovan ) ; following the mark is a reddish or ochreous flush , extending to the tips of the wings .
the long , green caterpillar inclines to bluish above , and to paler green beneath ; a darker line along the middle of the back , then a slender whitish line edged with darker green , and between this and the white spiracular line there is another slender whitish line . it feeds , in august and september , on broom ; when full grown it enters the earth , and there turns to a reddish brown chrysalis , the wing cases of which are greenish . i am indebted to mr . a . j . scollick for the caterpillar and chrysalis figured on plate 56 , figs . 1 , 1 a .
the moth emerges the following year , from may to july , but its time of appearance is uncertain , and it may come up in early spring or not until early autumn . sometimes it will remain in the chrysalis for two winters .
norfolk , suffolk ; also glamorgan , and other parts of south wales . in scotland it is found in the south , but is more frequent from perthshire to moray . probably occurs in other british localities where there is plenty of broom .
the general colour of the species represented on plate 57 , figs . 5 ♂ , 6 ♀ , is greyish , inclining to ochreous or to whitish ; but occasionally it is clouded with dark greyish on the basal area , and there is a broad band of the same colour on the outer marginal area ; in such specimens the central band becomes less conspicuous .
the caterpillar ( plate 59 , fig . 2 ) feeds in may and june , on privet , at first on the leaf buds , and afterwards on the expanded leaves . it will also eat ash and honeysuckle . in colour it is rather deep green , with three fine lines along the back , the central one darker than the ground colour , and the others whitish and irregular ; a whitish stripe low down along the sides ; two points on the last ring of the body . the chrysalis ( plate 59 , fig . 2 a ) , which is enclosed in an oval earthen cocoon , is dark yellowish brown , inclining to blackish on the wing cases .
the moth may be found at night , in march and april , sitting on the privet hedge , and may then be easily boxed , as it seems very disinclined to fly at that time , but earlier in the evening it flits along the hedgerows , and is equally easy to net . when resting , however , one is able to select just the finest specimens .
north lancashire , cumberland , northampton , berks , essex , and kent . in scotland it has been reported from clydesdale and arran , but has not been noted from ireland .
the whitish fore wings of this species are tinged with grey or greenish grey , the cross lines and bands vary in intensity , and , as a rule , are more distinct and complete in the female than in the male . a form of not infrequent occurrence in scotland ( ab . fasciata , prout ) has blackish bands , which show up in strong contrast with the general whitish colour of the wings . the ordinary form is represented on plate 57 , fig . 7 ♂ , and fig . 8 on the same plate shows the named variety referred to .
the caterpillar is green , with rather darker lines along the back , and a yellow stripe low down along the sides ; the two points on the last ring are also yellow . it feeds , in june and july , on honeysuckle , sallow , birch , and alder . the moth is out in april and may , and seems to be more or less common in woodlands throughout the greater part of the british isles . in scotland it appears to be most plentiful from perthshire northwards to sutherlandshire , but it has not been reported from the orkneys , shetlands , or hebrides . ( early stages are shown on plate 59 , figs . 3 - 3 b . )
the boles of trees are favourite resting places , and upon them , and also upon gate - posts , etc . , the moth is often met with in the daytime .
with black , and sometimes there are whitish lines between them ; those on the central area are often united by a blackish cloud , and so form a band , and not infrequently the basal area is also blackish marked . ( plate
, figs . 3 and 4 . ) the ground colour is very apt to fade if the insect is exposed to moisture of any kind , as , for instance , when pinned in a damp collecting box , but i have one bred specimen of a reddish ochreous colour , and i am assured that it was of this tint when it emerged from the chrysalis . an old english name was
the brindle - barred yellow .
the thick - set caterpillar is green , more or less tinged with pinkish ; three interrupted pink lines on the back , the central one sometimes inclining to purple , and broken up into spots ; the head is brown , sometimes marked with purplish , and there are two tiny points on the last ring of the body . it varies in the green tint and also in marking . it feeds on flowers and leaves of holly , ivy , dogwood , privet , etc . , in june and july , and in some sheltered southern localities again in september and october .
the moth is out in may and early june , and where a second generation is developed , in august and early september . it sits in the daytime on tree - trunks , but more especially those with smooth bark ; the stems of holly are a favourite resting place , but at box hill i have occasionally seen a specimen on the trunk of a beech tree . barrett states that it also rests on the trunks of fir trees , and that it is then very easily seen . night is its time of activity , and it is then attracted by light .
the species seems to be widely distributed , but locally and not generally common , throughout england , wales , and ireland ; it has only been recorded from rosemount , ayr , and one or two other localities in the south of scotland .
fore wings whitish , with two greyish bands on the basal area ; first and second lines greyish , variable in width , and sometimes only represented by marks on the front or inner margins ; there is a black central dot , and the outer area beyond the submarginal line is clouded with dark grey , especially on the upper half . sometimes the wings are so thickly stippled with the darker colour that they appear to be greyish , with interrupted and indistinct whitish cross lines . a rather frequent form has the fore wings tinged with ochreous , and of this tint is ab . zonata , thnbg . , which has the basal bands and outer marginal border blackish , the central area being without cross lines . ( plate 57 , figs . 9 ♂ and 10 ♀ . )
the caterpillar is green , darker below and between the rings ; the most distinct markings are two yellow lines along the back ; head , notched ; body wrinkled , and with two points on the last ring . it feeds on aspen , and other kinds of poplar , in june and july .
the moth appears in may , and continues out well into june , especially in its northern localities . it rests on the trunks of poplar trees , or on the stems of bushes around , and is sometimes easily alarmed , and flies off on the collector ' s approach , whilst at other times it sits quietly , and may be easily boxed . at dusk it may be seen flying around the poplars .
widely distributed in the southern half of england , and only found where poplars , chiefly aspens , are well established . from worcester its range extends northwards to staffordshire , leicestershire , derbyshire , and cheshire ; and it has been recorded from yorkshire and cumberland ; also from glamorganshire , south wales . in scotland it seems not to have been noted in the south , but is found more or less frequently from perthshire to sutherlandshire . rare in ireland .
this is a much smaller species than the last . the fore wings are whitish , with brownish - grey , or blackish - grey , cross lines and bands ; the central most distinct towards the front margin , where it encloses a black dot ; hind wings greyish , with black central dot . ( plate 58 , figs . 1 and 2 . )
the green , much wrinkled caterpillar has three whitish lines or stripes along the back , and in some examples there is a white line low down along the sides ; the head , which inclines to yellowish , is notched , and there are two pinkish points on the last ring of the body . it feeds on sallow in august and september .
the moth is to be found in may and june , and , in some years , again in july and august . it inhabits woods and hedgerows where sallow is plentiful , but , perhaps , is obtained more freely in fens . occasionally it may be beaten from the hedges , but it is active on the wing just before the close of day , and then disports itself over and about the sallow bushes . it occurs in suitable localities in most of the eastern and southern counties of england , and has been reported from some of the northern ones , and from glamorganshire , in south wales . kane states that it has been found in the north , south , east , and west of ireland , but is always local and scarce .
in orchards and gardens wherein are fruit trees one may have noticed that the trunks of the trees have broad bands around them . if these bands are examined , they will be seen
to be covered with a sticky compound , which has been put there for the purpose of trapping the almost wingless females of the winter moth , as they crawl up the tree after emergence from the chrysalis . in spite of such devices , and other precautionary measures taken to safeguard the trees from attack , the foliage of apple , pear , etc . , will not be quite free from the caterpillars of this species in their season .
the male has greyish brown fore wings , which are crossed by rather darker lines , and a dark , more or less distinct , central band ( ab . hyemata , huene ) . the ground colour is very much darker in some specimens than in others , and examples of a sooty brown colour are not infrequent ; barrett mentions an almost buff - coloured specimen . in the female , the tiny affairs representing wings are brownish , with indications of a darker band towards the outer margin of the front pair .
a small , purplish brown form , reared in january , 1882 , from caterpillars found in cumberland , feeding on sweet gale ( myrica gale ) , was described as a new species under the name myricaria , cooke ( entom . , xv . 57 ) . this has been referred by staudinger to c . boreata , as a form of that species , but it is probably an aberration of c . brumata .
the caterpillar is green , with a stripe of darker green along the back ; on each side of this are two white lines , and along the black spiracles is a pale yellowish line ; head , green , sometimes marked with blackish . it feeds on the foliage of trees and bushes , and sometimes abounds in april and may .
the moth appears during the winter months , and has been noted as early as october and as late as february . ( plate 58 , figs . 8 - 10 . )
this species is generally larger than the last - mentioned . the fore wings are marked somewhat as in that species ,
but they are paler in colour and more glossy ; hind wings whitish and glossy . in the female , the wings are useless for flying , but still they are larger than those of
the caterpillar is greenish , with a greyish stripe along the back , another edged above with yellow along the black spiracles , and a greyish line between the stripes ; the head is black . it feeds , in may and june , on birch , and the moth does not appear until october or november .
at one time considered to be a purely northern species : the earliest known british specimens , four in number , having been captured at petty pool , delamere , cheshire , on october 31 , 1848 . it is now known , however , to have a wide distribution in the south of england . northwards , its range extends throughout england and scotland up to moray . it is found in south wales ; also in galway , monaghan , and connemara , in ireland .
the fore wings of this glossy species ( plate 60 , figs . 1 , 2 ) are pale brown , tinged more or less strongly with rosy or purplish ; there are numerous darker and paler cross lines , the most distinct and constant being the blackish basal , and the two forming the edges of the central band ; the latter are marked with black ; the submarginal line is whitish , wavy , and sometimes broken up into dots . the species varies considerably in tint , some specimens inclining to pale greyish brown , others to smoky brown . hind wings , whitish grey , with several darker grey cross lines ; in dark specimens these wings are smoky grey . ab . cinereata , stephens , is a small pale greyish form , almost without rosy tinge and with fewer cross lines .
darker green stripes and lines . in another form there are four pale yellowish lines along the back and a yellow stripe low down along the sides . it feeds on buckthorn (
) , the leaves of which it fastens together with silk , and so forms a retreat . it will also eat sloe and bird - cherry (
the moth is out in august and through the autumn , when it sometimes visits the flowers of ivy , ragwort , etc . ; after hibernation it is again seen , perhaps even more frequently , in april and may , and is then occasionally found at sallow catkins . the species seems to have been noted from nearly all the english counties , but becomes rare from yorkshire northwards . in wales , and in ireland , it is apparently widely distributed , but in scotland it seems confined to southern localities , and is only rarely met with .
this species is very similar to the last , but the wings are not glossy , only reddish on the outer margin , and the black marked lines edging the central band of the fore wings are less irregular , the inner ones usually being much straighter . on the under side of the hind wings of the male is a fold enclosing hairs ; this is on the inner margin , just above the anal angle . ( plate 60 , fig . 3 ♀ . )
, fig . 3 , after hofmann ) is greyish inclining to greenish ; four white lines along the back , the central pair enclosing a dark line , the others are bordered below with dark greyish ; the black spiracles are set in yellowish blotches , and the plates on first and last rings are brown ; head , reddish - brown , glossy ( adapted from fenn ) . it feeds on the barberry (
is out in may and june , but in favourable seasons has appeared in late april . when on the wing at night it is freely attracted by light , but otherwise not often noticed . the species has occurred in many of the english counties from devon to durham , but it seems to be only common in the eastern counties , and most frequent perhaps in suffolk . it has been recorded from south wales , but is seemingly absent from ireland .
wings pale greyish , sometimes ochreous tinted , and crossed by numerous dark - grey wavy lines inclining to blackish on the front margin of the fore wings ; the waves of the central pair of lines on the fore wings often meet and so form a series of rings ; sometimes the space between the eighth and twelfth lines is of a dusky hue , and occasionally it is distinctly darker and band - like ; the outer margin of all the wings is brownish and traversed by a wavy white line . the male has tufts of blackish hair in a fold on the inner margin of the hind wing , this is noticeable on the upper side , but is best seen from the under side . ( plate 60 , figs . 4 ♂ , 5 ♀ . )
the somewhat dumpy caterpillar is reddish - brown with four yellowish lines along the back ; a greyish stripe along the sides , and a creamy stripe along the black spiracles ; head , pale brown and glossy . it feeds on sallow , aspen , and bilberry , and may be found from august throughout the autumn in spun - together leaves at the tips of the shoots . ( plate 62 , fig . 2 . )
the moth is out in june and july , and occurs in woods where there is a good growth of bilberry , or in marshy spots where sallow bushes abound .
in england the species is widely distributed over the southern and eastern counties ; its range extends through the midlands to cheshire , lancs . , and westmorland , rarely in lincoln and yorks . , and once recorded in durham ; it occurs in wales and in scotland , but only in the more southern part of each country . it is not plentiful in ireland , but widely distributed . the range abroad includes amurland .
the male is always smaller than the female , and is noticeable for its long body with tuft of hairs at the extremity . the wings in both sexes are dingy brown , or greyish brown , and the usual lines on fore wings are blackish , the space between first and second often dusky . ( plate 60 , fig . 6 . )
the caterpillar is short and stout , and in form very like that of the winter moth ; the back and a central dorsal stripe are black , the latter bordered with white , the sides are yellow ; the spiracular line is black , broken , and unconnected ; the spiracles are black ; the head is black , and the edge of the first ring of the body is yellow . ( crewe . ) it feeds , in may and june , on purging buckthorn ( rhamnus catharticus ) , and is to be found between two or more leaves , which it spins together as a hiding place .
in june and july the moth may sometimes be obtained by beating bushes of buckthorn , or the herbage below and around ; this plan works best when operated just before dusk . as a british insect it is only found in england , and is most frequent in the southern and eastern counties , but widely distributed in the west to worcester , and has been found in lancashire , westmorland , and yorks . in the last - named county , caterpillars were obtained freely at askham bogs in 1900 .
when stephens wrote of this insect in 1831 he noted its occurrence
in a lane near fulham .
even so recently as 1906 i obtained specimens on the putney side of wimbledon common .
the blackish oblique band on the fore wings of this ochreous brown species ( plate 60 , fig . 7 ♂ , 8 ♀ ) is sometimes indicated only by the blackish lines , the space between them being hardly darker than the general colour . sometimes all the wings are suffused with blackish brown , and in such specimens the only distinct marking is the whitish submarginal line .
the caterpillar is green , with three lines along the back , the central one dark green , and the others yellow ; the hind wings are marked with purple , and a stripe of the same colour runs along under the spiracles . in another form the general colour is greyish with a reddish - brown stripe along the back , and series of spots of the same colour along the sides . it may be found in may and june , concealed between leaves that it has fastened together to form a retreat .
the moth flies in late june and in july , and may be disturbed in the daytime from buckthorn bushes . it is widely distributed , and often common in the south of england , but is rare in the north ; and has also been recorded from south wales .
, hufnagel , and as this is an earlier name it may have to be adopted . according to prout , both this and the preceding species should be placed in the genus
in its typical form ( plate 63 , fig . 3 ) the blackish band of the fore wings is entire , but in ab . insulata , haworth ( fig . 4 ) , this band is interrupted by two whitish lines along the median veins , and so divided into three or four portions , the smaller section placed between the lines ; occasionally , the dividing lines assume stripe - like proportions , and the main portions are consequently smaller in size and further from each other , but one
island
still remains . in another form , the lower outer corner is distinctly separate from the costal portion ; thus the band is broken into four parts .
the long caterpillar is green , with a reddish - brown stripe along the back ; this is broken up into spots , except on the first three rings ; there are some reddish - brown spots on the sides . it feeds on various kinds of willow herb (
the moth should be looked for in beech and other woods amongst the food plants , from which , and the surrounding herbage , it is readily evicted . it flies at twilight , and later on , when it has been known to visit the sugar patch ; it is also attracted by light . it is out in may and june , and specimens of a second generation sometimes occur in the south . the species occurs locally throughout england , probably wales , and in scotland up to ross . in ireland , it is widely distributed and locally common in the north , but apparently not noted in the south .
the white veins and white lines passing through the blackish blotches at the base and on the front margin of the fore wings , give these wings a curious netted appearance ; the hind wings are smoky grey , with two white lines which appear to be continuations of the white second line and sub - marginal of the fore wings . ( plate 61 , fig . 1 . )
the caterpillar is green , inclining to yellowish , and more or less tinged with pinkish , especially on the sides ; three lines on the back , the central one reddish , the others whitish ; a central line along the pinkish spiracles . it feeds at night on yellow balsam (
seeds , and young foliage , and rests by day on the undersides of the leaves : september and october . ( plate
the moth is out in july and august , and , of course , will only be found in localities where the balsam flourishes ; these are very limited , and in britain are confined to westmorland and the northern border of lancashire , and north wales . the species was first introduced as british in 1861 , when the late henry doubleday recorded the capture of three specimens in august , 1856 , on the border of one of the lakes in westmorland , by his friend the late thomas h . allis . it seems that other specimens had been taken at the same time , but these passed into collections as the
second brood of silacearia .
the caterpillar is said to have been found in north wales , but has been more frequently obtained in the english lake district .
the range abroad extends to eastern siberia , amurland , corea , and japan ; but in the three last - named countries it is chiefly represented by var . ærosa , butt . , a large form .
the english name here retained was given to this species ( plate 63 , figs . 1 ♂ , 2 ♀ ) by harris , in 1775 , but in 1782 he changed it to
clouded carpet .
in ground colour the fore wings are pale brown , more or less clouded with darker brown , or with reddish - brown ; the basal patch , central band , and blotch on outer margin below the tip of the wing , are all chocolate brown clouded with blackish and edged with white . hind wings , whitish , suffused with smoky grey , except on front area ; three dusky whitish - edged wavy lines , inclining to blackish on the inner margin . the egg ( plate 67 , fig . 3 ) is yellowish when laid , and then changes to purplish with a whitish bloom .
middle of the back is a series of purplish - edged , brown - centred , whitish , triangular markings ; the third ring is swollen , and has a black collar . it feeds at night on the foliage of red and black currant , also on gooseberry , and may be found in april and may , earlier or later according to season , sitting by day upon the bushes .
the moth flies in july and august , and occurs in gardens , but is said to be partial to sloe bushes and hedges . it is always more or less local , although it is distributed over the greater part of the british isles .
the fore wings of this rather variable species ( plate 63 , figs . 5 - 7 ) are yellowish or reddish grey , with a darker basal patch and central band ; a reddish blotch below the tip of the wing is edged with white , and the central band is also outwardly edged with white . hind wings , whitish , with two lines , and dusky hind marginal border , the latter sometimes inclining to reddish . occasionally , the fore wings are entirely pale ochreous , and the basal patch and the central band only very slightly darker , but the limiting lines are reddish , and the patch under the tip of the wing is bright orange red . var . insulicola , staud . , from the isles of scotland , has the fore wings rather narrower , and suffused with purplish brown or deep violet grey ; the hind wings are smoky grey . the female is usually smaller than the male , and often more yellow in colour .
eggs , whitish brown , mottled with darker . the early stages are shown on plate 67 , figs . 2 - 2 b .
with reddish ; another white line along the region of the spiracles . it feeds , in may or june ( earlier or later in some seasons ) , on sallow and birch . the moth is out in july and august , and frequents heaths and bogs more especially , but is also found in or around woods , and i have captured male specimens as they flew along hedgerows bordering fields , at dusk , in middlesex . the female is rarely seen on the wing .
the species , which ranges through central and northern europe to the ural and altai , is generally distributed throughout the british isles ; it is found also in the atlantic states of america .
the fore wings are yellow , with a reddish or purplish - brown basal patch , central band , and small patch on outer margin below tip of the wing , the central band more or less clouded or mottled with yellow . hind wings , whitish , tinged with yellow . the female is usually smaller , the colour generally paler , and the markings frequently only represented by cross lines . specimens from the isle of arran have the ground colour of fore wings more or less dappled with brown of the same tint as that of the central band and other markings ; the hind wings are tinged with a smoky hue . in other parts of scotland the brown colour becomes more and more general , until the fore wings are uniformly brown , and the hind wings dusky . on the mountains in the north nearly black specimens occur , and these seem to be referable to ab . musauaria , freyer . ( plate 63 , figs . 8 - 10 . )