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BRITISH AXD EUROPE AX BUTTERFLIES AXD MOTHS 



Stripe. It feeds on Lamlum and Pnhmnana 

 in Spring. 



G. ditrapezium, Borkh. The Triple-spotted 

 Clav is smaller than triangnlum, which it closely 

 resembles. Fore wings reddish violet, with 

 the half line edged with darker on both sides, 

 and the anterior transverse line edged with 

 darker towards the hind margin. The dark 

 spot before the orbicular stigma is not con- 

 tiguous with the costa, and the orbicular 

 stigma is rounded and closed in front. The 

 hind wings are pale ochre-yellow, darker to- 

 wards the base. The head and thorax are 

 reddish violet, paler in the middle, with small 

 crests. It appears in June and July, and is 

 widely distributed in Central Europe, but is 

 not common. The larva resembles that of 

 triangulum, but with a finer dorsal line, a black 

 interrupted lateral line, edged below with white, 

 and delicate horseshoe-shaped spots on the 

 back. It lives on low plants, especially prim- 

 rose and dandelion, in April and May. 



G. triangulum, Hufn. The Double-spotted 

 Square-spot. Fore wings brownish yellow, 

 more or less suffused with grey. The half 

 line is spotted with darker on both sides, and 

 the anterior transverse line is bordered with 

 darker on the outer side. This dark border 

 expands into the dark spot in front of the 

 orbicular stigma at the costa. In front of the 

 reniform stigma is another dark costal spot. 

 These dark markings stand out more promi- 

 nently from the light ground colour than in 

 ditrapezium. The hind wings are brownish 

 grey. The thorax is crested. The moth is 

 common in Central and Eastern Europe in 

 June and July. The larva is light brown, with 

 black horseshoe-shaped spots on the back, 

 which are always distinct on the eleventh and 

 twelfth segments, but are fainter in front. It 

 lives on primroses and other low plants till 

 the end of May. 



G. depuncta, Linn. The Plain Clay. 

 Fore wings yellowish brown, with fine pale 

 nervures. On the half line there are two, and 

 on the anterior transverse line there are three 

 deep black spots. All three stigmata are sur- 

 rounded with yellowish. There is a row of 

 small dark dots in the suffused band. The 

 submarginal line has a narrow dark margin 

 on the inner side. Hind wings lighter, with a 



dark central lunule and curved line. The 

 thorax is yellowish. This species is found in 

 Central Europe in July and August, but is 

 local. The caterpillar is yellowish grey, with 

 a row of black dots and a divided dorsal spot. 

 There is a black longitudinal stripe above 

 each white spiracle, and a white streak below. 

 The head and cervical plate are dark yellow. 

 It lives on nettle and other low plants in May. 



Genus Agrotis, Ochs. 



Thorax rounded at the sides, with smooth 

 liair; abdomen conical; anterior tibiae with 

 bristles on both sides. 



A. glareosa, Esp. The Autumn Rustic. 

 Fore wings light grey, with several white trans- 

 verse lines and light stigmata surrounded by 

 black. Hind wings yellowish grey, darker 

 towards the hind margin. The thorax coloured 

 like the fore wings, and the abdomen like the 

 hind wings. It is found in Central and Western 

 Europe. The caterpillar is reddish yellow, 

 grey on the sides, with oblique black streaks, 

 and a white stripe above the legs. It lives 

 in May and June on plantain and Hieracium. 



A. margaritacea, Borkh. Fore wings 

 ashy grey, with three dentated transverse lines, 

 which on the costa are deep black, thickened 

 and double. The central area and the inner 

 border of the submarginal line are brown. 

 Between the two stigmata is a small black 

 square mark. The hind wings are whitish. 

 The thorax is not crested. It occurs in South- 

 Central Etirope in July and August, but is 

 scarce. The caterpillar is yellowish brown, 

 varied with black and reddish, with three 

 white dorsal lines and black dashes on the 

 sides. Besides these there are pink stripes 

 above the legs, containing eight thick oblique 

 black streaks, with a black dot above each. 

 It lives from September to March on low plants. 



A. multangula, Hiibn. Fore wings brown, 

 with the transverse lines, the borders of the stig- 

 mata, and the indistinct submarginal line lighter. 

 The half line has two dark spots on each side, 

 and the anterior transverse line four on the 

 outer side, the largest being triangular, and 

 placed in front of the claviform stigma. There 

 is a dark quadrilateral spot between the two 

 stigmata. The submarginal line is somewhat 

 darker on the inner side, with a few indistinct 



