BRITISH AXD EUROPEAX BUTTERFLIES AND M02HS. 



107 



a brown dorsal line, with oblique lines passing 

 from it on each segment, black and white 

 spots, and a pale stripe on the sides. It 

 feeds in July and August in the pods of Silcne 

 nutnns. 



D. compta, W. V. PI. XXV. fig. 5. is 

 not uncommon in Central and Southern Europe, 

 but is ver}' rare in Britain. It appears in 

 May and June and often again late in the 

 Summer. The var. viscariae, Guen. is more 

 varied with yellow, with a white stigma and 

 no band. Tlie larva is reddish grey, dotted 

 with darker on the back, and has a reddish 

 brown dorsal stripe divided by a white line 

 and expanded into spots; and a yellowish grey 

 lateral stripe. It feeds in the Autumn on 

 the capsules of Dianthus prolifer, D. cartlinsian- 

 oi'uiu, etc. 



D. capsincola, Esp. The Lychnis Moth. 

 Fore wings dark brown, marbled with black 

 and white, with both double transverse lines 

 black and indistinct. Towards the hind margin 

 between the nervures, there are black longi- 

 tudinal streaks, a large black rounded clavi- 

 form stigma, and white-margined orbicular 

 and reniform stigmata, unconnected at the 

 median nervure, the latter being elongated and 

 oblique. The submarginal line is white and 

 deeply dentated. On nervures 3 and 4 it forms 

 a • W. The marginal line and fringes are 

 greyish brown. Hind wings also greyish 

 brown, with a distinct white spot near the 

 anal angle. The head and thorax are dark 

 brown and the abdomen greyish brown. It 

 is common throughout Europe in May and 

 June and again in August. The larva is 

 brownish grey, finely dotted with black, espe- 

 cially on the back, with an interrupted whitish 

 dorsal line, and a lateral line above the legs 

 formed of oblique brown streaks. The head 

 is shining light brown, spotted with black. It 

 feeds in August and September on the capsules 

 of Lychnis, Saponaria, etc. 



D. cucubali, W. V. The Campion Moth. 

 Fore wings shining brown, much varied with 

 reddish violet, with both double transverse 

 lines black, the anterior being indistinct and 

 the posterior suffused with violet-red, and con- 

 sisting of crescent-shaped spots towards the 

 base. There is a dark brown, very large 

 rounded claviform stigma, and approximated 



orbicular and reniform stigmata, bordered with 

 yellowish, and joined on the median nervure. 

 Between the nervures are black longitudinal 

 streaks, which are interrupted by ttie deeply 

 zigzag yellowish submarginal line, which forms 

 a sharp W on nervures 3 and 4. In front 

 of the fringes, which are banded with darker 

 and lighter, are black crescents, edged with 

 lighter towards the base. The head and 

 thorax are brown, marbled with black and 

 \vhite, and the abdomen is greyish brown, like 

 the hind wings, which have black crescents 

 in front of the fringes. It is double-brooded 

 in May and July, and is common in Central 

 and Northern Europe, generally occurring to- 

 gether with the last species. The caterpillar 

 is dirty yellowish green, with a whitish dorsal 

 line, most distinct in front and behind, and 

 two white lateral lines, between which are 

 the spiracles. There are many brown or black 

 dots and w-arts, and in places also oblique 

 streaks. It feeds in June on the leaves and 

 flowers, and in the Autumn on the capsules 

 of species of Silene. The larva is bright brown, 

 and is enclosed in an earth cocoon. 



D. carpophaga, Borkh. The Tawny Shears. 

 Fore wings varying from brown to yellowish 

 grey, with both the transverse lines yellowish 

 or white, edged with black, the posterior with 

 crescents on the inner side, and expanded 

 and pale in cells la and ib. There is a- 

 similar strongly dentated submarginal line, in 

 the middle of which, on the inner side, are three 

 black sagittate spots. The orbicular stigma 

 is round, with a pale margin, and the reniform 

 stigma is similar. The stigmata are not con- 

 nected. The claviform stigma is large and 

 pointed. Hind wings greyish brown, with a 

 light brown spot near the anal angle. The 

 head and thorax are brown, and the abdomen 

 greyish brown. It is found in most parts of 

 Europe, but is commoner in the South, and 

 appears in May and June. The larva is dark 

 grey, with a broad white dorsal line and pale 

 grey lateral lines. It lives in the capsules of 

 species of Silene in July and August. 



D. capsophila, Dup. The Pod Lover. 

 Resembles the last species, but is larger. Fore 

 wings dark brown, with numerous clearly de- 

 fined pale markings. The two stigmata are 

 very distinct and are surrounded with paler. 



