BRITISH AA'D EUROPEAN BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 



M3 



verse lines, of which the posterior is somewhat 

 curved and the anterior angulated. There is 

 a rusty brown ill-defined central shade, dark 

 stigmata, a dark spot in the lower part of the 

 reniform stigma, a very feebly developed sub- 

 marginal line and dark dots in front of the 

 fringes, which are tipped with reddish. The 

 hind wings are straw-colour with a darker mar- 

 ginal line. The head and thorax are ochre- 

 yellow and the abdomen is straw-colour, with 

 a horny ovipositor in the female. It is found 

 throughout the greater part of Europe, but 

 is not generally common. It appears about 

 the end of July or in August. The larva is 

 yellowish green with three whitish dorsal and 

 lateral stripes and a darker one above the 

 legs. The head is yellowish red. It feeds in 

 May and June between the leaves of birch, 

 oak and alder. 



C. contusa, Freyer. Fore wings greyish 

 red, with two transverse lines, of which the 

 anterior has two curves on the outer side, and 

 the posterior is almost straight, and only 

 slightly convex on the outer side. There is a 

 central shade, a rusty yellow orbicular and 

 a paler, bipupilled reniform stigma. The 

 hind wings are dark grey with the fringes 

 scarcely lighter towards the tips. It is found 

 in North-Eastern Germany and in Saxony in 

 July and August, but is rare and local. The 

 larva is whitish yellow, with a shining black 

 head. It feeds between the leaves of aspen, 

 which it spins together closely. 



Genus Dyschorista, Led. 



Distinguished from the last genus by the 

 obtuse fore wings. The abdomen of the female 

 is of the ordinary form, with a rather long 

 slightly projecting ovipositor and an anal fold 

 expanded at the inner edge. The antennas 

 are setiform, shortly and thickly ciliated in 

 the males. 



D. suspecta, Hubn. The Suspected Moth. 

 Fore wings brownish red, or greyish brown with 

 a red tinge. All the markings are lighter, the 

 most distinct being the outline of the two 

 stigmata. The two transverse lines are bor- 

 dered with black on the opposed sides, and 

 the fringes are of a uniform grey colour. The 

 hind wings are uniformh- dark ashy grey with 

 lighter fringes. The head and thorax are 



brownish red, and the abdomen is ash}' grey, 

 elongated in the male. It appears in August 

 and is widely distributed in Central Europe, 

 but is rare and local. The larva is unicolorous 

 green and feeds on low plants in May and June. 

 D. ypsilon, W. V. The Dismal Moth. 

 Fore wings light or dark rusty brown, with 

 indistinct lighter transverse lines somewhat 

 approximating on the inner margin ; light sub- 

 marginal lines forming a sharp angle at the 

 apex of the wings on the inner side and forming 

 black triangles nearer the base; a fairly distinct 

 central shade, and a short black streak from 

 the centre of the base. The claviform stigma 

 is surrounded with black, and the two others 

 are close together, almost touching at the 

 hinder angle, the opposed edges in front form- 

 ing a black V. The marginal Una is composed 

 of black lunules, and the fringes are darkly 

 banded through the middle and at the apex 

 and are intersected by fine nervures. The 

 hind wings are light or dark grey, lighter to- 

 wards the base, with a central lunule; a dark 

 marginal line; and yellowish fringes, spotted 

 slightly with darker in the middle. The head 

 and thorax are like the fore wings, and the 

 abdomen corresponds with the hind wings. 

 It is common in most parts of Europe in June 

 and Jul}-. The larva is brown with three light 

 dorsal lines, the median expanding into dia- 

 monds at the incisions and bounded by black 

 spots on the sides. The spiracles are placed 

 on a reddish base. It feeds in May and June 

 on poplar and willow, remaining hidden during 

 the day in fissures of the bark. 



Genus Plastenis, Boisd. 



General characters the same as in Calymnia. 

 The thorax has a sharp longitudinal crest, 

 the front, palpi, pectus and legs are woolly, 

 and the hind margin of the wings is convex. 

 The eyes are naked and the antennae are seti- 

 form, and shortly ciliated in the males. The 

 larvae are slender and live in May between 

 the leaves of willow and poplar, spun together, 

 between which they also pass into the pupa 

 state. 



P. retusa, Linn. The Double Kidney 

 Moth. Fore wings fawn colour, with concave 

 hind margins, almost straight parallel trans- 

 verse lines of a delicate yellow edged extep- 



