BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BUITERFLIES AND MOTHS. 



149 



in the catkins of poplars ami on the seeds of 

 the elm, and later on low plants. 



X. ocellaris, Borkh. is distinguished from 

 the last species onl}' by the distinctly pro- 

 jecting apex, the fine light nervures and the 

 white dot below the reniform stigma. It is 

 found throughout Central Europe, but is rarer 

 than the last species and does not appear to 

 occur in Britain. The larva is very like that 

 of gilvago. It lives on the catkins of the poplar 

 and afterwards on low plants. 



Genus Hoporina, Boisd. 



Like the last genus in the form of the 

 thorax and partially also in the markings; like 

 Orrhodia, in the shape of the wings and in 

 that of the obtuse flattened abdomen. It is 

 distinguished from both by the front, which 

 is furnished with a pointed tuft of hair, which 

 forms a compressed snout with the palpi. The 

 only species is : — 



H. croceago, W. V. The Orange Upper 

 ^Vi^g. PI. XXVI. fig. 13. It is Common in 

 woods throughout Central and Southern Europe. 

 It appears in September, hibernates, and re- 

 appears in March and April. The variety 

 Corsica, Mab. which inhabits the coasts of 

 the Mediterranean is straw-coloured. The 

 larva is reddish brown with small darker an- 

 gular streaks and a thick black transverse 

 streak on the twelfth segment, behind which 

 are two straw-coloured spots. It lives on oak 

 from May to Jul}-. 



Genus Orrhodia, Hubn. 



Middle-sized Nodncs with long, nearly 

 uniformly, broad fore wings with rectangular 

 apices. All the transverse lines, the central 

 shade and the submarginal line are present or 

 indicated, as well as the two stigmata. The 

 abdomen is very broad and compressed, with 

 tufts of hair on the sides and at the end. The 

 thorax is smooth or somewhat keeled; the 

 antennee are simply ciliated with an elongated 

 bristle on each side of each joint, thicker in 

 the male. The eyes are hairy. The pectus 

 and legs are clothed with fine wool, and the 

 tibiae have short smooth hair. These moths 

 fly late in Autumn; they hide themselves among 

 dried leaves, and hibernate. The larvae are 

 covered with smooth, thick or thin hair. They 



live on low plants and assume the pupa-state 

 on the firound. 



O. fragariae, Esp. PI. XXVI. fig. 14. 

 is found in South-Eastern Europe in Septem- 

 ber and October, but is rather scarce. The 

 larva is velvety orange-yellow with a brown 

 head and a black cervical plate. It feeds from 

 May and June on grass and is a cannibal. 



O. erythrocephala, VV. V. The Red- 

 headed Moth. Fore wings reddish brown, 

 suffused with grey, especially on the costa, as 

 far as the reniform stigma, with two double 

 dark transverse lines, a light submarginal line 

 commencing near a dark spot, a central shade, 

 and lighter nervures between this and the 

 hind margin. There' is a yellowish marginal 

 line, dark crescents edged with grey on the 

 inner side and fringes banded with grey on 

 the middle. The stigmata are grey, bounded 

 with brown, the reniform with black spots on 

 its inner half. The hind wings are reddish 

 grey with a faint dark central lunule and a 

 darker marginal line. The head and collar 

 are light brown, and the abdomen is reddish 

 grey. It is widely distributed in Central 

 Europe, appearing in September, but is not 

 common. The variety glabra, W. V. is darker 

 brown, especially in the central area, with the 

 margins of the two stigmata light grey. The 

 larva is brownish grey, dotted with white, 

 with a black cervical plate and two white 

 lines. It lives in May and June on low plants 

 such as plantain and lettuce, and also on oak. 



O. silene, W. V. Fore wings brownish 

 ashy grey with lighter nervures, indistinct 

 light transverse lines, a submarginal line rising 

 from a brown spot, and a central shade. 

 The yellow-margined stigmata contain small 

 velvety black spots intersected by the light 

 nervures and there are indistinct dots in front 

 of the yellow marginal line. The hind wings 

 are reddish ashy grey with a dark central 

 lunule and yellowish fringes. The moth ap- 

 pears in September and October and inhabits 

 Central Europe, except Britain, but is not 

 common. The larva resembles that of vaccinii. 

 It is brown on the back, dotted with whitish 

 and has a whitish yellow lateral stripe and a 

 black cervical plate with white lines on it. It 

 lives on low plants, especially plantain. When 

 young it feeds on sloe and buckthorn. 



