15° 



BRITISH AXD EUROPEAN BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 



O. vaccinii, Linn. The Chestnut Moth. 

 PI. XXVI. fig. 15. varies considerably in colour 

 and markings; in the darker portions the 

 markings become more or less indistinct. In 

 the variety mixta. Stand, the transverse hnes 

 are light or ma\- be completely absent; whilst 

 in the varietj- spadicea, Hiibn. they are more 

 or less dark. The moth is common in Central 

 and Northern Europe and frequents woods. 

 The larva is yellowish brown, with the sides 

 suffused with reddish brown and the belly 

 with greenish yellow. There are three indis- 

 tinct, somewhat faint yellow lines on the back, 

 a dark cloud above the legs and black spi- 

 racles. It feeds in June on low plants such as 

 bramble and bilberry, and when young on oak. 



O. ligula, Esp. The Dark Chestnut IMoth 

 is very like the last species, but dark violet 

 with a white suffused line and the tips of all 

 the wings somewhat elongated. The variety 

 polita, Hiibn. is blackish, marbled with grey, 

 and the variety subspadicea, Stand, is reddish 

 brown or dark brown barred with whitish. 

 The moth is common in Central and Western 

 Europe. The larva resembles that of vaccinii, 

 but is plain greenish brown with the back 

 lighter and the lateral stripe composed of light 

 dots. It feeds, when young, on whitethorn 

 and sloe growing in sunny hedge-rows, and 

 afterwards on various low plants. 



O. rubiginea, W. \'. The Dotted Chest- 

 nut ]\Ioth. Fore wings shining yellow or 

 rusty red, lighter in the male, varied to a 

 greater or less extent with rusty brown and 

 with dark brown dots, which form the trans- 

 verse lines, marginal and submarginal lines 

 and the larger ones the central shade. The 

 fringes are also spotted with darker. The hind 

 wings are yellowish grey with a dark mar- 

 ginal line and lighter fringes. It is common 

 in most parts of Europe in September and 

 October. Specimens are often found on oaks 

 and low bushes and the hibernated ones on 

 flowering sallow. The larva has thin hair and 

 is brownish with a black band of spots along 

 the back. It feeds on forest and fruit trees 

 and afterwards on low plants. The pupa is 

 brown with two curved points at the end. 



Genus Scopelosoma, Curt. 

 This genus is distinguished from the last b}' 



the longer fore wings, sharply dentated on the 

 hind margins and fringes, and the collar with 

 a ridge in the middle, behind which is a sharp 

 longitudinal crest. The anal fold has obtuse 

 spots above and is rounded below. The only 

 species is: — 



S. satellitia, Linn. The Satellite. Fore 

 wings bright greyish yellow or reddish brown, 

 darkest in the central area, with two dark 

 transverse lines, of which the anterior is nearly 

 straight and the posterior zigzag. There is 

 a central shade and a scarcely visible orbi- 

 cular stigma. The reniform stigma is white 

 or yellow with two dots of the same colour 

 at each end of it. There is a light suffused 

 band, a light zigzag submarginal line, darker 

 at the base, and a dark zigzag marginal line 

 and dentated fringes. The hind wings are 

 brownish grey with a dark central lunule and 

 yellowish fringes with a dark band in the 

 middle. It is common and widely distributed 

 throughout the greater part of Europe in 

 September and October. The larva is velvety 

 brownish-black with scattered hairs, clay- 

 coloured on the sides and beneath, with a 

 square cervical plate with yellow markings, 

 white spots over the legs on the second to 

 the fifth and also on the twelfth segment, 

 and two yellow longitudinal streaks at the 

 extremity. It feeds in June on low plants 

 and on oak, sloe and almost every other 

 tree. 



Genus Scoliopteryx, Germ. 



Antennas shortly pectinated in the male, 

 but with only a single row of sharp serrations 

 in the female. The collar has a sharp ridge, 

 and the thorax and abdomen are broad, the 

 latter slightly longer than the hind wings, 

 with tufted hair in front and on the sides. 

 The fore wings are broad behind, with the 

 apex and the middle of the hind margin pro- 

 jecting, verj' short fringes and no stigmata. 

 The only species is: — 



S. libatrix, Linn. The Herald Moth. Fl. 

 XXVI. fig. 16. This is common throughout 

 Europe from August till Spring, and may be 

 found in March and April at sallow blossom. 

 The larva is slender and smooth, grassy-green 

 with a yellowish lateral stripe. It feeds on 

 poplar and willow till late in the Autumn, and 



