1 62 



BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 



both sides of the others. It feeds on Thalictrum 

 and Aquilegia vulgaris in May. 



P. consona, Fabr. Fore wings olive-green 

 with the basal half of the central area, cells 

 3 and 4, behind the siibmarginal line and the 

 hinder angle towards the base reddish brown, 

 the last with a rusty-brown lustre. The two 

 transverse lines are double, more or less sil- 

 very white, and elongated, on account of their 

 obliquity. The anterior is straighter with a 

 small tooth on the outer side and the posterior 

 is slightly curved. The orbicular stigma is 

 finely bordered with silvery white, but the 

 reniform is only finely edged with white on 

 the inner side. The marginal and submarginal 

 lines are white, and the nervures between them 

 are generally light. The former is slightly 

 curved and at the tip nearly touches the pos- 

 terior transverse line. The hind wings are 

 reddish yellow, darker towards the hind mar- 

 gins through the middle of the fringes and on 

 the faint curved line. It is local in Central 

 Europe except the West, appearing in June 

 and in August and September. The larva is 

 bluish green, just like the leaves of the food 

 plant, with black warts having white hairs, 

 and an indistinct white dorsal line. It feeds 

 on Lycopsis pulla, especiallj' the buds and 

 flowers, and on Pulmonaria in May and June 

 and again in August. 



P. illustris, Fabr. PI. XXVII. fig. 5. 

 Larva 5a. is common in the Alps, etc., in 

 June and July, and has been reputed British. 

 The larva lives in May on species oi Aconititm, 

 feeding in the young shoots at first, and later 

 between leaves which it has spun together, 

 and within which it forms the pupa. 



P. modesta, Hiibn. closely resembles 

 illustris, but is smaller. It is found in Central 

 Europe, except the North West, appearing in 

 June and July. The larva is light bluish grey 

 with black dots and feeds on Pulmonaria in 

 May and June. 



P. chrysitis, Linn. The Burnished Brass 

 Moth. PI. XXVn. fig. 6. is common through- 

 out Central and Southern Europe in August. 

 The larva is light green with fine white lines 

 and lateral stripes, and white hair. It feeds 

 in June, August and September on nettle, 

 Marubium Galcopsis, and many other low plants. 



P. chryson, Esp. The Scarce Burnished 



Brass Moth. This is the largest species. Fore 

 wings reddish brown, with the inner half of 

 the central area as far as the submarginal line 

 darkest, with a metallic rusty yellow lustre, and 

 behind the reniform stigma a large golden 

 spot reaching to the submarginal line. The two 

 stigmata are simple, darker and dentated, 

 especially the posterior. They terminate in 

 a white booklet on the inner margin. The 

 marginal area, behind the zigzag submarginal 

 line has a violet shine. The hind wings are 

 ochreous brown, darker towards the hind mar- 

 gins with a paler curved line. The head and 

 collar are rusty 3'ellow. It is common but local 

 in Central and Southern Europe, especially in 

 mountainous districts. Several localities are 

 recorded for the moth in England, including 

 Deal. It appears in July and August. The 

 larva is green, dotted with white, with a white 

 dorsal line edged above with dark green, a 

 white line above the legs and between them 

 a double white, almost sinuated line. It lives 

 in April, May and June on Eupatorium and 

 Salvia gliitiiiosa. 



P. bractea, W. V. The Gold Spangle. 

 Fore wings purple-brown varied with rusty 

 yellow, with the nervures, apices and inner 

 halt of the median nervure darkest. The two 

 transverse lines are darkly bordered at least 

 on the opposed sides. There is a heart-shaped 

 golden spot, with the base on the median 

 nervure, reaching from the anterior transverse 

 line to the reniform stigma, which like the 

 orbicular is rather indistinct. There is a rusty 

 yellow blotch beneath the golden stigma ex- 

 tending to the inner margin. The space behind 

 the indistinct submarginal line is light and 

 the fringes are lighter. The hind wings are 

 yellowish brown towards the hind margins and 

 on the nervures. The abdomen is yellowish 

 with dark brown tufts. It is found through- 

 out Central Europe in July. It flies about 

 flowers during the day or rests on the leaves. 

 The larva is similar to that of iota, and is 

 green with fine longitudinal lines, wavy at the 

 sides, warts on the back and a fine pubescence. 

 It lives in May and June on Hieracium, Stachys, 

 and other plants, and may be found hiding 

 under the leaves. 



P. aemula, W. \. Fore wings violet- 

 grey, with the nervures darker and the lower 



