BRITISH AXD EUROPEAN BUTTERFIIES AXD MOTHS. 



half of the central area and the costa at 

 the apex dark reddish brown. The two trans- 

 verse lines are distinctly double and have 

 a metallic lustre. The reniform stigma is in- 

 dicated by a darker spot. The golden spot 

 is flame-like, and expands towards the hinder 

 angle. Hind wings reddish grey with a metallic 

 lustre, darker towards the hind margins with 

 light fringes. It appears in July and is local 

 in the Bavarian and Austrian Alps. The larva 

 is similar to that of iota. It is green with fine 

 white markings and warts on the back, and 

 is thinly covered with hair. It lives in May 

 and June on Stachys and Ranunculus, and sits 

 on the under surface of the leaves. The pupa 

 is dark brown and is contained in a slight 

 cocoon between the leaves. 



P. festucae, Linn. The Gold Spot Moth. 

 Fore wings brownish red, at the inner margin, 

 ■the base of the costa and in front of the apex 

 golden dusted with rusty red. In front of the 

 middle is a larger silvery spot with a smaller 

 one behind it. The hind wings are yellowish 

 grey. It is found throughout the greater part 

 of Europe in July and August. The larva 

 feeds on soft grasses, as well as reed and flag, 

 from May to September. 



P. gutta, Guen. Fore wings dark violet- 

 grey or reddish violet, with metallic dark rusty 

 brown towards the apex and the inner half 

 of the central area. There is a thick silvery 

 Y in the position of the claviform stigma, with 

 a fine silvery stripe running from it to the 

 inner margin and bounding the anterior trans- 

 verse line, which is not otherwise indicated. 

 The posterior transverse line is very indistinct, 

 and so are the stigmata and the submarginal 

 line. The hind margin is narrowly edged with 

 rosy-red, with a slight dark marginal line and 

 brownish fringes banded with lighter. The 

 hind wings are lighter, with dark spots. It is 

 found in South-Central and Southern Europe 

 from June to August. The larva is light green, 

 dark green, violet or dark brown with black 

 hairy warts, the lighter varieties with a double 

 white dorsal and a broader lateral line, a nar- 

 rower one above the legs and a few fine ones 

 between. It feeds in May and June on Achillea, 

 thistle, and especially Arinthe major. 



P. iota, Linn. The Plain Golden Y Moth. 

 Fore wings reddish brown, with a reddish -yellow 



splash below the Y. Its tif) is detached as 

 a silvery mark in the shape of a note of inter- 

 rogation. The posterior transverse line is not 

 notched, except for a single tooth near the 

 silvery spot. The hind wings have a lighter 

 curved line. It is common in Central and 

 Northern Europe in May and June and again 

 in August. The larva is similar to that of 

 gamma, but is lighter by reason of its fine 

 white markings, and the warts on the back 

 and spiracles are finer and less noticeable. It 

 feeds in the Spring and Summer on nettle, 

 Galcopsis and other low plants. 



P. pulchrina. Haw. The Beautiful Golden 

 Y Moth, closely resembles the last species 

 but the colour is brighter and more purple, 

 the silver markings larger and thicker, and 

 the splash divided. The hind wings have three 

 dark transverse stripes beneath. It is found 

 in Central Europe in July, but is less common 

 than the last species. The larva is green with 

 a yellow stripe, but resembles that of iota in 

 other respects. It feeds in May on nettle, 

 Stachys and other plants. 



P. gamma, Linn. The Silver Y Moth. 

 PL XXVII. fig. 7. is found from May to Sep- 

 tember and is one of the commonest moths 

 throughout Europe. It frequents flowers in 

 the day-time. The larva is green with fine 

 white longitudinal lines, sinuated at the sides, 

 and narrow yellowish lateral lines. It feeds 

 on clover, nettle and other plants throughout 

 the greater part of the Summer. 



P. interrogationis, Linn. The Scarce 

 Silver Y Moth. Fore wings bluish ashy grey, 

 marbled with black, and with a reddish lustre. 

 The central area and the inner border of the 

 deeply zigzag submarginal line throughout its 

 extent are very dark, being almost black. 

 The three transverse lines are distinct, whitish, 

 edged on both sides with darker, the posterior 

 forming a dentation near the silver note of 

 interrogation spot, with both parts of the spot 

 sometimes fused. The two usual stigmata are 

 finely edged with silver. The marginal line 

 is uninterrupted, black and sinuated, with 

 a bluish-grey lunule in front of it. The fringes 

 are bluish grey between the nervures in their 

 apical half, but are otherwise brown. The 

 hind wings are bluish grey with a lighter 

 curved line and whitish fringes, spotted with 



