BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 



167 



zigzag and darker, as well as an expanded 

 central shade around the white-edged reniform 

 stigma. The orbicular stigma is only represented 

 by a dark dot. There is a row of white dots 

 in the suffused band. The hind wings have 

 a scarcely visible central lunule. It is found 

 in Central and South-Central Europe in June 

 and July. The larva closely 'resembles that 

 of dipsacea. It feeds on the capsules of Hyos- 

 ciamus in Summer. 



H. armigera, Hiibn. The Scarce Bordered 

 Straw. Fore wings brownish ochreous, with 

 the orbicular stigma represented as a small 

 dot and the reniform dark grey. There is a 

 dark indistinct band beyond the curved line, 

 but no dot at the hinder angle. It is common 

 in most parts of Europe from August to 

 October, but is very scarce in Britain. The 

 larva is ding\- brown with a darker dorsal 

 stripe and a yellow lateral line, including the 

 black spiracles. It feeds on wild mignonette 

 and other low plants. 



Genus Chariclea, Steph. 



These moths are distinguished from Heliothis 

 only by the absence of the claws on the tibiae 

 and the narrow ridged crest behind the collar 

 which is continued to the end of the thorax. 

 There is one claw in delphinii and the front is 

 elevated, but not in the others. The larvae 

 have the form and habits of Heliothis. 



C. delphinii, Linn. The Pease-blossom 

 Moth. PI. XX VH. fig. 9. This pretty moth 

 is rare in England though common in most 

 parts of Europe. It appears in Jvme. The 

 larva is violet-grey, with black warts, a narrow 

 sulphur-yellow dorsal line and a broad yellow 

 line on the sides. It feeds in July and August 

 on the flowers and seeds of larkspur, and 

 passes deep under the ground to form the 

 reddish brown pupa. 



C. umbra, Hufn. The Bordered Sallow. 

 Fore wings dark brownish yellow, with a 

 darker red marginal area, a dark simple half 

 line and two transverse lines through the 

 middle, the anterior of which has two den- 

 tations and reaches into the central area, 

 whilst the posterior is fairly straight. There 

 is an angulated central shade, sharply defined 

 at the reniform stigma, two darkly- bordered 

 stigmata and a submar£;inal line consisting of 



crescents edged with orange-yellow internally, 

 from which to the base are three small white 

 dots on the costa. The hind wings are yel- 

 lowish with a black central lunule and a broad 

 black marginal band, with its outermost margin 

 dusted with orange -yellow. It is common 

 throughout Central Europe in May and June. 

 The larva is gi'een or reddish grey, dotted 

 with whitish, with a dark green dorsal line 

 bordered with whitish and a whitish stripe on 

 the sides. It feeds on rest-harrow (Ononis 

 spinosa) and Geranium in August. The larva 

 rests in the ground without a cocoon. 



FAMILY 



ACONTID^. 



The species belonging to this small family 

 have bright markings, but the clothing of the 

 broad, rounded thorax consists of flattened 

 compressed scales. The pectus, palpi and 

 legs are covered with smooth scales and the 

 scales of the wings, which are short, broad, 

 and rounded, with comparatively thick ner- 

 vures, are flattened and closely placed. The 

 only genus is: — 



Genus Acontia, Ochs. 



Rather small moths with short brown fore 

 wings spotted with white, expanded posteriorly, 

 with rounded apices and an appendicular cell 

 from which rise nervures 7, 8 and 10; whilst 

 nervure 9 rises from 8. The hind wings are 

 rounded, white with a black marginal band or 

 black with an irregular white central band. 

 Nervure 5 is only slightly more slender than 

 the others, which are comparatively stout. 

 The antennae are setiform and not ciliated. 

 These moths fly in the day-time in dry sunny 

 places about flowers. They are double-brooded, 

 appearing in May and in July and August. 

 The larvas are slender and live on low plants 

 such as mallow and Convolvulus. 



A. lucida, Hufn. The Pale Shoulder Moth 

 is very variable. The fore wings are brown, 

 here and there with a bluish lustre, with the 

 basal area whitish and bluish grey. There 

 is a marginal spot behind the reniform stigma, 

 and the hinder angle is white. The transverse 

 lines are indistinct, the orbicular stigma is 

 represented by a small white dot, the reniform 



