BOMBYCES 223 



those oiLiibriciiieda, and its larva may be foiind feeding on the 

 same plants. 



This latter may be distinguished fi'om the caterpillar of the last 

 species by the dark brown or black colour of the body, and the 

 presence of an orange line down the back. It is covered with long 

 brown hairs. 



Family — Hepialid.^ 



The five species which compose this family are known as the 

 Swifts, a title which they have earned by their rather rapid flight. 

 Their wings are narrow, and the antennae very short. 



In the larval state they ai'e long, naked and unsightly grubs, 

 that live under the surface of the ground and feed on the roots of 

 plants. The chrj'salides are armed with short spines projecting from 

 the segments. 



The Ghoat Swift {Hepialuti Hionidi) 



One of the commonest of these moths is the Ghost Swift, which 

 may be seen m hundreds on waste places in the south of England 

 during the month of ^^ 



June. The wings ?" , "sat, "^^ 



of the male are :^ ^""5^','^'- ^ - ^^~ 



white, with a silky '-.., ' , ' "'>''- ^.>'" 



gloss, and a very - : -^' 



narrow brown mar- { > in .^ 



gin. The fore wings --.y-" 



of the female are 

 yellow, marked with Fig. 110. -The Ghost Swift-Female. 



irregular reddish 



lines. The hind wings are of a dull smoke colour. 



The larva is pale yellow, with a brown head, and a brown horny 

 plate on the front of the second segment. It feeds throughout the 

 winter on the roots of numerous plants, including the dock, dande- 

 Uon, bm-dock, white dead nettle, black horehound, and the hop. 



The Common Sivift {Hepialas lupulinus) 



The fore wings of the male of this species are brown, with a bent 

 whitish streak, sometimes broken, i^assing fi-om the base to the 

 middle of the inner margin, and then to the apex. The hind wings 



