GEOMETB.E 277 



to be caught with the net at dusk, or they may be seen on 

 fences and tree trunks durmg the day, with their wings fully 

 extended and applied closely to the surface on which they rest. 



The larv*, which have no humps, feed on trees, and change to 

 the chrysalis state in light silken cocoons. 



The Contiuon Wave {Cahera exanthemata) 



The first of our two examples of this small family is the 

 Connnon ^Yave, the wings of which are pale grey, almost white, 

 dusted all over with small dark dots. The fore wings are crosseJ 

 by three parallel and equidistant darker 

 transverse hues, and the hind pair by 

 two. The male may be distinguished b; 

 its ciliated antennae. 



The caterjjillar is yellow or greenish ^ .. 



yellow, with hinder segments slightly ' i-lJiM it **^«^ji 



swollen. It feeds during the latter part j,j^,_ i8(;._Tj^j. Common 

 of the summer on sallows [Salix caprea Wave. 



and S. cinerea) and alder (Alniis gluti- 



nosa), and changes to a chrysalis in a light cocoon among fallen 

 leaves. In this state it sj^ends the winter, the perfect insect 

 emerging in May or June. 



This species is very abundant in most i^arts. 



Tlie Clouded Silver {Bapta temerata) 



The other example is the Clouded Silver, the wings of which 

 are white, and clouded along the hind margin with smoky gre}'. 

 On the hind margin of the fore wings, close to the fringe, is a row 

 of black crescent-shaped spots ; and on 

 the inner side of the cloudings is a waved 

 transverse band. In the centre of the 

 same wings there is a \eYy. distinct dark 

 spot. 



This moth is not so common as the 

 last, but is widely distributed. It tlies in ^'"- ^^'^"^7^^^™ Cloudei. 

 May and Jime. 



The caterpillar is bright green on the upper side, and has a row 

 of orange spots, bordered with brown, down the middle of the back. 

 It feeds in the autunm on the blackthorn {Prunus sjniiosa) and 

 the wild cherry (P. Aviniit), and spends the A\iuter in the chrysalis 

 state, inclosed in a light silken cocoon. 



