GEOMETBJE 281 



the trees, or occasionally taking a short flight in the sunshine. In 

 colour it is very variable. The wings have always a whitish ground 

 marbled and dotted with dark brown, but in some the fore wings 

 are almost entirely dark bi'own with the exception of a transverse 

 central bar. The female has only the 

 slightest rudiments of wings. 



The caterpillar feeds on the young 

 buds and leaves of the oak (Quercua 

 liobnr) and sycamore {Acer Pseudo- 

 platan us), concealing itself among the 



small leaves which it has spun together. puj^ xr)2. The Sprintt 



It is full grown in June, when it Ushek. 



changes, to a chrysalis on the surface 



of the ground, and remains here throughout the summer and part 

 of the following winter. 



The colour of the caterpillar is xevy variable, but is usually pale 

 green -svith white markings. 



Tlic Mottled Umber [Hyhernia defoliaria) 



This very pretty moth is represented in fig. 8 of Plate XII. It 

 is very common in most parts, and visits us at the fall of the leaf, 

 generally appearing in October, and remaining on the wing till 

 November. Our illustration gives the usual appearance of the male, 

 but in some specimens the four wings are all of one uniform 

 reddish-brown colour, evenly dotted all over with a darker tint. 

 The female is quite wingless. 



The caterpillar is exceedingly pretty. Its head is large and 

 brown. The back is brown, bordered with a tine black line. Below 

 this is a broad and bright yellow line, with a red spot on each 

 segment. The spiracles are white. It feeds during spring on oak 

 iOuercus liobur), whitethorn {Crato'giis oxyacantha), blackthorn 

 (Prnnus spinosa), and other trees. "When disturbed it alwa^'s allows 

 itself to fall for a foot or two, and then remains swinging at the end 

 of a silken fibre till danger is over, or hunger recalls it to its food. 

 It changes to a chrysalis on the gromid about the midtile of 

 June. 



The March Moth (Anisopteri/x tcscularia) 



This is another common moth, and should be looked for during 

 March and April on the barks of trees in oak and other woods. 



