288 . 



COMMON BRITISH MOTHS 



that , wo arouse it at almost every stroke while beating low 



bushes. 



All its wings are yellow, and crossed by numerous delicate 

 white and brown lines. The most con- 

 spicuous feature is the two white lines, 

 with dark brown edging, crossing the fore 

 wings. 



The caterpillar feeds by night, and is 

 therefore seldom seen except by those who 

 make special nocturnal searches with the 

 aid of a lantern or sweep net. It devours 

 various grasses, and hides itself among the 



roots or under stones during the daytime. It is full grown in April 



or iVIay. The colour is dull pale green, with a dark green dorsal 



line, and two white stripes on each side. 



Fig. 200.— The Yellow 

 Shell. 



Fig. 207.— The Small 

 Phoenix. 



Tlic Small Phcrnix [Cidaria ailacenta) 



Again passing over a few small and less important genera, we 

 select the small Phoenix as the last example of this very extensive 

 familj'. 



The fore wings of this species are dark brown, paler toward the 

 hind margin. Most of the wing rays are 

 generally of a pale yellowish colour, and a 

 variable and complicated system of whitish 

 lines crosses the wings near the base, and 

 another near the hind margin. Among the 

 latter there is alwaj^s a series of dark 

 triangular spots, with apices pointing to- 

 wards the hind margin. 

 This moth is moderately common throughout the British Isles, 

 and is double brooded, appearing in May and August. 



The caterpillar is green, with a row of brown spots along the 

 middle of the back. When full groA\n it changes to a chrysalis in 

 a light web. 



Family — Euboliid^ 

 This is the last family of the Geometrcs we shall notice, and 

 contains ten species. Most of these are rather pretty moths, and 

 all have the tips of the fore wings more or less pointed. As a rule, 

 too, there is a dark streak running from the very tip of the ^\•ing for 

 Q, short distance obliquely inward. 



