142 HAUSTELLATA. — LEPIDOPTERA. 



striga between the stigmata, and an ordinary bent one behind the posterior 

 stigma, between which and the hinder margin is a somewhat pale and undu- 

 lated one, having two very distinct black spots near its centre, and two griseous 

 ones at its termination on the anal angle : posterior wings fuscous, with pale 

 griseous cilia. 



Var. /3. Steph. Catal I. c— Anterior wings pale ferruginous with two contiguous 

 black spots behind, the stigmata nearly obsolete : posterior pale dusky griseous. 



Var. y. Anterior wings deep fuscous, with the ordinary striga very distinct, the 

 reniform stigma with a dusky spot at its apex, the costa with a blackish streak 

 near the tip, and the ordinary geminated black spots very large. 



Var. S. Anterior wings pale ferruginous, with the striga? very obsolete, and the 

 geminated black spots obliterated. 



Caterpillar varied with griseous and black, with a testaceous lateral line: it 

 feeds on the oak, sloe, elm, and fruit trees; changes to pupa about June, and 

 appears in its final state about the middle or end of April. 



Rare ; but found in several places in the metropolitan district. 

 " Leatherhead and Dorking." — W. Raddon, Esq., who kindly sup- 

 plied me with fine specimens of var. /3. which have been given as 

 a distinct species, under the name of O. bimaculata. '• Epping." — 

 Mr. H. Douhleday. 



Sp. 5. sparsa. Alls anticis griseo-cinereis atomis fuscis, striga arcuatd /mnc- 



torum nigrorurn alidque posticd fusco-alhd. (Exp. alar. 1 unc. 7 — 8 lin.) 

 Bo. sparsus. Haworth.— Or. sparsa. Steph. Catal. part ii. p. 71. No. 6133. 



Head and thorax hoary-ash, or griseous : anterior wings concolorous, sprinkled 

 with minute fuscous dots, with the ordinary strigse extremely obscure, ex- 

 cept the two outer ones, of which the first is represented by a bent series 

 of black spots, and the second, or posterior one, by a slightly waved fuscous 

 line, margined externally with white or ochraceous ; the hinder margin of 

 the wing has sometimes a row of minute black dots : the stigmata are dusky, 

 with the margins pale : the posterior wings cinereous, with a broad fuscous 

 margin : fringe whitish. 



The tint of colour differs exceedingly ; in some instances the anterior wings 

 approach to bright rusty-griseous, in others they are nearly gray or hoary, 

 and sometimes deep brownish-ash: the striga? are frequently well defined, 

 and the stigmata are sometimes nearly concolorous with the wings. 



Larva green, with a paler lateral and dorsal stripe ; it feeds at the tops of willows, 

 drawing the young twigs together, and destroying their vegetation: they 

 change in July, and the imago appears towards the end of April. 



Not very common; I have met with it in Copenhagen-fields, 

 flying in the afternoon : at Hampstead, Hertford, &c. ; it also occurs 

 in several other places near the metropolis,, having been found at 

 Darenth and Coombe woods. " Epping."— J/r. H. Douhleday. 



V 



