J4 l.KPinOPTERA. 



central band, and of the sub-marginal shading. The central 

 band also differs greatly in width, in some specimens being 

 nearly or qnite double the breadth of it in others. A very re- 

 markable specimen in the collection of the Rev. C. F. Thome- 

 will has this band very narrow and unusually pale, while the 

 ground colour is reddish-white, darkening a little to the hind 

 •margin, but the whole surface having a noticeably silky gloss. 

 On the wing from the end of September till November. 



Larv.\ elongate, sides puckered ; head rounded, green or 

 pale bone-colour, the mouth brown ; general colour dull 

 jellowish-green, the segmental divisions tinged with yellow ; 

 there are faint traces of darker dorsal and spiracular lines ; 

 raised dots whitish, emitting short pale bristles; spiracles 

 conspicuous, black ; undersurface green with an indistinct 

 paler central baud ; legs pale bone-colour. (Chas. Fenn.) 



Of those figured b}^ Mr. W. Buckler, one is dark green 

 with a faint pink dorsal line, and the anal flap dull purple; 

 another of the yellow-green already described, but also having 

 a slender pink dorsal line. 



March or April till June, on mallow (^Malva si/lvestris), and 

 sometimes on hollyhock (Althan rosea), but Hofmann says on 

 all the species of Malm, Lavatera and Alcm ; and that when 

 shaken ofi' or disturbed it rolls itself up into the exact 

 resemblance of a mallow-seed upon the ground. Plants of 

 ■our common mallow, growing near the sea, although of large 

 size, are sometimes defoliated by it. 



The winter is passed in the egg-state. 



Pupa rather short and plump ; shining red-brown ; close 

 to the surface of the earth, underneath the plant upon which 

 the larva has fed, indeed easily brought to light by means of 

 the fingers. 



The moth is rather sluggish in the daytime and unwilling 

 to be disturbed, but hides among its food plants and neigh- 

 bouring herbage rather close to the ground, and may there 



