102 LEPIDOPTERA. 



dorsal and subdorsal lines dark oreen. but varying consider- 

 ably in breadth and intensity of colour ; spiracular line 

 whitish-green ; segmental divisions yellow ; underside 

 generally destitute of markiiii^s but occasionally traversed 

 longitudinally by two slender faint subventral lines rather 

 darker than the ground colour. When young the general 

 colour is greenish-white. (Rev. H. H. Crewe.) 



July and August, on the flowers and seeds of Vdhruinri 

 officiiudu. 



Pupa short and thick, wing-covers much thickened, having 

 the nervnres prominent and the surface between them covered 

 with cross-wrinkles ; leg and antenna-cases thickened, the 

 latter barred at the joints ; eyes very prominent ; dorsal and 

 abdominal segments sparingly pitted and rather glossy, the 

 hind bands smooth and ridged ; creniaster broad but rather 

 tapering, tipped with a bunch of fine bristles ; colour yellowish 

 olive-green ; the segments more olive-red. In a small loosely 

 constructed cocoon of vegetable debris, on or in the ground. 



The winter is i3assed in this condition. 



The moth hides during the day among its food-plant, and 

 flies over it at late dusk, but is seldom seen, and our cabinets 

 are almost wholly furnished with specimens reared from the 

 easily collected larvte. It frequents marshes, fens, osier-beds, 

 and the broad ditches and wet places in which its food, the 

 tall common Valerian, grows. Therefore somewhat local, but 

 found in Devon, Dorset, Wilts, Bucks, the New Forest. 

 Hants; Suffolk, Norfolk, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, 

 Derbyshire, Cheshire. Lancashire. Yorkshire, Durham, and 

 Westmoreland. In ^\'ales Mr. X. il. Richardson found it at 

 Llangaunoch, but I have no other record for the Princi- 

 pality ; and none for Scotland. In Ireland it has been met 

 with in the Counties of Cork, Clare, Galway, and Cavan. 

 Abroad its range is not large, but extends through Central 

 Europe and South-eastern Russia. 



