136 LEPIDOPTERA. 



place of tht' basal line, is devoid of definite form ; the same 

 may be said of some cross-shading in the place of the second 

 line, visible as a small brown costal cloud ; a smokj-black 

 cloud outside the discal spot, and similar wedges on the lower 

 nervures ; all the nervures of the hind marginal region twice 

 streaked with smoky-black, the interval representing the 

 snbterminal line, which otherwise is faintly dusted and dotted 

 with white ; cilia brownish-white, spotted with smoky cloud- 

 ing. Hind wings a little elongated, whitish-brown dusted 

 with unibreous ; central spot very small, obscurely black ; 

 from the dorsal mai'gin four or five indistinct lines of brown 

 dusting and dots partially cross the wings ; hind margin 

 edged with dark brown ; cilia dusky white, clouded with 

 smoky-brown. Female similar but slightly larger, its fore 

 wings a little more ample, and of a more uniform brown 

 ground colour. 



Undersides of all the wings shining silvery whitish-grey ; 

 discal and central spots black ; fore wings faintly crossed by 

 three slender brownish lines ; hind wings by two fainter 

 lines of brown dots. Body and legs pale brown. 



Rather liable to local variation. In the Eastern Counties 

 showing a tendency to a more dull grey-brown colouring ; 

 but in Pembrokeshire and also in the South of Ireland 

 having the ground colour nearly white, the brown shading 

 almost absent, and the transverse lines and their streaks on 

 the nervures more definite, forming a very neat and delicate- 

 looking variety. 



On the wing in April and May. 



Larva slender, hairy, tapering toward the head ; ground 

 colour pale yellowish-red ; dorsal line pale olive ; down the 

 middle of the back is a series of pale olive V-shaped spots, 

 sometimes bordered with yellow ; spiracular line pale yellow ; 

 segmental divisions red ; ventral line, when present, pale 

 yellow. The dorsal spots are often merged in a broad dorsal 

 stripe. The whole of the markings vary much in intensity 



