i66 LEPIDOPTERA. 



Plpa j-ellow-brown. Not more fully described. 



A very lively, active creature, inhabiting rough meadows 

 and pastures, hillsides (especially in chalky places), the rides 

 and borders of woods, and even marshes and occasionally 

 fens; Hying actively in the sunshine or sitting upon the 

 herbage in sunny places, whence it darts swiftly to a distance 

 if disturbed. It certainly flies occasionally at night, since it 

 has been known to come to light. Plentiful throughout the 

 Southern and Western counties of England, and moderately 

 so in the Eastern ; local in the Midlands and in Yorkshire, 

 Lancashire, and Durham. Probably to be found throughout 

 Wales since it is common in Glamorganshire and Pembroke- 

 shire, and also in Carnarvonshire, Denbigh, and Flint : also 

 common and widely distributed in Ireland. In Scotland re- 

 corded from Dumfries, Berwickshire, Fife, Perthshire, 

 Renfrew, Arran, Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire. Abroad 

 its range extends throughout the Continent of Europe from 

 Norway to Turkey ; also to Asia Minor, Armenia. Tartary, 

 and Central Asia. 



2. P. ostrinalis, Huh. — Expanse | to \ inch (l.j- 

 18mm). Very similar in colour and markings to the last 

 species, but colour darker ; smaller in size and fore wings 

 shorter and more sharply triangular. 



Antennae of the male threadlike, black-brown ; palpi and 

 head bronzy brown ; thorax bronzy purple ; abdomen black 

 or dark brown, each segment edged by a yellow-white ring. 

 Fore wings sharply triangular ; costal and dorsal margins 

 straight ; apex sharply angulated ; hind margin almost 

 straight ; colour bright purple, dull purple, purple-brown, or 

 purple-black ; usually a more or less blackened yellow spot 

 lies near the base, often joining a black-ringed yellow dot in 

 the discal cell before the middle ; discal spot a yellow or 

 white dot ; bej'ond it is an oblique transverse yellow or white 

 stripe constricted in the middle or broken into spots : cilia 

 purple-brown. Hind wings rather narrow ; rounded behind; 



