PVRA iSTID^—SPILODES. 239 



below, and intersected by an interrupted dark grey line ; 

 raised dots shining and large, centre paler but ringed with 

 black ; spiracles black ; undersiirface pale olive-grey with 

 shining raised spots. A variety has the ground-colour pale 

 grey, with the lines faintly yellow ; giving it a greenish 

 appearance. 



End of June and beginning of July, and a partial second 

 generation in September, on Artemcsia campcdris, A. vulgaris, 

 and probably other species of wormwood, eating the upper 

 surface of a leaf, avoiding the mid- and side-ribs, and leaving 

 the under surface untouched. Very active, walking rapidly ; 

 and if disturbed would jump backwards an inch at a time. 

 (Rev. J. Hellins.) 



Pupa in the ground, apparently undescribed, except that 

 Hofmann says that it is yellow. 



The moth sits during the day among short herbage close 

 to the ground or even on the earth in bare sandy fields. 

 Alert and active, starting up on the approach of a footstep 

 and flying swiftly, and near the ground, to a similar spot at 

 a short distance. Rather indistinct upon the wing from its 

 almost uniformly dark colour. At dusk it flies voluntarily, 

 but not wildly, and still keeps near the ground ; but later at 

 night it certainly roves higher and more generally, since it 

 is sometimes taken at gas lamps in quite unexpected places. 

 Occasionally, when the sunshine is bright and the weather 

 hot, it seems unable to rest quietly during the daj-, and flies 

 about in a lively manner. A very local species with us, 

 found most frequently in the district of loose sandy soil 

 known as the " Breck-sand " in Norfolk, Suffolk, and 

 Cambridgeshire ; elsewhere it is to be found in suitable 

 places in Kent, Sussex, the Isle of Wight, Devon, and Essex, 

 and rarely in Dorset, Middlesex, Gloucestershire, Lancashire, 

 and Cheshire ; once taken in Durham ; formerly rather 

 frequent in Yorkshire and in Sherwood Forest, Notts. A 

 specimen, about which there is no question, was taken 



