32S LEPIDOPTERA. 



stripe of white "jfrouiid colour, and tliis followed by three 

 black-brown clouds which, though clearly separated, almost 

 occupy the hiiul-maririnal space, while the middle one extends 

 to a series of coarse black hiud-niargina! dots; cilia white 

 with smoky clouds. Hind wings tolerably ample, roundi'il 

 behind, smoky white or jiale smoky grey, rather darkened 

 along the hind margin. Female similar. 



Undersides of all the wings glossy, smoky white without 

 markings. Hodv and legs yellowish-wliite. the front tarsi 

 barred with black. 



Usually very constant in its markings, but in some of its 

 more sandy localities in Suffolk and ( 'ambridgesliire the 

 ground colour receives an olive or gieenish tinge, and the 

 markings become thickened and clouded with black or olive- 

 black so greatly that an intimate knowledge of the species 

 and the projiortions of its markings becomes necessary to 

 enable the collector to recognise it : yet .some of these 

 darkened forms are very handsome. In its ordinary and 

 typical form the separated stigmata, and the whiter and 

 clearer appearance of the middle area of the wing quickly 

 catch the eye, and a peculiar arrangement of the markings 

 difficult to put into words, but most distinct to the practised 

 eye, will always, with the greater breadth of the fore wings, 

 serve to distinguish it from the next species — its nearest 

 ally. 



On the wing from June till the beginning of August. 



Larv.^ moderately plump and nearly cylindrical, but 

 tapering rather suddenly at each extremity; head shining 

 black-brown ; dorsal plate rather similar, faintly divided ; 

 general colour pale brownish-yellow, or greenish-yellow 

 without markings except the raised dots, which are large, 

 conspicuous, and very glossy, black, and the spiracles, which 

 are also black ; anal plate and legs of the colour of the body. 



May — but probably feeding from the previous autumn — 

 on common mosses growincr on tree-trunks, and sometimes 



