572 I.EPIDOPTF.RA. 



green, mottled with dark violet-brown. (R. South — 

 condensed.) 



May to the end of June on Tcucrintn scorodonia (wood- 

 ■-:a<^e), ofnawing a hole in one side of the younj^ shoot of the 

 plant, so as to cause the shoot to droop to the length of two 

 or three inches ; then eating out the heart completely, while 

 concealed and protected by the drooping leaves. When this 

 is exhausted proceeding to another shoot and treating it in 

 same manner. 



I'lTA dull green, head and wing-cases paler; there are 

 two dorsal rows of warts with checjuered hairs as in the larva 

 stage. On the underside of a withered leaf, clod, or stone, 

 attached by the anal segment. (R. South.) 



The moth hides itself during the day in patches of wood- 

 sage, and can hardly be induced to fly, except in the after- 

 noon, and then very sparingly ; but at dusk it dances about 

 in a lively manner, sometimes in plenty, over the same 

 patches. It prefers these when growing on an open heath, 

 or extensive gravel pit, or even in a very open wood, and 

 appears scarcely ever to be found on a hedge-bank, or under 

 bushes, even though the plant may be there in abundance- 

 It was discovered in this country about the year 1868, but was 

 then supposed to be the little-known and rare 0. hicradi, 

 and under that name the larva was sent to Mr. Buckler to 

 be figured. The error was discovered and the present name 

 Efiven in 1860 bv Dr. Jordan — though even then no sufficient 

 description was attached. A specimen in the collection of 

 Dr. P. B. Mason, having Haworth's label " Heterodactylus " 

 upon its pin has led to an opinion that this may be the true 

 name of the present species — but surely that author's descrip- 

 tion, " Black, with white spots," is by no means sufficiently 

 definite. 



It is known to occur with us in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, 

 Hants, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Suffolk, 

 Norfolk, Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Westmoreland ; but 



