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LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



sometimes exceeds three inches in expanse of wings, but the 

 male seldom attains more than two and a half. 



The male differs from the female in having pectinated 

 antennae and tawny hind-wings ; for the rest, both sexes are 

 greyish, with numerous white scales intermixed, and faintly 

 tinged in several places with purple. The hind margin of all 

 the wings is broadly brownish white. On each wing there are 

 two transverse lines, one near the base, somewhat abbreviated, 

 and consisting of a white, purplish, and dark brown stripe, the 

 other situated beyond the middle, and much waved. In the 



The Emperor Moth. Male. 



centre of each wing is a large ocellus ; this is situated on a 

 whitish ground, and consists of a black pupil, with a whitish 

 streak in it, with a yellow or grey iris, surrounded by a black 

 ring, and surmounted by a reddish and light blue crescent. 

 At the apex of the fore-wings is a patch of purple, with a black 

 and whitish mark upon it. The body is covered with fulvous 

 or brown hairs, and the hinder border of the abdominal 

 segments is whitish. 



The female lays 200 or 300 white eggs, which are attached 

 in small clusters to the stalk of the food plant. 



The larva feeds on various plants, especially heath {Calluna 

 vuli^aris), blackthorn, bramble, willow, (S:c. It is black at first, 



