120 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



white, finely margined in black. Except that the female is 

 generally larger, and the cross lines usually less distinct, the 

 sexes are much alike. This brown form occurs most frequently 

 in Britain, but in parts of the Kentish and Sussex coast, and 

 especially the Romney Marsh district, a yellowish form is 

 obtained. In such specimens the cross lines are darker. In 

 both forms one or both cross markings may be faint or quite 

 absent, and even the white central dot, which varies in size and 

 shape may be missing. Sometimes the outer band is distinctly 

 broad and outwardly diffuse (Plate 56). 



The eggs, which appear to be laid loosely, are pale whitish 

 brown, roughened with darker l^rown, and the micropylar area is 

 purplish brown. Some that I received on March 2, 1907, 

 appeared to be on the point of hatching on the 5th of that 

 month, but no larva came out, although one of the eggs was 

 chipped at one end. It has been frequently stated that the 

 caterpillars hatch out in the autumn and hibernate, but as has 

 been pointed out by Tutt (" Nat. Hist. Brit. Lep.," ii. 20), the 

 eggs of this species probably do not hatch until some time 

 during February or March, although when kept indoors the 

 caterpillar has emerged from the egg in January. 



The full-grown caterpillar is black, velvety between the rings, 

 covered with golden brown hair on the back and greyer hair 

 on the sides, among which -are some black ones ; three inter- 

 rupted whitish lines on the back ; some of the hairs along the 

 middle of the back stand erect and form a ridge, looked at from 

 either end. Head lightish brown in colour, lined with black. 

 Feeds in the spring months and up to June chiefly on various 

 kinds of grass. Among many of the plants that it has been 

 known to cat are trefoils, bird's-foot {prnithop2is)^ sea thrift 

 {Sfaficc), heather, sallow, hawthorn, sloe, plum, bramble, etc. 

 With regard to the food, it is interesting to note that although 

 one rearer will find that sallow is excellent for the caterpillars, 

 another considers that sallow or hawthorn are but poor 



