THE RUBY TIGER. I 55 



except that a female may occasionally be seen on the wing, 

 this species is rarely observed in the daytime. May and June 

 are the usual months for this moth, but in 1906 a specimen was 

 attracted to light on November 3. 



Widely distributed, and often common in most English 

 counties, in parts of Wales, and in Scotland as far north at 

 least as Ross. In Ireland one male specimen of the typical 

 form has been obtained in Co. Galway, and one in Co. Clare ; 

 var. rustica occurs in Co. Dublin, and Kings Co., Waterford, 

 Cork, Kerry, and Galway. 



The Ruby Tiger ( r , kr agmai<^^i^. ftdigimsa). 



th 



The English name given to this moth only suitably applies to 

 the southern reddish form of the species (Plate 80, Fig. i i ). 

 In the north of England the fore wings are darkened with 

 brownish and the hind wings with blackish tints, until in 

 Scotland the only trace of red colour is found on the inner 

 edge of the hind wings (var. borcalis^ Staudinger, Fig. 2 $ ). 

 In these dark specimens the body is also blackish. A'ery 

 occasionally, specimens approaching the northern form are 

 obtained in South England. A female moth captured by Mr. 

 G. E. J. Crallan in May, 1901, at Bournemouth, laid forty- 

 eight eggs ; thirty imagines were bred the same year, two 

 of which were borealis. On the south and south-west coasts 

 the black band of the hind wings exhibit a tendency to break 

 up into spots ; not infrequently this is completely effected, and 

 the specimens then approach the larger South European form 

 var. fervida^ Staud. In a fine series of this species from 

 Cornwall, lately seen in Mr. A. Harrison's collection, are a few 

 specimens that come very close to the last-named form. A 

 yellow aberration has been recorded. The eggs are whitish 

 and deposited in batches on leaves. Up to the last moult the 

 caterpillar is greyish or brownish, with dark greyish or blackish 



