THE JERSEY TIGER. 



165 



kinds of orange and other intergrades. There is also variation 

 in the black markings at the inner angle of the fore wings, some 

 or all of which are sometimes absent. A specimen with the 

 inner margin of the fore wings black instead of creamy-white 

 has been recorded, and a specimen with whitish hind wings is 

 stated to have been seen but not secured. The moth is shown 

 on Plate 89, and the early stages on Plate 88. 



The eggs, which are laid in batches, are pale yellowish when 

 deposited, but assume a deep violet tint before hatching. Mr. 

 W. Hewett {Entom. xxviii.) states that in the case of seventeen 

 female moths that he captured in August, 1895, the average 

 number of eggs laid by each was 133, and as regards fourteen 

 batches of eggs, the caterpillars hatched out in fifteen or sixteen 

 days. 



When nearly full grown the caterpillar is blackish with an 

 orange stripe along the back and a series of creamy white spots 

 on the sides ; the hairs, arising from shining light brown warts, 

 are pale brown mixed with greyish ones ; spiracles black ringed 

 with white, under surface greyish. Head black and glossy. It 

 hatches from the ^^^ in the autumn and goes into hibernation 

 while still very small ; reappearing in the spring and feeding on 

 until July, when it spins a flimsy silken web-like cocoon well 

 down among moss and litter. The food plants are dandelion, 

 white deadnettle {Lcvniuni ^z //;/////), ground Wy {A^f/>r/a _o-hr/ioma), 

 groundsel, plantain, nettle, borage {Borui^o officinalis), and 

 lettuce. 



The moth emerges in July and August in a state of nature, 

 but often as early as June in confinement. It sits by day among 

 the herbage, and in the bushes of hedgerows, but readily quits 

 its retreat when disturbed. The normal time of flight is at 

 night ; and that light has an attraction for the moths is evident 

 from the fact that they have been known to fly into cottages at 

 the rate of three or four in an evening. 



The species is distributed throughout Southern Europe, its 



