278 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



is reddish brown ; and in a form from Ireland named tincta^ 

 Kane, the coloration is somewhat similar to that of M. Uterosa. 

 This species was first discovered in Britain by Messrs. Law and 

 Sang, in a locality near Darlington, Durham, in 1854. It is now 

 obtained in several places in that county, and in Northumber- 

 land. Also found in North Lancashire, Westmoreland, and 

 once in Yorkshire. It occurs commonly in Co. Galway and 

 Clare, Ireland, and has once been taken in Killarney. There 

 is also a record from Perthshire in Scotland. 



The caterpillar is dull ochreous, with a reddish tinge inclining 

 to purplish on rings two to seven ; head reddish brown ; plates 

 on first and last rings yellow brown, the former edged in front 

 with darker brown ; spiracles black, three yellow spots on sides 

 of rings two and three (Buckler). On Car ex glanca and other 

 sedges, eating down the stems close to the roots. Will also 

 eat ribbon grass — August to June. The moth flies, often in 

 the early afternoon, from late June to August. It seems partial 

 to rough fields, and hillsides, chiefly on the coast. 



The Clouded- bordered Brindle {Xylophasia rurea). 



Of this common, generally distributed, and often abundant 

 species, portraits of the typical form (Fig. i), and of var. 

 alopccurus^ Esp. (P'ig. 2), will be found on Plate 135. The 

 ground colour varies from the normal greyish white to a silvery 

 white (var. argeiitea^ Tutt), and through yellowish shades to a 

 reddish ochreous ; the markings in all these colour aberrations 

 are more or less typical. In the var. alopccurus^ Esp., there are 

 also gradations ; thus conibusta^ Haworth, is dark greyish 

 brown ; and a blackish brown, red tinged form is nigro-rubidea^ 

 Tutt. The caterpillar (Plate 130, Fig. 4) is variable in colour, 

 one form is ochreous grey with three lines on the' back, the 

 central one white shaded on each side with grey ; usual dots 

 and spiracles are black ; head blackish and shining. From 



