THE ANGLE SHADES. 29 1 



as also are both forms in the younger stages. It feeds from 

 December to April on pilewort {Ranuuculus ficaria\ R. repens^ 

 and other kinds of buttercup. When full grown it is said to 

 prefer ash or privet. The moth flies in late September and 

 October. 



-^ ^^ 



r*"*^ ^J^' The Small Angle Shades {Etipkxia ludpard). 



Ujxi The pale reniform mark on the outer edge of the blackish 

 J^ central area is the prominent feature of this pinkish- or purplish- 

 brown moth. (Plate 141, V'lg. 5.) The caterpillar is green, or 

 pinkish-brown, and velvety in appearance ; three indistinct lines 

 and some dusky V-shaped marks on the back ; a white line along 

 the sides; usual dots white, and the spiracles black. It feeds 

 in August and September on most low plants, birch, sallow, 

 bracken, etc. It is often destructive to ferns in the garden 

 or conservatory ; usually selecting the choicer kinds, and as 

 its depredations are carried on only at night, the culprit 

 escapes detection. The moth flies in June and July, and a few 

 specimens sometimes appear in the autumn. Generally dis- 

 tributed and often common in the South. The range al)road 

 extends to Amurland, Japan, and North America. 



The Angle Shades {FhIoi:!;opho)-a mctiai/osa). 



The moth shown on Plate 141, Fig. 7, is, when newly emerged 

 from the chrysalis, an exceedingly pretty creature. After death 

 the pinky-brown colour remains, but the olive green of the 

 triangular central band, and border of outer margin, fades and 

 distinctly mars the pleasing effect of the general colour scheme. 

 Sometimes the central band and outer border are red, and in such 

 specimens the ground colour is more rosy. The caterpillar is 

 green or brown, minutely dotted with white ; a pale central line 

 and dusky V-shaped marks on each side of it ; the outer arm of 

 the V more distinct than the inner ; the line along the dark 



