ii6 I.F.l'IDOl'TERA. 



in the year the larva seems to feed tbrougliout the 

 suiniuer. 



Pri'A slender, shining, tapering behind ; anal extremity 

 furnished with two hooked bristles ; eyes promment and 

 projecting; general colour pale yellowish-l)rown ; eyes, 

 abdominal incisions, and anal segment reddish-brown. 

 (C. Fenn.) In a thin oval cocoon of silk covered with earth, 

 in the ground, or on the surface amon" the stalks of its food 

 plant. The larva lies long in cocoon before changing to the 

 pupa, in the case of the second brood throughout the winter, 

 the latter state being then assumed in the spring. 



The moth sits during the day on the trunk of a tree, or in 

 a bush ill a hedge or wood, from which it may be disturbed 

 by the beating-stick, yet is not so alert and active at that 

 time as some of its allies. Its time for natural flight is 

 rather late dusk, and at night it will come to a strong light. 

 Not usually a plentiful sjiecies, but generally distributed, and 

 to be found throughout England and Wales and the South 

 of Scotland, becoming abundant on the hills of Perthshire, 

 and o.vti'uding tliroughout the mainland to the Hebrides and 

 Orknej's. In Ireland generally distributed but not very 

 conunoii. Abroad found almost all over Ihirope. Asia Minor, 

 Armenia, and the mountain regions of Central Asia. 



o. M. albicillata, L. — Expanse \\ inch. Fore wings 

 broad, soft creamy or silky white, without central band; 

 basal blotch large, mottled, brown and blue-black ; a similar 

 trigonate blotch near the ape.x of the costa gives off a slendei- 

 rip]ilcd line to the anal angle ; outside this clouded with 

 blu«--l)luck. Hind wings white with grey marginal clouding. 



Antennse of the male rather thick, simple, ciliated, dark 

 brown; palpi blunt, rather projecting, nmbreous; eyes dull 

 black ; head deep brown ; thorax rather rougli, jiurplish- 

 brown. shoulder lappets raised, at the back is a thick oljtuse 

 Ijrown tuft or depressed crest ; abdomen slender, white, with 



