r.ARENTIDA-. CUF.LMA fOIUA. ,587 



clots and spiraclfs black : dorsal line hardly visible, enclosed 

 iu a broad grey or green-grey or grey-black dorsal stripe 

 which is of equal breadth throughout ; subdorsal line and 

 spiracular stri]ie of the same colour, the latter edged above 

 by a yt'Uowish line ; legs and anal tip, and also the hinder 

 tips of the prolegs, black. 



March or April till May or June : on birch and sometimes 

 beech : feeding at night, hiding during the day between 

 drawn-together leaves. Dr. R. Freer tells me that in Staf- 

 fordshire this larva is a general feeder, and may often be 

 found in apple blossoms. 



The winter is passed in the egg state. 



I'l'PA apparently undescribed ; in the earth. 



The moth hides itself during the day under dead leaves on 

 the ground, or among the stems of heath, grass, or any other 

 low growth, under birch-trees ; at dusk it crawls up and may 

 readily be found, by the aid of a lantern, sitting upon those 

 various objects or upon the birch-trees, from which it may 

 easily be bo.xed ; the female crawls up rather later to similar 

 positions, and at this time the tiiglit, of the males takes place ; 

 but at all times this is an exceedingly la/.y and sluggish 

 species. Rarely, a specimen may be found sitting by day on 

 a leaf upon a bush, or on a tree-trunk, but this is merely 

 casual, and probably indicates an abundance of specimens in 

 the evening. A local species, and formerly supposed to Ije 

 exclusively northein, but the late ]\Ir. F. Bond pointed out, 

 some years ago. that it might be found in southern districts 

 by an examination of birch bushes and trees at night ; and 

 jMr. iStainton recorded it in the " Manual '' from Sussex and 

 Kent. It was discovered in this country in IS 18. specimens 

 being then taken in Delamere Forest. (Tieshire: but it is now 

 known to inhabit suitable spots throughout the south of 

 Kngland, except perhaps Cornwall ; extending to (iloucestei- 

 shire and Herefordshire, Bucks, Berks, Middlesex, and Essex : 

 a single specimen has been taken in Norfolk : hut it is abuti- 



