1 1 8 LEPID OP TERA . 



head a little narrower, with the lobes much roiindecl, shining 

 bright chestnut-brown ; mouth blackish-brown ; dorsal plate 

 shining, paler brown ; anal plate similar ; body pinkish- 

 white with an obscurely darker cloudy dorsal line ; under- 

 surface paler ; bases of legs and prolegs all rather swollen, of 

 a similar colour ; spiracles black. When young the body as 

 well as the head is light brown. 



April to July, within the stem of reed {Arundo fhragmitrs), 

 feeding down deeply into the bases of the stems, but whether 

 it moves from stem to stem does not seem to be established. 

 Its presence is betrayed by the blancbed appearance of the 

 leaves of the plant. The eggs are laid in rows on the leaves, 

 which, in drying, curl, and hide them safely through the 

 winter. 



Pupa brown, not further described. In the earth, Mr. 

 J. Gardner says, at a depth of two or three inches, very near 

 to where it has fed as a larva. 



The moth doubtless hides by day among the dead leaves 

 of reeds and grasses near the ground. At dusk it flies 

 vigorously for a few minutes, and may afterwards be found 

 sitting under leaves of small reeds and various marsh grasses, 

 especially along the sides of wide ditches and fen-drains and 

 the more open portions of marshes. At this time very timid, 

 dropping off readily if disturbed. Later at night it again 

 flies, higher and more widely, and then may easily be 

 attracted by a strong light ; indeed, I have found it 

 occasionally on a gas lamp in an open road. Also it may 

 be taken, though rarely, at sugar or on the reed-blossom. 

 On one occasion I captured a specimen flying in the bright 

 sunshine of an autumn afternoon over the grass of a lawn, 

 but this does not appear to be a frequent habit. Not so 

 much attached to fens as to small marshes, ditches, and the 

 sides of streams. Doubtless at one time abundant in the 

 Thames Valley. About forty years ago it had become so 

 plentiful in the marshes then existing at Hammersmith, in 



