I40 LEPIDOPTERA. 



cotta or almost brick-red colour, but always with the white 

 nervures. Mr. Gervase F. Mathew, R.N., has, however, 

 found a form on the Essex coast of a singularly deep 

 smooth red, in which the nervures and the space above 

 the median are all quite evenly suffused with the same 

 red tint. Similar examples have been found near the mouth 

 of the Thames. In all the brighter forms there is also a 

 tendency to darker clouding of the hind wings or else partial 

 darkening of their nervures, or both. In the pale individuals 

 the black dots of the second line are often almost impercep- 

 tible or quite absent. 



' , On the wing from June till August, and in Scotland till 

 September. 



Larva cylindrical, plump, tapering but little at each 

 extremity ; head rather small, grey mottled with brown ; 

 general colour pale yellow or greyish-ochreous ; dorsal line 

 dusky-white edged on both sides with grey shades, which 

 are faintly rounded on each segment ; subdorsal line white, 

 edged above with a dark brown line ; spiracular stripe broad, 

 pale grey, edging the spiracles, which are black ; between 

 the subdorsal and spiracular lines is a slender waved pale 

 brown longitudinal line ; below the spiracles is a broad pale 

 ochreous stripe ; usual raised dots dark brown or black ; 

 undersurface and legs ochreous-grey. 



September to JNIay on Aim ccvsiyitosa, Poa anmin, and 

 other grasses, feeding externally on the grass-blades at 

 night, hiding in the daytime close to their roots. 



Pupa apparently undescribed. 



The moth conceals itself among grass, close to the earth, 

 in the daytime ; at dusk it flies, and from its whiteness is 

 very conspicuous ; it then is strongly attracted by sugar 

 and honeydew ; also frequents rush-blossom^ ragwort, lime- 

 blossom, and other flowers, and will come to light. Late 

 at night I have found it, with other noctna:, sitting upon 



