144 LEPIDOPTERA. 



the costal margin and nervures ; central spot rather lunate, 

 black. Body and legs whitish-buff. 



Variation in this species is usually but slight, and in the 

 lines already indicated — from whitish-drab to more or less 

 tinged with pale red ; the dark stripe from the base also 

 varies considerably in intensity, and not necessarily in 

 sympathy with the general tinge of colour. A specimen 

 reared by Mr. G. F. Mathew from a larva found in Essex is 

 very handsome, the dark median longitudinal stripe being of 

 a clouded sooty-black and extending to the second line, 

 which is dusted, and much of the wing streaked with the 

 same ; another is of a red-drab dusted with black and having 

 a black spot at the base. In Dr. P. B. Mason's collection is 

 one having the whole of the fore wings streaked longitudi- 

 nally with black lines and the hind wings darkly streaked ; 

 also another dull reddish-grey with the transverse lines 

 visibly darker and the hind wings grey. A very pale 

 specimen in the collection of the late Mr. H. Doubleday 

 has but two black dots, and those very faint. 



On the wing from the end of June till August. 



Larva elongate, attenuated at both extremities ; head 

 small, shining, brownish-ochreous, flattened ; a whitish pro- 

 jection on each side of the mouth ; back rounded ; under- 

 surface rather flattened ; sides puckered ; anal prolegs 

 extended backward. Body ochreous with an orange tinge, 

 dusted with grey, and having numerous longitudinal faint 

 o-rey lines ; dorsal, subdorsal, and spiracular lines white 

 rather broadly shaded on each side with bluish-grey ; between 

 the last two is another white line; spiracles white, edged 

 with black ; usual dots black, extremely minute. (C. Fenn.) 

 Mr. Buckler says, " The skin is remarkably smooth, the seg- 

 mental divisions being scarcely indicated, chiefly in fact by 

 fine wrinkles forming themselves when the larva bends itself 

 round, in the graceful postures it assumes when actively 

 eugaged in feeding." He also says that the young larva 



