270 LEPIDOPTERA. 



Larva moderately slender, the last three segments tapering 

 a little toward the hinder extremity, and the back a very 

 little arched in front, otherwise nearly cylindrical ; head 

 smaller than the second segment and flattened on the face 

 toward the mouth ; glossy brown, darkest round the mouth ; 

 skin rather tough ; of a delicate cream or pale flesh-colour, 

 with three transverse bars of pale brown or deeper flesh- 

 colour on the back of each segment ; these bars are all inter- 

 rupted down the middle of the back by a distinct stripe of 

 flesh-colour still paler than that of the ground; subdorsal 

 stripe less pale, and less distinct; spiracles black and the 

 region round them rather puffed ; ventral surface and prolegs 

 of the pale ground colour ; on the second segment is a pale 

 brown glossy plate divided by a slender line of flesh-colour ; 

 on the anal tip is a still paler brown shining plate ; legs of 

 the same colour. (W. Buckler.) 



May and June, but probably from the previous autumn, 

 on Air a ccespitosa, feeding within the crown of the root, 

 apparently hollowing out the bases of the flower stalks, and, 

 so far as is known, remaining entirely concealed. 



Pupa undescribed, in the larval burrow. 



The moth doubtless hides, usually, by day, among grass 

 close to the ground, but the male flies at sunset or early dusk 

 over thick grass in damp meadows, sometimes even in 

 hundreds where the damp ground lies near a lake or river. 

 At that time the female sits quietly among the grass ; doubt- 

 less it flies later in the night, but it has also a curious trick, 

 which does not seem to be shared by the male, of flying 

 occasionally in the sunshine, even buzzing in the afternoon 

 round a sallow bush, or among twigs in a hedge — to all 

 appearance simply amusing itself — and will sometimes even 

 settle upon twigs, but I have never seen it so occupied 

 in more than single and casual specimens. The male has 

 been known to come to sugar, and even to the attraction of 

 light. 



