288 LEPIDOPTERA. 



broadly, with black, and dotted on the upper side, on each 

 segment, with a yellow tubercle having a black centre ; 

 spiracles enclosed in a dusky space between two black lines ; 

 tubercular hairs yellowish. Before the last moult, dorsal 

 region dusky purplish-brown ; sides and under-surface 

 yelloAvish-grey ; dorsal line whitish, bordered on each side 

 of each segment by a large black tubercular spot ; spiracular 

 line waveji, blackish ; between these lines is a row of 

 blackish tubercular spots, smaller than those on the back ; 

 all these raised spots surmounted by long white hairs. 

 When very young the ground colour is uniform pale 

 yellowish-grey ; dorsal and subdorsal lines white, the latter 

 indistinct ; spiracular lines blackish ; raised dots very small 

 and indistinct. (H. H. Crewe.) 



September to March on chickweed, primrose, dead-nettle, 

 dock and other low-growing plants. 



Pupa short and thick, eye covers a little projecting, limb 

 and wing covers closely and compactly laid down, very 

 glossy, yet with scattered cross sculpture of very faintly 

 incised lines and pits ; dorsal region and dorsal and 

 abdominal segments sparingly dotted almost all over with 

 minute pits, the smooth hinder bands very narrow ; 

 abdominal segments only moderately tapering and the 

 hinder ones very tumid ; cremaster short and inconspicuous, 

 spikes parallel, distinct, black ; general colour light red- 

 brown. In a strong firm cocoon of silk and earth, the lining 

 beino- of white silk. Subterranean. 



The moth hides in the daytime, like its allies, among 

 herbage and dead leaves; at dusk it Hies, and comes 

 freely to sugar and the blossoms of the lime-trees, also 

 sometimes to honeydew. Rather plentiful in the Eastern 

 Counties, and fairly common in most parts of the southern 

 half of England, except Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall, where 

 it appears to be scarce. Hardly noticed in the Midlands 

 except Derbyshire, and found locally in Herefordshire, 



