TRIFID.E. 317 



Larva rather stout, cylindrical ; body with a few short 

 scattei'ed inconspiciious hairs ; head small, rounded, shining, 

 pale green, mouth dark brown ; body emerald green, raised 

 dots black surrounded by white ; dorsal line very distinct, 

 yellowish-white ; subdorsal lines threadlike, whitish ; spi- 

 racular stripe broad, pale yellow, often shaded above with 

 })lack ; spiracles black, each placed in a white blotch. Under- 

 surface velvety, darker green than the ground-colour; legs 

 pale green. (C. Fenn.) 



April to June, on oak, elm, hornbeam, rose, sallow, hazel, 

 broom, and other trees and shrubs — even holly — but to all 

 appearance feeding more especially upon the larva) of other 

 Lepidoptera, and upon none more than those of the common 

 winter moth {Chcimatohia hrnmata), which are extremely 

 abundant at the same time. It is notorious that the larva of 

 which I am now treating, when beaten out of its food-plant 

 into a net or umbrella, will at once start in pursuit of any 

 unfortunate of the other species which may be in sight, and 

 following up by the side of it, seize it by the neck and sum- 

 marily devour it. It is not difficult to rear this species upon 

 larvae alone when so obtained. One of the most important 

 duties of the entomologist when bringing in food for his 

 larvfe in the spring is to see that there is not an individual 

 of this i^apacious species among it, or much of his labour may 

 be thrown away. 



The winter is passed in the egg-state. 



Pupa rather elongate, rounded, tapering, anal extremity 

 armed with projecting hooked bristles ; colour reddish-purple 

 with a bluish efflorescence. In a rather strong loose cocoon 

 of silk, on or under the surface of the ground. (C. Fenn.) 



The moth frequents woods, and hides during the day upon 

 the ground among the dead leaves, or more especially short 

 grass, among which numbers may be found in the rides of 

 woods, with their heads pressed down toward its roots. It 

 flies at dusk, and comes freely to sugar placed upon the tree 



