342 LEPTDOPTERA. 



white ; a pulsating dorsal vessel causes the dorsal line to 

 appear edged with pale grey ; spiracular stripe broadly white 

 and conspicuous, its lower half tinged with greenish-yellow > 

 spiracles white, each followed by a blackish spot ; legs and 

 prolegs tipped with pink. In the yellower varieties the 

 subdorsal lines are frequently shaded with grey atoms. 

 (0. Fenn.) The Eev. H. II. Crewe says that it is sometimes 

 reddish-brown with black spots. 



March to June on buttercup {Puinunculus bulhosus, JR. acris, 

 B. repcns), chickweed, clover, and other low-growing plants, 

 as well as grasses ; and also upon sallow. Very easily col- 

 lected by sweeping mowing-grass in meadows in the morning 

 or evening ; it goes down nearer to the ground in the middle 

 of the day. 



The winter is passed in the egg-state. 



Plta stout, highly polished, anal extremity blunt, with a 

 minute bristle ; extremity of wing-cases and limbs very 

 slightly raised above the abdomen ; colour dull dark-yellow ; 

 dorsal region, incisions of the segments, and anal tip dark- 

 brown ; spiracles conspicuously black. Subterranean in 

 a hard brittle earthen cocoon in which the larva remains 

 for a considerable time before charging to the pupa. 

 (0. Fenn.) 



The moth hides during the day among herbage and grass ; 

 at dusk it comes in multitudes to sugar, ivy-bloom, ripe 

 blackberries, or any sweets. Later in the night it is strongly 

 attracted by light, and may be seen dashing about suburban 

 gas-lamps everywhere, or settled upon their frames. Abundant 

 in most parts of England and Wales, less so in some parts of 

 the Midlands, and local or scarce in Durham, Northumber- 

 land, and Cumberland. Also extremely local in Scotland, 

 but found in the extreme south and also in Perthshire. 

 Common in all parts of Ireland. Abroad it is found 

 throughout Central Europe, the greater portion of Southern 

 Europe, Asia Minor, and Armenia. 



