366 LEPIDOPTERA. 



distinguish this larva from that of the next species. (Adapted 

 from Buckler.) 



March to June, feeding when young within the catkins of 

 sallow, afterwards upon the leaves, or more frequently on low- 

 growing plants generally. Mr. Buckler found it feeding on 

 seeds of Wych-elm. In the egg state throughout the winter. 



Pupa slender, light red-brown, not more fully described. 

 In the earth. 



The moth often sits by day upon low-growing plants, 

 sometimes even conspicuously upon Centaur ca nigra and 

 other flowers, but more usually among the leaves. At dusk 

 it comes freely to sagar, ivy-bloom, ripe blackberries, honey- 

 dew, ragwort and nettle blossoms, and indeed any attainable 

 sweet, but is not strongly attracted by light. Formerly it 

 was abundant in the London suburbs, from which it seems 

 now to have retired ; otherwise found over the whole of 

 England and Wales, and often commonly, though rather 

 scarce in the Fen districts, and rare in Cornwall. Found 

 also throughout the South of Scotland to Dumbartonshire in 

 the west, Perthshire in the centre, and Moray and Aberdeen 

 in the east. In Ireland in Wicklow, Kerry, Sligo, West- 

 meath, Louth, Tyrone, Armagh, Antrim, Donegal, and Lon- 

 donderry, and sometimes abundantly. Abroad it has an 

 extensive range, through Central Europe, the temperate por- 

 tions of Northern Europe, Northern Italy, Southern Russia, 

 Tartary, and the mountainous districts of Central Asia. 



3. X. silago, Hill). ; flavago, Stand. Cat. — Expanse 

 1^ to If inch. Fore wings pointed and rather retuse, rich 

 ochreous-yellow marbled and partially banded with purple ; 

 collar broadly purple ; hind wings yellowish-white. 



Antennas of the male thick, simple, minutely ciliated, 

 purple-brown ; palpi rather short and blunt, densely tufted, 

 dark purple ; eyes smooth, leaden-brown ; head dark purple, 

 rather tinged with yellow between the antennas ; collar large, 

 deep dark purple ; immediately behind its centre is a raised 



