40 I.EPIDOPTERA. 



thick, and very sluggish ; dull white ; the third to fifth 

 segments rather more transparent ; dorsal vessel visible ; 

 head and dorsal plate light brown, the latter darker at the 

 edges ; anal plate and legs as before ; while in cocoon it 

 becomes tinged with yellow. 



August and September in the thick solid root-stocks of 

 I'Uininiio lanceol(d(( (rib-wort plantain), eating large cavities 

 in the solid flesh of the root-stock. Although full fed in the 

 autumn, it hybernates in the cavitj- and there spins its 

 cocoon, but this takes place at any time from October to 

 March. 



Pi:PA light chestnut brown, paler on the back. Not more 

 fully described. In a silken cocoon, at lirst nearlj^ white, 

 but which gradually darkens to sooty-black, in the cavity 

 made by the larva. The larva, however, lies long in this 

 cocoon, and the present state is not assumed till late in the 

 spring. 



The moth hides during the day close to the ground among 

 the herbage, but towards sunset runs up the stems of grass, 

 or the long flower stalks of the plantains, and flies at the 

 smallest disturbance, with a widely zigzag flight, for a con- 

 siderable distance. Its action when so running up the stalks 

 is very curious, since the first pair of legs being long and 

 very robust, bends rather outwards at the knees, and gives 

 it a swaggering action, which is very effective. It flies from 

 sunset till night of its own accord, and Mr. A. E. Gibbs tells 

 me that he has taken it at sugar. It is most plentiful on the 

 cliffs of the sea-coast, particularly chalk or limestone cliffs, 

 but may also be found, very locally, on inland chalk hills, 

 railway-banks, cjuarries, and even some heaths. Found in 

 Kent, Sussex, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, 

 Somerset, Essex and Suffolk. In Wales common!}' in 

 Pembrokeshire; and recorded in Ireland, by the late ilr. 

 Edwin Birchall, on the coast near Dublin. Abroad it is 



