42 LEPWOPTERA. 



segment, brown, the mandibles darker sieuna-brown ; dorsal 

 plate sea-green edged behind with smoke-colour ; ground 

 colour dingy greenisli-yellow ; dorsal stripe broad, dingy 

 purple ; subdorsal stripes of the same colour but still broader, 

 and there is an equally broad stripe of the same colour along 

 the spiracular region, interrupted at the segmental divisions, 

 through this runs a waved line of the ground colour ; spiracles 

 black; ventral surface dingy greenish-yellow, variegated with 

 purple marks; the legs barred with black. (G. T. Porritt.) 



August and September in the flower and seed-heads of 

 thistles — (Carduus ni'tiais and Cnicus lanceolati's), feeding 

 upon the seeds and causing a ragged appearance in the 

 blossom or seed-head from the detachment of the florets 

 and the pappus. The stemless thistle (Cniciis acaulis) is 

 also recorded as a food ; and continental authors mention 

 various other composite plants, about which further investi- 

 gation seems desirable. Mr. A. Thurnall now tells me that 

 he has reared a number of specimens from larvae found 

 feeding in seed-heads of rskgvfort (i^i'nccio jacohcca) in a locality 

 from which thistles were absent. There seems to be na 

 doubt as to this food-plant. 



Pupa undescribed, in the earth or among rubbish on the 

 ground in a loose smoky-black cocoon. Apparently passing 

 the winter in this cocoon as a larva, and changing in the 

 spring, but in rare instances completing its transformations 

 in the previous autumn. 



The moth loves open rough fields, disused quarries, old 

 chalk pits, and rough ground in chalky districts. It hides 

 during the day in thick herbage among thistles, or upon 

 them, and is not then easily induced to fly, unless in hot 

 sunshine, when it buzzes about for short distances, but late 

 on a warm sunny afternoon or just after sunset will start 

 up from the feet of the intruder and fly with a wide and 

 wild dashing zigzag flight to some distance, starting up again 



