i; H YCITI n.-E—EP HESTIA . 59 



ilark o-rev ; cilia of tlie ground colour. Hind wiugs rather 

 short, flatly rounded behind, shining smoky-white ; cilia 

 similar. Female often rather darker, or browner, differing 

 very little. 



Underside of the fore wings shining leaden-grey ; hind 

 wings shining white. 



Variable in colour through all shades of grey-brown to 

 pale brown, and to shining whitish-grey, and to forms in 

 which the costal half of the fore wings is grey and the dorsal 

 half brown or whitish-brown — this being in all probability 

 the form which was named scmirn/a by Hmrorth, though 

 not that of Stainton — also to blackish-grey with the first 

 and second lines unusually distinct— a form which has been 

 supposed to be another species under the name of Eoxbdrghii 

 — or to unicolorous blackish-grey; indeed, the fluctuations 

 are so. numerous and so indefinite that in order to safely 

 discriminate the species, a close and intimate knowledge of 

 the shape and •proportions of the wings, and of the position 

 and inclination of the first line, are very requisite. 



On the wing from .June till October, perhaps in several, 

 overlapping, generations. 



Larv.\ three-eighths of an inch long, cylindrical, not very 

 stout ; head shining reddish-brown ; dorsal and anal plates 

 similar, the dorsal divided in the middle by a pink line ; 

 body pale flesh-colour without gloss ; raised dots minute yet 

 distinct, reddish-brown ; ocellated spots blackish-brown with 

 a white centre. (VV. Buckler — condensed.) 



September and October till May, and, indeed, to all appear- 

 ance, throughout the year ; on currants, figs, and other dried 

 fruits, corn, dog-biscuit, seeds, nuts, and almost all vegetable 

 dried substances, even on chocolate, capsicum (both whole 

 and ground), turkey-rhubarb, and other vegetable drugs. 

 There is reason to believe that at times it feeds in multitudes 

 on the seed of grasses in hay-ricks. 



Pupa not stout, the anal segment rather rounded, luile 



