l62 LEPIDOPTERA. 



another tree, and often hides itself at a good height. At 

 sunset it flies wildly and swiftly of its own accord about the 

 trees, and is not very easy to secure. Almost confined to 

 woods, and in this country to oak woods. Not usually a 

 plentiful species, yet found in all such woods in the South, 

 and more sparingly throughout the country to Yorkshire. 

 Mr. J. E. Robson has taken it in Durham, and believes it to 

 occur in Northumberland ; yet I have no record from Scot- 

 land or Wales, and in Ireland only that of the late Mr. E. 

 Birchall, at Killarney. 



Abroad it is found throughout Central Europe, Northern 

 Italy, Livonia, and Greece, also in China, and Japan. 



5. T. xylosteana, Linn. — Expanse f to \ inch (15- 

 22 m.m.). Fore wings bright silvery-brown, much marbled 

 with chocolate or bright chestnut markings, with shining 

 edges ; the central band forked at the costa. 



Antennae of the male notched, brown; palpi, head, and 

 thorax orange-brown, abdomen mouse-colour. Costa of the 

 fore wings rolled back from the base two-thirds of its length, 

 but only a short portion folded ; truncate behind, and the 

 apex blunt ; colour sllvei-y-brown or silvery-drab ; basal 

 blotch tinged with chocolate, and its outer edge visible as an 

 erect rich chocolate-red blotch or streak ; central band 

 chocolate-red, very broad at the costa, where it is forked and 

 encloses a silvery -brown spot, its inner margin straight and 

 oblique, its outer margin indented by a deep angle ; apical 

 region crossed by two oblique tawny lines ; cilia brownish- 

 drab. Hind wings dull brown, their cilia whitish-brown. 

 Female larger and stouter, usually darker in colour, its fore 

 wings longer, their markings broader and darker, and 

 usually having a black spot at the apex; costa plain; hind 

 wings glossy dark brown. 



Very variable in colour, darker or paler, the marldngs 

 fluctuating in the same degree, and producing exceedingly 

 prettjr forms. A specimen taken at Deal by Mr. Sorrell has 



