i82 LEPinOPTERA. 



Autenna\ palpi, liead aiul thorax of the male grey-brown ; 

 abdomen dull brown, anal tuft ocbreous. Fore wings much 

 arched at the costa, having a fold at a short distance from 

 the base, and beyond it the costa rolled back ; silvery-grey 

 or ashy-grey with the markings deep dark brown ; basal 

 blotch faintly indicated by an obscure curved marginal line ; 

 central band very broad and rather oblique, the front edge 

 well defined, but the hinder clouded and expanded; beyond 

 is a sub-apical cloudy costal spot from which an oblique line 

 passes to the hind margin ; cilia white mixed with pale 

 brown. Hind wings pale smoky brown or lead colour, cilia 

 whiter. Female larger and stouter, but similar. 



Underside of the fore wings lead-colour with white dots 

 on the costa ; hind wings white, dotted with pale lead-grey. 



Variable in the ground-colour, from white to grey-brown. 

 In extreme specimens from the Shetland Isles the markings 

 are sharply contrasted and somewhat broken. 



On the wing in May and June, in Shetland even in July. 



Larva black-green with white raised dots ; head shining 

 honey-yellow ; dorsal plate grey-brown with black dots. 

 (Hofmann.) 



August to October, hybernating when full grown between 

 joined leaves ; on sallow, hazel, birch, bramble, oak, and other 

 trees, and low-growing plants, assuming the pupa state in 

 April. 



Plta black-brown, in a silken cocoon between spun- 

 together leaves. 



The moth hides during the day among bushes, and is 

 readih" disturbed, but sometimes abounds on open moors. 

 Usually, however, its haunts are lanes and open woods, 

 especially among oaks, and here it flies wildly over trees 

 from 4 P.M. till dusk, and into the night ; coming then 

 willingly to sugar spread to attract Noctuiv. 



