8o LEPIDOPTERA. 



and the sub-apical spot entirely black. The females reared 

 with these were pale pinkish-drab. 



On the wing in October and November, but occasionally 

 as early as the latter part of September. 



Lakva elongated, of even thickness, wrinkled, incisions of 

 segments deeply indicated ; on the twelfth segment are two 

 small eminences ; head pale brown, the face irrorated with 

 black ; body dull purplish slate-colour, or dusted and speckled 

 all over with purplish-grey ; having an indistinct, diamonded, 

 ochreous dorsal pattern; subdorsal lines interrupted, pale 

 orange, appearing as sjoots on each segment ; eminences on 

 the twelfth segment tipped with red ; spiracles white ; 

 undersurface ornamented with a distinct whitish diamond 

 pattern. 



But some examples are almost unicolorous slate-grey, with 

 orange sub-dorsal spots. (C. Fenu.) 



When young it has an ill-developed pair of prolegs on the 

 ninth segment ; the Rev. J. Hellins states that these appear 

 after the second moult, and are again lost at the fourth. 



April till June, on oak, birch, blackthorn, poplar, aspen, 

 sallow, hornbeam, apple, rose, and privet ; feeding principally, 

 though not entirely, at night ; remaining on the food-plant 

 by da}^, and having quite the appearance of a twig. 



The Q^g is laid early in the winter and hatches in the 

 spring. 



Pupa rather stout and extremely blunt; reddish-brown, 

 the wing-cases paler. Enclosed in a very large subterranean 

 cocoon of thick silk mingled with grains of sand. Rather 

 long in cocoon before changing to pupa, and liable to be 

 destroyed by any slight disturbance at this stage. (0. 

 Fenn.) 



This moth is not very easy to rear in confinement, and the 

 females are extremely apt to become crippled, or dwarfed, 

 or to be imperfectly developed. The males also vary in size, 



