BOARMID.-E—DASYDIA. 155 



^n-ey of the undersurface, the centre of wliich is biili, and 

 bears a row of brown dashes down the middle, with five sets 

 of curious curved pairs of streaks on either side of the folds 

 between segments five and ten. (Rev. J. Hellins.) 



August or SejDtember till June or even July, hybernating 

 while quite small, and recommencing to feed toward the end 

 of March ; on heather, or in spring on the young shoots of 

 broom, but in confinement feeding with equal willingness 

 upon knotgrass. Hofmann says on low plants, especially the 

 species of Vicia and Genista. 



Pupa long, shining, yellowish-red ; abdomen densely punc- 

 tured ; cremaster broad, wrinkled, tipped with darker colour, 

 finished off with two stiff, brown, short, projecting points; 

 spiracles dark brown, full, and very visible. (Hofmann.) In 

 a slight cocoon just beneath the surface of the earth. 



The moth seems in these Islands to be confined to northern 

 heaths and mountain-sides. Here it sits by day with wide- 

 spread wings flat on the surface, on the sheltered sides of 

 rocks, often hiding closely in crevices, and, especially in 

 rainy weather, takes refuge under projections, and squeezes 

 Itself close into the rocky interstices. Here it is much pro- 

 tected by its grey colour and close resemblance to the rocks 

 and rock-lichens. So anxious is it for shelter from rough 

 weather that a rock-hole will sometimes contain several 

 specimens, even so much crowded together that wings over- 

 lap. If disturbed in warm weather it rushes vigorously away 

 to a short distance, but soon seeks a similar shelter ; if the 

 weather be cold it may be boxed where it sits. Where rocks 

 of its own colour are not available it will sit upon suitable 

 stone walls, or even hide among fern. Occasionally it seems 

 to be restless by day, and may then be seen flying lazily 

 about rocky roads, or more swiftly over the heaths. Its 

 natural time of flight is at dusk, when it is strong on the 

 wing, yet seldom cares to fly far from its favourite rocks. 

 Here it yields, however, to the attraction of a strong light. 



