BOARMIDM—BOARMIA. 22i 



Mr. Buckler's figures indicate further varieties — purple, 

 brown, and grey, with or without dorsal or subdorsal pale 

 lines. 



July or August till May or June, hybernating early and 

 while still small, on a silken carpet, upon the lower twigs of 

 its food plant ; recommencing to feed in April. On privet, 

 ivy, elder, lilac, hawthorn, blackthorn, birch, elm, rose, honey- 

 suckle, clematis, jasmine, laurel, snowberry, vine, broom and 

 even fir — from which last unsuitable food the specimens 

 reared are very small — feeding at night, remaining upon the 

 food plant b}^ day. Although frequenting so many various 

 trees and shrubs it does not appear willing to change from 

 one to another, but has been known to die of starvation in 

 preference. It was supposed at one time that the dark 

 variety known as perfumaria was produced only from larvaB 

 fed upon ivy, but this has been abundantly disproved, dark 

 forms having resulted from those fed upon lilac, elder, black- 

 thorn, and birch. The varieties in the larva itself are, how- 

 ever, often found to assimilate in colour most accurately with 

 the twigs of the plant upon which it is feeding, but Mr. 

 Fenn says that it is often betrayed to the eye of the keen 

 observer, by its habit of turning its undersurface outward, 

 when the pale band is readily seen. 



Pupa rather slender ; eye-cases prominent ; anal extremity 



spiked ; mahogany colour, the wing and antenna-cases 



mottled with blackish. Subterranean, not inclosed in a 

 cocoon. (C. Fenn.) 



The moth shows a special preference for gardens, more 

 particularly for those situated in and around London and 

 other cities and large towns. Here it sits in the daytime 

 upon any railing, post, outhouse, or other wooden structure ; 

 on walls, or among ivy and dense bushes; and is watchful 

 and easily disturbed, flying wildly away when approached, 

 to settle in some other secluded spot. At dusk it flies about 

 the gardens, and when darkness comes on is strongly attracted 



