264 LEPIDOPTERA. 



wall, or shed, on the leaves of its food or other shrubs and 

 plants, its fore wings covering the hind and forming a broad 

 triangle, and in no way concealed. Moreover, it is not rest- 

 less or timid, but regards all intruders with entire indifference, 

 allowing itself to be picked up from its resting-place, and at 

 once feigning death, also exuding small drops of a yellowish 

 fluid from its thorax, which are supposed to be of a nauseous 

 character, and which certainly stain the hands. After a short 

 time, if left alone, it arouses itself and flutters lazily away, 

 to settle again at a short distance. Its time of natural flight 

 is at dusk, when it is equally lazy and indifferent to capture, 

 fluttering slowly about, and if caught, again feigning death, 

 always showing a marked contrast in habits to the activity and 

 alertness usual in the large family to which it belongs. Plenti- 

 ful everywhere in gardens and lanes, also common in and 

 around woods, and abundant in fens, throughout England, 

 Wales, and Ireland ; in Scotland more restricted to gardens, 

 usually abundant, but sometimes local, and extending to the 

 Hebrides in the west, and to Moray in the east. Apparently 

 it is somewhat fluctuating in this country, since Sir Thomas 

 Moncrieffe wrote in his " Lepidoptera of Moncrieffe Hill ": 

 ''I am thankful to say that I have not seen this insect at 

 Moncrieffe for many years, although I remember seeing it in 

 the garden in plenty when I was a boy. It has, however, 

 occurred in some of the cottage gardens since that time." 



Abroad it has a wide range through Central Europe, the 

 temperate portions of Northern Europe, Northern Italy, 

 Dalmatia, Southern and Eastern Turkey, Southern Russia, 

 Armenia, Siberia, Tartary, Central China, and Japan. 



2. A. ulmata, Fah. ; sylvata, ^tmid. Cat. — Expanse 

 li to If inch. Wings glossy white, banded with cloudy 

 grey spots (black on the underside) ; at the base of the fore 

 wings, and also at the anal angle of both fore and hind 

 wings, is a large round brown-black blotch or spot, clouded 

 with orange, and embellished with metallic-blue. 



