50 LEPID OP TEN A . 



close to the crossing of the oblique lines is a round white 

 discal dot ; several horizontal streaks of black dusting lie in 

 the middle and hinder area ; cilia white, clouded with black. 

 Hind wings dark smoke colour; cilia whiter. Female 

 similar, or sometimes with the ground colour paler. 



Underside of the fore wings pale smoke colour, with large 

 yellowish white costal dots and a white cloud on the hinder 

 cilia. Hind wings smoky white. 



Variable in the colour of the markings from silvery white 

 to yellowish white, and in the ground colour from tawny 

 brown to brown-black. Specimens from Ireland seem to be 

 unusually bright in colour. 



On the wing in June and July. 



Larva unknown. Sorhagen suggests that it may feed on 

 heather or whortleberry ; Heinemann says the latter. 



The moth is a bright and active species, flying in the sun- 

 shine about heather and bilberry in sheltered places, yet 

 moving more naturally, like the allied species, towards even- 

 ing, and having a tolerably direct flight. Extremely local, 

 or indeed scarcely known, in England, though Lord Walsing- 

 ham records a single specimen taken in Norfolk. Mr. J. 

 Gardner found it in 1897 and 1898 in some plenty in a wood 

 in Durham, and it is said to occur in Cumberland, and along 

 the Cheviots into Northumberland. In Scotland it is much 

 more widely distributed, flying over the heather in birch and 

 fir woods and on hill-sides. In Perthshire Sir Thomas Mon- 

 criefi: recorded that it seemed to frequent the bell-heath 

 (^Erica tctralix), and besides being plentiful in that countj^ 

 it is known to occur, often commonl}^, in Argyleshire, Dum- 

 bartonshire, Stirlingshire, Ross, Inverness, and Aberdeen- 

 shire. In Ireland it is but little known, but Colonel Part- 

 ridge found it on moors near Enniskillen, and Mr. G. V. 

 Hart took specimens of unusual beaut}' on the Wicklow 

 Mountains. Abroad it is widely distributed in Holland 



