SERICORIDAl—STEGANOPTYCHA. 83 



it is a large ocellus, containing short lines of black dusting 

 surrounded by red-brown shades ; costal dots black-brown ; 

 cilia reddish-white on a black line, and streaked with black. 

 Hind wings and their cilia smoky-brown. Female similar. 



Underside of the fore wings smoky-brown, the costa 

 spotted and hind margin shaded with white. Hind wings 

 smoky brown. 



On the wing in June and July. 



Larva dirty white with colourless raised dots ; head pale 

 yellow ; jaws black-brown ; two dark spots on each side 

 and another on the dorsal plate. June on Poimlus italka 

 and P. alba between two joined together leaves. Pupating 

 in the same place (Treitschke). Also on Poimlus nigra, 

 P. tremula, and other species ; feeding on the buds and 

 young leaves, much attached to large trees. 



Pupa red-brown ; in a slight web. 



This is a rather retiring species, sitting by day on poj)lar 

 trees, and very often in the higher branches thereof. If 

 shaken off or disturbed by a violent blow to the trunk of the 

 tree,fl3-ing quickly to another branch ; but sometimes driven 

 out of the trees by rough weather and induced to settle on a 

 tree-trunk or paling, when it may easily be secured. Fly- 

 ing naturally in the late afternoon sunshine but usually 

 keeping to the trees. Rather frequent in the suburbs of 

 London, but there more particularly attached to white poplar ; 

 also taken in other parts of Kent, Surrey, and Middlesex ; 

 also in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Gloucestershire, and Lanca- 

 shire ; but so far as can be ascertained not more widely dis- 

 tributed in these Islands. Abroad it is found all over 

 Europe except the polar portion, and in Algeria and other 

 parts of Northern Africa. 



4. S, cruciana, Z.— Expanse | to -| in (12-15 mm.). 

 Fore wings prey brown at the base, then white or pale 



