204 LEPID OP PER A . 



outer margin angulated, only noticeable toward the dorsal 

 region ; chestnut brown ; ocellus large, glistening pale grey, 

 with a few black dots ; costal outer area hoary, but dusted 

 with minute drown streaks ; cilia pale brown. Hind wings 

 dull white, shading to brown along the hind margin and 

 apex ; cilia dusky white. Female similar ; fore wings 

 slightly broader from absence of the fold. 



Underside of fore wings smoky black, costa beyond the 

 middle and hind margin ashy white ; hind wings shining 

 white. 



On the wing in June and July. 



Larva plump, rather flattened, with swollen segments ; 

 dull pink ; head and dorsal plate broad and large, chestnut 

 brown ; anal plate very small. 



August and September, in the flower heads of Carduvs 

 lanceolatus and other thistles, eating out the immature seeds ; 

 feeding up rapidly, and at once leaving the seed-head to spin 

 up elewhere ; also in the seed-heads of Ccntaurea nigra, 

 usually rarely, but M. A. Thurnall has found it in them 

 almost as commonly as C. scopoliana. 



Pupa bright light brown ; wing and limb-covers glossy ; 

 abdomen very dull, covered with fine frosting ; segments 

 with two ridges, that in front having a row of strong stout 

 spines ; the hinder ridge finer and more delicate ; cremaster 

 short, thick, and blunt, terminated by a thick cluster of 

 hooked bristles. In June, in a tough papery cocoon among 

 rubbish on the ground, in which the larva has spent the 

 winter. 



This moth is always to be found among thistles, hiding 

 among them and sitting on the stems and leaves by day, but 

 flying out quite readily on the slightest disturbance; and 

 buzzing around the blossoms and seed-heads at sunset. A 

 common species, generally, though apparently rather scarce 

 in Cornwall, but extending throughout the country to 



