STIGMONO TID^—GRAPHOLITHA. 209 



apex blunt; pale yellow-brown ; basal blotch hardly darker 

 except its outer edge, which is sharply aogulated, and 

 followed by a large paler dorsal blotch; costa pale from the 

 base, but from the middle thickly streaked with alternate 

 short pale drab and j^ellowish-brown lines ; ocellus glistening 

 white containing two black lines ; cilia yellow-brown. Hind 

 wings and cilia pale smoky brown, or smoky white. Female 

 similar, but with darker hind wings. 



Underside of the fore wings smoky brown edged toward 

 the apex with yellow-brown. Hind wings leaden-white. 



On the wing in July and August 



Larva plump, thickest in the middle, very sluggish, often 

 remaining contracted into a mere lump ; segments wrinkled 

 and slightly ridged, pale pinkish-yellow or salmon-colour, 

 with the dorsal line hai'dl}^ darker, and under parts more 

 yellow ; raised dots of the body colour, and indistinct ; head 

 black- or chestnut-brown ; dorsal plate semi-circular, divided, 

 umber-brown, darker behind ; anal plate brown ; feet yellow- 

 brown. 



September and October in seed and flower-heads of Aster 

 trvpolium, devouring the unripe and immature seeds, spin- 

 ning the florets and pappus together, and passing freely from 

 flower to flower. 



Pupa bright chestnut-brown. In a compact cocoon among 

 rubbish or in rotten wood, spun by the larva on its leaving 

 the seed-head in October, and inhabited by it until early in 

 July, when the pupa state is assumed. 



The moth hides among Aster tripoluim, and other coarse 

 plants in the salt marshes, on the banks of the Thames, 

 where it was oi'iginally discovered by the late Mr. W. 

 Machin ; and in other similar places in the south ; and 

 towards dusk flies freely about the same plants. Its principal 

 home with us is in Essex and Kent — near Southend, and 

 Chatham, and in Canvey Island — but it is found in the Isle 



VOL. XI. O 



