240 LEPIDOPTERA. 



basal blotch, which has a blunt exterior angle below the 

 middle; ocellus very faint, suggested by obscure lustrous 

 blue streaks ; cilia smoky brown. Hind wings and their 

 cilia smoky-black. Female similar. 



Underside of the fore wings dark leaden-brown ; the hind 

 pair a little paler. 



Occasional specimens have the faint markings more dis- 

 tinct, and this form is said to be prevalent on the Continent 

 of Europe. 



On the wing at the end of May and in June. 



Larva rather flattened, with deeply divided segments ; 

 dull white, with dark green dorsal vessel ; raised dots in- 

 visible ; hairs rather long ; head pale brown ; dorsal and 

 anal plates faintly tinged with brown. 



August and September, on beech, feeding between two 

 leaves which are united by short silken ties ; gnawing the 

 inner surface of both leaves, and leaving frass scattered 

 about between them ; but without any silken tube. 



Pupa light brown with yellowish wing covers. In a 

 small tough egg-shaped cocoon attached within the larval 

 habitation. 



The moth frequents beech-woods, and sits during the day 

 on the outside branches of beech-trees. On fine afternoons 

 it flies in the sunshine about them, flying rather high, some- 

 times in little companies, and often being active from mid- 

 day till sunset. Rather a local species and occurring more 

 especially in chalk districts, found in Kent, Surrey, Sussex, 

 the New Forest, Hants, Essex, Sufiblk, Norfolk, Cambs, 

 Herts, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Herefordshire, and even 

 in Yorkshire, but I have no records for other parts of the 

 United Kingdom. Abroad it is found in Central Europe, 

 Northern Italy, Dalmatia, Livonia, Scandinavia, and in Asia 

 Minor. 



