i 4 LEPIDOPTERA. 



dark purple-brown ; or the whole is of an equally smooth 

 chestnut-red ; or it is ornamented with short white lines upon 

 the nervures. When this last character is added to the usual 

 typical form the variety seems to be called var. mixta ; when 

 to the very dark form, var. spadicea; but these names are 

 somewhat arbitrary, all the variations being inextricably inter- 

 mingled. In the collection of Mr. S. J. Capper is a curious 

 specimen of an unusually bright red-brown, shading off to 

 drab. It was reared at Rotherham, Yorks. The darkest 

 purple-brown form, with the hind margin normal, is usually 

 a Western variety, from South Wales especially, but it has 

 once been taken at Droitwich, Cheshire, by Mr. G. W. Wynn. 

 On the wing from September till November, and after 

 hybernation in March and April. 



Larva elongate, velvety, attenuated in front ; head small, 

 rounded, shiniug reddish-brown dusted with dark brown ; on 

 the second segment is a horny plate of a dark reddish-brown 

 with three white lines ; general colour purplish-red or reddish- 

 chocolate with a greenish tinge, and faintly irrorated with a 

 paler shade of the ground colour ; dorsal and subdorsal lines 

 only just perceptibly paler, the former often interrupted with 

 grey at the incisions ; spiracles black, distiuct ; undersurface 

 and sides below the spiracles dull pale green ; usual raised 

 dots whitish or pale grey, most distinct on the sides. (C. 

 Fenn.) Dr. Chapman points out that the dividing-line 

 between the colours of the upper and under surfaces, where it 

 exists, is waved or zigzag, and the difference really is only 

 one of intensity of colour, in the most part without any real 

 dividing-line. The area above this is dark, and it is by these 

 characters more particularly that the larva of this species is 

 to be distinguished from the very similar larva of the following. 

 When quite young it is of a delicate semi-translncent appear- 

 ance, of a pale flesh tint with very few markings. 



May and June on oak, elm, sallow— even feeding in the 

 catkins — and on knot-grass and other low-growiug plants ; 

 while upon the trees it conceals itself between leaves during 



