TRIFID&. 47 



polished, red-brown reticulated with dark brown ; on the 

 second segment is a red-brown or blackish blotch divided by 

 the dorsal and subdorsal lines ; general colour dark purplish- 

 brown, sometimes paler, with a slight violet tinge, and faintly 

 irrorated with grey ; dorsal line paler, threadlike, incon- 

 spicuous ; a series of oblique blackish subdorsal streaks is 

 most strongly indicated on the fifth, sixth, eleventh, and 

 twelfth segments, especially on the twelfth, where those on 

 each side are united by a transverse black dash ; these 

 oblique markings are frequently produced to the dorsal line 

 as greyish Vs with the apex behind ; spiracular stripes broad 

 and very conspicuous, yellowish-white edged above with 

 velvety-black; usual spots distinct, whitish or yellowish, 

 edged with grey ; spiracles whitish ; undersurface, legs, and 

 prolegs reddish or red-brown, paler than the ground colour. 



When young, dark purple with the usual raised spots white ; 

 spiracular stripe very conspicuous, white, or in some cases 

 pale chrome-yellow ; dorsal line whitish, threadlike, and a 

 black transverse dorsal dash on the twelfth segment. 

 (C. Fenn.) 



May, June, and July, on whortleberry ( Vaccinium myrtillus), 

 bearberry {Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), sallow, birch, hawthorn, 

 and heather, doubtless feeding principally at night. 



Pupa elongate ; anal extremity spiked ; mahogany-red ; 

 incisions and anal segment shaded with dark grey. (0. Fenn.) 

 Under moss or among loose earth, in a silken cocoon. 



The moth sits in the daytime upon tree-trunks, walls, 

 rocks, and dead sticks of heather or bracken, in a most 

 singular attitude. The Eev. C. F. Thornewill writes: "We 

 found them sitting upon the trunks of some old birch trees 

 in a very peculiar attitude, which reminded me of the fable 

 of the ostrich thinking to escape from its pursuers by hiding 

 its head in the sand ; the head and thorax of the insect are 

 thrust deeply into the crevices of the bark, while the body, 

 with the wiugs wrapped closely round it, sticks out at right 



