QUADRIFID^E. 267 



spines ; general colour purplish-brown, the abdominal divisions 

 dingy-red, though this local colouring can only be seen on 

 parts which happen to be rubbed, as the surface generally is 

 covered with a fine opaque powdery bluish bloom ; a few 

 short, fine, light brown bristly hairs, pointing backward, 

 are sparingly distributed over the abdomen. In a cocoon 

 composed chiefly of small particles of dry stalks and roots, 

 with peat earth, and lined with coarse whitish silk in large 

 meshes, yet smooth ; placed among light soil just beneath 

 the surface. (W. Buckler.) 



The moth appears to hide, like the preceding, in the day- 

 time, in oak-trees, doubtless resting upon the branches or 

 higher portions of the trunks, very difficult to see from its 

 close resemblance to the bark. At early dusk it flies in an 

 extremely lively manner, coming readily to sugar spread on 

 the trunks of oaks, but settling with wings widely expanded 

 and quivering, dashing off when alarmed, flying round and 

 settling again upon the bait. Like the last species, its 

 principal home in these Islands is in the New Forest, Hants ; 

 equally uncertain in its appearances, but, curiously enough, 

 almost always appearing in the same seasons, though often 

 in smaller numbers. Also found, though rarely, and only in 

 woods, in Dorset, Devon and Sussex; very rarely at West 

 Wickham, Kent, and Leatherhead, Surrey ; near Eeading, 

 Berks, and formerly in Gloucestershire, Hunts, and Cambs ; 

 rarely in Suffolk, but formerly to be found in the large woods 

 of West Norfolk, and very probably inhabiting them still. 

 I know of no other localities for it in these Islands. Abroad 

 it is found throughout most parts of Central Europe, South 

 Sweden, Northern Italy, Sardinia, Spain to Gibraltar, Livonia, 

 Asia Minor, Persia, and some parts of North America. 



