fRIFID^. 37 



body brown with a slight reddish tinge ; subdorsal line 

 represented by a series of conspicuous white dots ; a row of 

 indistinct grey dashes starting from the subdorsal region 

 unites on the back at the incisions of the segments, forming 

 a prostrate V, the apex of which is behind ; a conspicuous 

 transverse black dorsal dash on the twelfth segment is edged 

 behind with ochreous ; spiracular stripe purplish, the upper 

 edge black, and joining the white spiracles ; sides below the 

 spii-acular stripe paler than the ground colour, and much 

 reticulated with dark grey ; undersurface dull purplish with 

 a greenish tinge ; along the front edge of the second segment 

 are three whitish dots. (C. Fenn.) 



July to May on dock, hawthorn, blackthorn, oak, sallow, 

 birch, and doubtless on numerous herbaceous plants when 

 young. It is said to hibernate early. On reappearing in the 

 spring it attacks the opening buds of trees and bushes, feed- 

 ing at night only ; and concealing itself by day on or beneath 

 the surface of the earth. 



Plta rather stout, antenna cases well marked and sculptured 

 in ridges, wing covers also thickly and minutely sculptured in 

 fine channels, the edges of the covers rather above the general 

 surface ; in front of the head there is a small tubercle ; 

 abdominal segments, and also the back, very glossy ; anal 

 segment with a triangular tubercle or cremaster, upon which 

 are the two rather divergent bristles ; colour rich mahogany- 

 red, anal projection black-brown. In a brittle chamber close 

 to the surface of the earth. 



The moth hides in the daytime under any convenient 

 shelter — ^herbage, dead leaves, thatch, in banks and hedges. 

 It Hies in the evening, coming very freely to sugar and also to 

 Howers, such as tansy, and to houeydew on the leaves of trees 

 and shrubs. It is most plentiful in damp woods, marshes, 

 and fens, but is generally distributed in wooded districts 

 throughout the southern and eastern counties of England, 

 though apparently rare in Dorset aud Devon, and not noticed 



