8 LEPIDOPTERA. 



cular line paler than the ground colour and dotted with 

 black. 



The young larva has a distinct grey dorsal diamond pattern, 

 but is without the black spiracular spots. (C. Fenu.) 



August to May, feeding at night only, before hybernation 

 upon low plants — Viola, Primula, Polygonum, dock, and 

 various others ; — but in the spring almost totally neglecting 

 these and devoting itself to the expanding leaves and buds of 

 blackthorn, hawthorn, sallow, birch, beech, hazel, and even 

 dogwood ; but at all times hiding itself during the day upon 

 the surface of the ground under dead leaves or low-growing 

 plants. It is not known to burrow beneath the surface. A 

 well-grown larva is a conspicuous object under the light of a 

 lantern, after dark, upon the twigs of a bush of birch or 

 blackthorn. 



Pupa very stout, shining, deep mahogany-red ; dorsal 

 shade, incisions of segments, and spiracles, blackish ; anal 

 extremity very blunt, with two parallel short spikes placed 

 upon a triangular flattened projection. In a very brittle 

 earthen cocoon, beneath the surface of the ground, or some- 

 times under moss. 



'I'he moth appears to hide by day mainly among dead 

 leaves, where it is seldom observed ; but occasionally it may 

 be beaten out of a thick oak bush, when it darts a very short 

 distance and hides on the ground. At night it flies strongly, 

 but is rarely captured in flight, and not very commonly at 

 sugar, to which it is not particularly partial. Moreover, it 

 does not seem to be much attracted by flowers nor by light, 

 and the majority of specimens in collections are obtained by 

 rearing larvae found in the spring. It mainly frequents woods 

 and woody heaths, and in such situations is moderately 

 common in most parts of the Southern, Eastern, Western, and 

 Midland English counties ; scarce in Cornwall, and apparently 

 so in Dorset. Said also to be scarce in Lincolnshire, Lan- 

 cubhire, and Chet^hire ; more frequent in Yorkshire, Westmore- 



