TRTFTD/E. 63 



lunate, smoky-black, followed by a slender, curved, blackish 

 transverse stripe, not always perceptible. 



Variable in the tone of the ground colour of the fore wings, 

 from dark purple-brown to light purplish-red or brownish- 

 red ; and in the colour of the i-eniform stigma, which is 

 sometimes obscured and almost hidden by dark scales. The 

 greyish suffusion is also sometimes tinged with violet. All 

 the shades of colour in this species are so fully connected by 

 every shade of intermediate that no distinguishing line of 

 variation can be drawn. Specimens from Ireland are often 

 very rich in dark purple or purple-red colouring, and notice- 

 able from the rich yellow of the reniform stigma, or its 

 extreme obscuration. 



On the wing in June and July. 



Larva stout, thickened behind and tapering toward the 

 head, which is small, rounded, and shining ; pale chocolate- 

 brown with a yellowish tinge, especially on the back ; 

 minutely reticulated with grey ; dorsal line paler, indistinct ; 

 subdorsal line threadlike, ochreous, emitting a series of oblique 

 ochreous dashes pointing backwards, oue on each segment ; 

 a conspicuous, ochreous, transverse dorsal marking on the 

 twelfth segment ; usual raised spots black ; head dark brown 

 with an ochreous dash on the outside of each lobe ; under- 

 surface rather pale, dusted with blackish. (0. Fenn.) 



August to April or May, on dock and other low-growing 

 plants, bramble, sallow, hornbeam, whortleberry, wood-rush 

 (Luzula sj/lvafica), fern (Pferis aquilina), and birch. Sir 

 Thomas MoncriefF found it commonly feeding upon Scrophv- 

 laria vcrnaJis in Perthshire. Like some of its congeners, veiy 

 fond of the opening buds of trees and bushes in the spring ; 

 feeding only at night, hiding itself in the earth, or among 

 dead leaves and herbage on the ground in the daytime. 



Pupa rather elongate, extremely glossy, anal bristles 

 minute ; deep dark-red, wing covers outlined with dark grey, 



