1 1 8 LEPIDOPTERA . 



with dull crimson on the back and sides above the spiracles ; 

 dorsal and subdorsal lines very faint, minute and thread- 

 like, white, the former shaded with darker, especially at 

 the incisions ; usual spots distinct, whitish, shaded with 

 grey ; spiracular line inconspicuous, whitish ; spiracles white, 

 edged with dark red ; head highly polished, brownish- 

 yellow; legs pale brown, prolegs tipped with ferruginous. 

 (C. Fenn.) 



Mr. Buckler describes other varieties. Ground colour 

 brilliant yellow suffused on the upper surface with deep rose 

 pink ; dorsal stripe composed of two darker pink lines, con- 

 fluent and forming a spot at the beginning of each segment ; 

 subdorsal stripe bright yellow, only visible on the anterior 

 halves of the segments ; tubercular spots and two transverse 

 streaks near the end of each segment also of the bright 

 yellow ground colour. 



Another — dull pale yellowish-green ; dorsal stripe faintly 

 outlined with orange-red, with a spot at the segmental 

 divisions ; subdorsal line of the same colour, but interrupted 

 on the hinder half of each segment ; tubercular spots red, 

 and situated on the faint reddish outlines of diamonds, 

 which are very delicately freckled within ; spiracles white 

 ringed with black. 



July to September on grass, lettuce, knotgrass, Silene 

 inflata and various other low-growing plants, also on heather, 

 sallow, sweet-gale, hawthorn, &c,, concealed at the roots of 

 grass and herbage by day, feeding at night ; becoming full 

 fed in September, and then hybernating as an adult larva 

 under moss or in the ground, waking up in the spring, yet 

 apparently feeding no more, but changing to pupa in April 

 or May. Mr. McArthur tells me that it is by no means 

 unusual when turning up a patch of moss, in the winter or 

 spring, in Scotland, to find this larva in its slight cocoon. 



Pupa apparently undescribed. 



The moth conceals itself usually among dead leaves or 



