136 LEPIDOPTERA. 



narrowing until they converge and meet at the tip of the anal 

 flat, which is covered with a black plate ; these stripes are 

 edged with black and freckled with grey or browu along their 

 middle ; below the subdorsal stripe is a rather narrow pale 

 line, edged with blackish, running midway between it and the 

 subspiracular stripe, which last is of a colour and freckling 

 similar to those above, all the stripes being uninterrupted, 

 spiracles black ; under surface paler brown than the upper, 

 varying in tint, shining and semitranslucent ; legs and pro- 

 legs greyish-green or brown, the prolegs ringed with darker 

 brown or with a brown spot on the side. Very closely re- 

 sembling the larvge of the preceding and following species, 

 but slightly more of a warm bronzy colour on the back and 

 with the under surface more dusky. When young pale 

 olive-green with whitish lines ; when half grown there is a 

 beautiful opalescent pinkish gleam about the prolegs and 

 undersurface. (Adapted from Buckler.) 



February to July, the winter being passed in the egg- 

 state ; on grasses, preferring the hard smooth grasses, and 

 much addicted to Nardm strida and other fine-leaved 

 species ; feeding at night on the grass-leaves, apparently 

 not on the roots, but hiding among the latter in the day- 

 time. From the great similarity of the larvas it is difficult 

 to speak with certainty, but there is reason to suspect that in 

 some seasons and localities (as in the Rhondda valley in 1884) 

 this insect has done its full share in the mischief attributed 

 to the last species. In 1894 the present is recorded as having 

 appeared in the north of France in vast numbers, marching in 

 columns and doing great damage. There is a probability 

 that in this case also both species appeared together. 



Pupa apparently undescribed, subterranean, in an earthen 

 chamber. 



The moth is scarcely ever seen in the daytime, and doubt- 

 less remains concealed on the ground at the roots of grass 



and herbaci'e or amouL!' dead leaves. The nuile Hies with 



