TRIFIDyE. 153 



Larva cylindrical, tapering very little at the posterior 

 extremity, rather uniform in size and tint ; the whole of the 

 back and sides down to the spiracles greenisli-drab or reddish- 

 drab, delicately marbled with darker tints of the same ; along 

 the spiracles a faint whitish stripe and a very sinuous inter- 

 rupted dark line running through it. Spiracles very small, 

 of the ground colour, outlined with a darker drab. Dorsal 

 line just visible, slightly paler and outlined with darker, more 

 especially noticeable on the anterior segments ; among the 

 fine marbling can just be discerned a fine and rather sinuous 

 pale sub-dorsal line, and below it another, more continuous. 

 Under surface and legs of the ground colour, but paler and 

 without markings ; head and dorsal plate light brown ; legs 

 drab ; prolegs tipped with brownish hooks. (W. Buckler.) 



July and August on knotgrass {Polygonum avicidarc), and 

 doubtless other low plants. Abroad it is said to feed on 

 Silcnc inflata, Safponaria and Dianthus, preferring the 

 capsules ; but Mr. Buckler was unable to induce his larvae to 

 eat Silcne. The suggestion of these plants indicates either a 

 confusion or a singular unanimity of taste between this species 

 and the somewhat similar species of the genus Dianthccia. 

 Unfortunately we know very little of this larva here. 



Pupa shining reddish-brown, not more particularly de- 

 scribed ; in the earth. In this state through the winter. 



The moth is very rarely found in the daytime, doubtless 

 it hides among herbage on the ground. It flies briskly at 

 early dusk and is strongly attracted by the blossoms of 

 Silenc injiata, Echiuin vulgare, Lilium martayon, and other 

 flowers, and, the female more especially, by sugar ; the male 

 by light. Apparently never a plentiful species, but found 

 throughout the southern and eastern counties, though in 

 Cornwall and Dorsetshire it is said to be scarce, and hardly 

 more frequent in Somerset and Gloucestershire, commoner 

 in Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire. Also found in Here- 

 fordshire, Worcestershire, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, 



