riUFID^. 173 



As a rule only a little variable in the depth of colour of 

 the central portion of the fore wings and still less so in the 

 marbling of the remainder, but occasional specimens occur of 

 a smoother, paler purple-brown with but little marbling, 

 while others are darker, altogether more dull in colouring, 

 with the pale shades and markings more or less suppressed, 

 the subtermiual line alone remaining distinct. A specimen 

 reared by Mr, A. W. Mera, and exhibited to the South 

 London Society in November 1896, is wholly of a dull dark 

 rusty-brown, with hardly any trace of markings except the 

 yellowish basal patch. 



On the wing in June and the beginning of July ; in very 

 forward years at the end of May. Casual specimens, doubtless 

 of a second generation, have been taken in August and the 

 beginning of September. 



Larva cylindrical, slightly tapering toward each extremity; 

 anal prolegs extended behind. Head yellowish-brown 

 reticulated with darker ; body dull earth-brown with a red 

 tint, dorsal line faintly darker ; subdorsal line represented 

 by oblique blackish dashes, which are produced into a wedge 

 with its apex behind ; these dashes are transversely united 

 on some of the posterior segments, particularly on the 

 twelfth ; spiracular line broad, yellowish brown ; sides below 

 the spiracles irrorated with white ; spots conspicuously black. 

 (Chas. Fenn.) 



Mr. Buckler records three varieties, having the dorsal surface 

 above the spiracles respectively reddish-brown, cinnamon- 

 brown, and dull greyish-brown ; the first having also darker 

 brown, mottled diamond-shaped markings on the segments 

 from the fifth to the twelfth, and a black line along the spiracles. 

 The others approach more closely to that just described. 



July, August, and September on sallow, oak, hawthorn, 

 apple, honeysuckle, broom and barberry, also on groundsel, 

 lettuce, dock, and other low-growing plants. It certainly 

 thrives on that valuable substitute plant, the knotgrass, 



