234 LEPIDOPTERA. 



well-known Sweet William. When very young it enters the 

 seed capsule and after devouring the seeds demolishes the 

 capsule before proceeding to find another, feeding only at 

 night. Its growth is rapid, and it soon learns that the 

 capsule is too small for a habitation, so coils round it while 

 appropriating the contents. It is a delicate larva and not 

 very easy to rear, requiring constant supplies of perfectly 

 fresh and unripe seed vessels. If such fail before the larvae 

 of the second generation are full grown, as they very naturally 

 may in September, the larvse, according to Mr. Kane, bury 

 themselves in sand or soil and hybernate in that condition, 

 to feed up in the spring upon buds, blossoms, or leaves if 

 these only are available. 



Pupa of the usual Noctua form, except that in front of the 

 abdomen, at the end of the wing-covers, is a large rounded 

 knob or protrusion containing the tip of the very long 

 tongue ; whole surface of the wing and limb-covers, which is 

 smooth and level, covered with minute sculpture of fine 

 incised and raised lines ; spiracles very large and conspicuous, 

 dark brown ; anterior half of dorsal and abdominal segments 

 sculptured more coarsely with abundant pits ; cremaster thick 

 and rather conical, furnished with two stout rather divergent 

 spikes ; general colour glossy chestnut- brown ; cremaster 

 and spikes dark brown. Jn a slight cocoon just beneath the 

 surface of the ground ; usually in this condition through the 

 winter. 



The moth is rarely taken in the daytime, hiding at that 

 time among herbage ; but at early d usk it flies actively, and 

 is strongly attracted by the blossoms of Silene, Uchium, 

 Lychnis, and other plants. At the close of a very hot day it 

 will sometimes fly in plenty immediately after sunset, and in 

 the wildest manner, dashing from one clump of flowers to 

 another. More rarely the intense heat will arouse it to rush 

 wildly about in the sunshine, though even then it is not 

 negligent of its favourite flowers. At night it may 



