374 LEPIDOPTERA. 



it becomes more blackened. Intermediates occur but not so 

 frequently. Mr. Kane states that Irish specimens are all of 

 the richer darker race. 



On the wing in June and July. 



Larva. — Dorsal region dark brown ; central dorsal line 

 whitish, bordered on either side, on each segment, by two 

 black spots ; subdorsal lines slender, indistinct, whitish. 

 Head and post-capital segment dark brown, the former 

 mottled with a paler colour and traversed by two black 

 lines ; sides pinkish-drab, marked on each segment with a 

 black spot ; under-surface pale drab ; back and sides thinly 

 furnished with slender hairs. (H. H. Crewe.) In Mr. 

 Buckler's figures the black dorsal plate is divided longi- 

 tudinally by three or five white lines, and the anal plate is 

 black-brown and divided by the white dorsal line ; the 

 raised dots are large and, with the spiracles, black ; but the 

 dorsal region is of a paler brown than above described, or 

 even of a pale brownish-grey. In one case the anterior 

 or thoracic segments are red-brown and the remainder pale 

 slate-grey. 



Mr. Buckler describes the young larva as follows. When 

 three-quarters of an inch long, of moderate stoutness ; head 

 brown and shining; dorsal plate brown, finely divided by 

 very thin dorsal and broader subdorsal lines of a pale yellow, 

 below these blackish-brown ; ground colour dark purple-grey- 

 brown, much and finely freckled with darker ; dorsal line 

 paler ochreous-brown ; a faint subdorsal stripe of unfreckled 

 ground colour can just be discerned, it is edged with darker 

 freckles ; raised dots blackish-brown, a large one above each 

 spiracle ; undersurface paler than the back, freckled with 

 reddish-ochreous ; spiracles outlined with black ; anal plate 

 shining brown, with paler dorsal and subdorsal lines. Before 

 hybernation it assumes the adult larval colouring and has 

 nearly attained full growth. 



August to March, April, or even May, on grasses, especially 



