THE WOOD TIGER. 1 57 



The Wood Tiger {Parasemia plantaginis). 



On Plate 80 are shown some of the forms of this attractive 

 and somewhat variable species. Figs. 3, 4, are male and female 

 of the typical form found in England. The most usual phase 

 of variation is in the narrowing or widening of the pale yellowish 

 markings of the fore wings, and the black markings on the hind 

 wings ; occasionally the yellow or the black increases to such 

 an extent that the fore wings appear to be almost entirely of the 

 one colour or the other. The hind wings range in colour from 

 the normal yellow through orange to red, and through pale 

 shades of yellow to white ; on the other hand they are some- 

 times almost entirely black. The var. hospita. Schiff. (Fig. 7), 

 has all the wings white, and although it has been reported from 

 Shropshire, West Durham, the Lake District, etc., it has been 

 chiefly obtained in the Hebrides and in the highlands of Scot- 

 land. Only males of this form are known ; the females found 

 with them have heavy black markings on the hind wings, almost 

 crowding out the reddish ground colour. The creamy markings 

 of the fore wings are narrow, and the central spot small. 



The full-grown caterpillar is blackish above with greyish- 

 black warts from which arise tufts of blackish hairs, except on 

 rings four to six, Avhere the hairs and the warts at the base of 

 each tuft are reddish ; the black hairs of the hinder tufts are the 

 longest (Plate 81). 



Twelve eggs laid by a female in Aberdeenshire were received 

 on June 29, 1906. They were shining yellowish in colour, and 

 were on a leaf of plantain. The caterpillars resulting from these 

 eggs were reared on a mixed diet of forget-me-not {Myosotis)^ 

 plantain, and groundsel, but evinced a decided preference for 

 the former. Some died young in moulting, but at the beginning 

 of August five were full grown, and four duly pupated in a slight 

 but roomy cocoon of silk, mixed with the caterpillar's hairs, 



