THE CLOUDED BUFF. 1 59 



No. 510, whereas sanio, the male, is No, 506. We must, there- 

 fore, in accordance with the law of priority, adopt the earliest 

 name for the species, however much we regret having to dis- 

 card the old familiar name of riissula. 



Although the central spot of the fore wings is subject to minor 

 modification in size, shape, and colour, it is in the hind wings 

 that variation chiefly occurs. In the male the blackish grey 

 band on the outer area of the hind wing may be broad and 

 complete, or it may be broken up by the veins into a series of 

 bars ; then, again, the bars tend to become smaller and smaller 

 until only tiny portions remain. Usually, the basal third of the 

 hind wings is more or less greyish, but sometimes the whole 

 surface almost, or quite up to the outer band, is clouded with 

 dark grey. The black markings of the female hind wings are 

 apt to vary in a very similar way. 



The caterpillar is reddish brown, covered with brown hairs ; a 

 yellow-marked whitish stripe along the back, and two darkish 

 stripes on the sides ; a white spot below each black margined 

 spiracle. It hatches from the &%g in July, and as a rule hiber- 

 nates when still small, completing growth in April and May. It 

 feeds on the leaves of many low plants, among which are 

 dandelion, dock, chickweed, and plantain. The chrysalis is 

 brown, streaked with greyish, and is enclosed in a flimsy 

 cocoon among herbage, generally on the ground. 



The moth, which inhabits heaths and mosses, is on the wing 

 in June and early July ; the male may be put up on sunny days, 

 but the female is not often seen until early evening. After dark 

 both sexes may be found on the heather. 



It should be noted here that there are usually two broods of 

 this species abroad, and that in confinement it will develop a 

 more or less complete second brood in September with us. An 

 instance is recorded of sixty-three out of sixty-six caterpillars 

 from eggs laid in early July, feeding up and producing moths in 

 the last week of September. The caterpillar is not an easy one 



