174 MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



becomes sooty in appearance ; the last rings are orange, but all 

 the rest of the body is black ; the thorax also is black, but the 

 part nearest the head, termed the collar, is red, hence the 

 common English name Red-neck moth given to it by Harris 

 (1778). Haworth called it the "Black Footman." 



The caterpillar is greyish, more or less freckled with ochreous ; 

 three lines along the back, the central one whitish, the others 

 black and interrupted ; the hairs arising from reddish warts are 

 brown or greyish brown. Head black. It feeds from July to 

 October on lichens, chiefly those growing on fir and oak, but 

 also on beech, and on old palings. Chrysalis, glossy dark red- 

 brown in a tight-fitting cocoon of silk mixed with the hairs of 

 the caterpillar ; spun up among the lichen. The moth is shown 

 on Plate 92, Figs. 5, 6, and the caterpillar and chrysalis on 

 ITate 93. 



The moth is on the wing in June and July ; in forward seasons 

 as early as the end of May. On a sunny afternoon it may be 

 seen careering around trees, generally pretty high up. When 

 resting the moths sit about on the trees or on the herbage 

 under them. In some years it occurs in large numbers, but it 

 is not usually very abundant, and sometimes even in its best 

 localities only a few specimens will be seen during the season. 

 It frecjuents woods, especially the larger ones, throughout the 

 southern half of England up to Norfolk on the east, and 

 Hereford on the west. In the northern counties it is rare, 

 and is not common in Scotland or Ireland. 



Abroad, its range is through Central and Northern Europe, 

 except the extreme north, to Dalmatia, Altai, and Amurland. 



The Muslin {Nudaria vmnda?ia). 



This delicate little moth has the semi-transparent fore wings 

 pale greyish, faintly tinged with brown ; crossed by irregular 

 brcwnish lines ; the hind wings are paler, shaded with a darker 



