THE POWDERED WAINSCOT. 199 



greyish mark, just beyond the reniform stigma, to a crown or 

 coronet (Plate 103, Fig. 5). The greenish or brownish-oUve 

 fore wings are subject to modification in the depth of tint ; some- 

 times they are blackish in tone — var. 7iigra, Tutt, or dark olive- 

 green — var. olivacea, Tutt. In both of these named forms 

 the whitish markings are obscured, and in this respect they 

 seem to be about identical with var. su?idevalli^ Lampa. 



The caterpillar is bluish green above, and yellowish green 

 Ijelow ; a slejider whitish line along the middle of the back, 

 and a yellowish line on each side ; the spiracles are reddish, 

 and the raised spots, from each of which a single black hair 

 arises, are black. It feeds in August and September on ash, 

 and less frequently, perhaps, on privet. It is stated to eat hazel 

 and alder, also. 



The moth flies in June and July, and its occurrence in any 

 locality depends largely upon the presence of ash. Widely 

 distributed throughout England, Wales, and Scotland to Ross- 

 shire. In Ireland it has only been noted from a few localities 

 in Co. Gal way. 



Powdered Wainscot {Simyra {Arsilonche) albovenosd). 



In its typical form (Plate 103, Fig. 10), the fore wings are 

 whitish ochreous with the veins showing up white more or less 

 clearly. A form with reddish ochreous fore wings has been 

 named var. ochracea, Tutt ; and another with silvery-white 

 wings var. argentea by the same author. These seem to be 

 identical with forms of this species named flaviihi and albichi 

 by Aurivillius some eight years earlier. 



The hairy caterpillar is blackish or dark grey brown freckled 

 with black ; two stripes along the back and one on each side 

 are yellow, sometimes marked with orange ; the warts are 

 orange with pale, and a few black, hairs ; head black, marked 

 with yellowish. 



