242 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



more or less clouded with reddish or purplish brown, not extend- 

 ing, as a rule, below the black bar between the lines, but some- 

 times the inner area is clouded with purplish from the second 

 cross line to the base of the wing. The caterpillar is pale olive 

 greenish above, with brownish and blackish diamonds or 

 V-shaped markings ; three lines on the back are dark-edged 

 but indistinct ; a cloudy line along the white spiracles. The 

 colour varies from greenish to brownish grey or purplish brown, 

 and all shades may occur in the same brood. It feeds in July 

 and August on broom, dyer's green weed {Genista tmctoria\ 

 persicaria, and other low plants. The moth is out in May and 

 June, and may be seen in the daytime on palings and other 

 kinds of fencing, and also on tree trunks. It occurs in England 

 from Worcestershire and Northampton southwards, but seems 

 to be rarely met with northwards. Four or five specimens 

 were taken at electric light near Tarporley, Cheshire, about 

 1900 (Day's List). It has been recorded from Ayr, Argyll, and 

 Paisley in Scotland, but its occurrence in Ireland is doubtful. 

 The distribution abroad ranges to Eastern Siberia. 



The Dog's Tooth {Mamcstra dissimiUs). 



The example of this species shown on Plate 121, Fig. 2, is of 

 the reddish-tinged pale brown form from Essex ; but in that 

 county, and also in other parts of England, the fore wings are 

 sometimes clouded with sooty-brown. In other forms the fore 

 wings are purplish or reddish brown', and the markings may be 

 very distinct, or much obscured. The caterpillar is greenish 

 or brown, minutely dotted with white, and freckled with dark 

 greyish ; the usual dots are black ; there are indications 

 of darker lines on the back, but these are not always 

 clearly defined ; the white spiracles are set in the black 

 interrupted edge of a yellowish stripe. It feeds in July and 

 August, on dock, plantain, etc. The moth flies in June and 



