268 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



dark brown bar connecting the first and second cross lines ; not 

 infrequently there is a black mark on the inner margin below 

 the bar, and a black mark or two in the cell above. These 

 marks are sometimes supplemented by others, and so form a 

 more or less complete black central band. The reniform and 

 orbicular stigmata are often only outlined in paler brown, but 

 they may be whitish and very distinct. Yax.gtieneei^ Doubleday, 

 is pale ochreous brown, with the first line pale, interrupted, and 

 terminating in a black dot on inner margin; and the second 

 line made up of white-edged black crescents ; the reniform 

 distinctly edged with white, and there is a slender black line 

 above the inner margin between the first line and the base of 

 the wing. Hind wings pure white, with black marginal 

 lunules. 



The caterpillar is pinkish ochreous ; usual dots not in evi- 

 dence ; skin much wrinkled and glossy ; spiracles pink margined 

 with black; head and plate on first ring pale brownish yellow. 

 Robson (Cat. Lep. of Durham, etc.) states that the caterpillar 

 feeds on grass roots, and adds, " I have known it abound in 

 the grass tufts at the foot of palings around a large mill." The 

 moth is out in August and September. At night it flies freely 

 to light, but is not known to visit any of the usual floral attrac- 

 tions or the collector's sugar. Generally distributed and often 

 common. 



Dumeril's Luperina {Luperina dumeriHi). 



Fore wings ochreous grey or brown, two brownish streaks 

 represent the basal line ; the space between the first and second 

 cross lines darker, and there is a darker band on the outer 

 margin ; the stigmata are pale inclining to yellowish, and the 

 veins below them are white. Hind wings whitish tinged with 

 darker on outer margin. Ab. desyllesi, Boisd., has almost 

 unicolorous fore wings, and this form, according to Staudinger, 



