THE CARPET MOTHS. 461 



The larva feeds upon the meadow-rue {Thalicti-tim Jlavurri), 

 a plant which grows only in places which are constantly wet, 

 such as the ditches of water-meadows and fen districts. For 

 this reason the Moth has received it? popular name of Marsh 

 Carpet. The fen district of Cambridge is the only locality 

 in which this Moth has been known to occur in England. 



The caterpillar feeds mostly on the seeds of the meadow- 

 rue, but will at a pinch eat the leaves or panicles of other 

 plants belonging to the same genus. It is a singularly pretty 

 caterpillar and very curiously shaped. Each of the segments, 

 from the fifth to the tenth inclusive, is developed above into a 

 sort of hump, and at the side into a lobe or flap, which contains 

 the spiracle. The top of each hump is deep velvety olive-green, 

 and the spaces between them are in some specimens bright leaf- 

 green, and in others rose-coloured, a velvet-black edge throw- 

 ing out these coloui's in a most beautiful manner. 



This lovely caterpillar finishes its feeding towards the middle 

 of autumn, and generally spins a web among the flowers of the 

 food-plant, in which it undergoes its changes. Sometimes, 

 however, it descends to the ground, and there takes the pupal 

 form. The perfect insect appears in summer, but can only be 

 found by those who know where to look for it, as it has hitherto 

 been only found in one county of England. 



There are many of the Moths which are popularly termed 

 ' Carpets.' This name is given to them because the beautiful 

 patterns of their wings are thought to have some resemblance 

 to those of carpets. I only wish that the patterns of carpets 

 resembled those of the "wings. 



The family of the Eubolidse is represented in this work by the 

 Moth which is appropriately termed the Steeak {Chesias spar- 

 tiata), and is drawn on Woodcut LI. Fig. 4. 



The insect is easily recognised by the peculiarity from which 

 it derives its name, viz. the white streak which runs nearly 

 from base to tip of the light brown wings. There is a slight 

 white line that runs just inside the hind margin, and three 

 rather indistinct darker oval marks, one above the streak and 

 the other two below it. A sort of silky or satiny sheen glosses 

 the surface of the upper wings. The lower wings are much 

 paler than the upper, and the whole body is dark greyisl! 



