SESIID^. 89 



black ; of abdomen black with two yellow belts ; anal tuft of 

 the male beneath black and yellow, of the female light yellow. 



There is occasional variation in the markings of the abdomen 

 on the upper side, the belts in the female being at times 

 broader, and the two yellow basal spots larger or united into 

 a crescent, while in other specimens in both sexes faint 

 yellow lines appear between, and parallel with the belts. Mr. 

 R. Adkin has, this year, reared a specimen having the right 

 fore wing normal, but in the left the transverse spot yellow, 

 and yellow scales replacing the purple at the apes and inside 

 the costal stripe. 



July and the beginning of August. 



Larva nearly an inch long. Head small and flattened ; 

 body cylindrical, but tapering a little at the tail, plump, with 

 segments rather deeply divided. Head dark purplish brown, 

 mouth blackish, above it a flesh-coloured spot ; plate on the 

 second segment shining brown ; body of a rather opaque 

 yellowish flesh-colour, with the dorsal vessel faintly indicated 

 in the last segments; plate on the anal segment pale yel- 

 lowish brown ; body set with the usual tubercular spots, each 

 with a short brown bristle ; spiracles minute, flesh-coloured, 

 edged with dark brown. (Buckler.) 



Full fed in May or June, in the trunks of oak trees, feed- 

 ing on the inner bark. Dr. T. A. Chapman says that the 

 insect also takes advantage of felled oak trees, the larva feed- 

 ing within the open edge of the stump where it was cut 

 across. He believes that the larval stage continues through 

 nearly two years. 



Pupa half an inch long, slender, tapering behind, with 

 deeply divided segments, tips of the antenna and wing- 

 cases long, and projecting a little from the body and sides ; 

 abdominal segments with two rows each, or in the last three 

 segments one row each, of small, sharp hooks pointing back- 

 ward ; anal segment with a circlet of hooks. Colour shining 

 brown, hooks blackish. (Buckler.) In a small, rough chamber 



