HEPIALIDyE. 163 



marblings rich chestnut, without white stripes or spots. In 

 the north of Ireland specimens have been taken by Mr. 

 C. W. Watts having longitudinal patches of silvery-white on 

 the hind wings. 



On the wing in June and July, and I once found 

 a specimen in a wood near Sheffield in the middle of 

 September. 



Larva \\ to li inches long, rather thick, cylindrical, but 

 the segmental divisions and the wrinkles deeply cut; the jaws 

 large and prominent. Head, in the male reddish-brown, in 

 the female purplish-red ; body creamy-white or pale-green 

 with the dorsal plate pale brow'nish- orange ; similar plates, 

 divided into three parts, and shielding the sides, on the third 

 and fourth segments ; and on the tail an undivided plate of the 

 same colour. Dorsal vessel visible as a blackish, pulsating, 

 tortuous line ; tubercular spots on the back raised and of an 

 orange colour, on the sides small and dusky, each with a very 

 sensitive brown hair; spiracles large and black. When young 

 of a drab colour with reddish-brown head, plates and spots ; 

 when half grown the body is yellowish, greenish, or greyish- 

 white, with three blackish, translucent, transverse lines on 

 each segment, and the dorsal vessel visible. 



In the stems and rhizomes olFUris aquilina (common brake- 

 fern) beneath the surface of the ground ; at first gnawing the 

 skin, later penetrating the substance of the rhizome, which is 

 excavated and channelled out for a space of about ten inches 

 in length, in some instances nothing but the outer rind being 

 left. Two years in the larva state, the eggs hatching in July 

 or August, larvEe hybernating in the earth when small, feeding 

 through the following season, hybernating a second time at 

 some depth in the earth, but in April or May coming to the 

 surface, and then spinning a slight cocoon among light 

 vegetable refuse. (Buckler.) 



Pupa rather slender throughout, with the head slightly 

 beaked, abdominal segments deeply divided, and having upon 



