2 1 4 LEPIDOP TERA . 



black dorsal, intermediate, and broader subdorsal stripes, but 

 this pattern interrupted on the fourth, eighth, and twelfth 

 segments by brownish-black patches covering the back ; on 

 the ninth by the absence of the black stripes, leaving a con- 

 spicuous white space ; while the fourth and twelfth segments 

 are further obscured by greater density of raised masses of 

 hairs. Sides, legs, and undersurf ace brownish-grey ; the folds 

 between the third and fourth segments white ; a white spot 

 on the third above the legs, and a white line similarly placed 

 on the fourth ; dorsal tubercles behind the third segment 

 orange-red, and along the sides two similar rows of 

 tubercles ; hairs brownish-grey. Very active in its habits. 

 (Hellins.) 



July, August, and September, on lichens upon oak 

 trunks. 



Pupa short, rounded, rather thick, extremely smooth and 

 glossy ; dark brown, in a very slight cocoon in moss. The 

 larva spins up in the autumn and passes the winter in the 

 pupa state. 



Not a common species, but widely distributed in woods 

 in the South of England. Fond of sitting during the day in 

 thick overhanging branches of oak or beech, from which it is 

 readily beaten out, but falls to the ground without much 

 fluttering. Flies about the trees at late dusk and through 

 the night, and will come occasionally to sugar or to light. 

 It was formerly found as near to London as Hampstead. 

 Not scarce in oak woods in Kent, Surrey, Hants, Dorset, 

 Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, and in beech woods in Berkshire 

 and Buckinghamshire ; said to be rare in Cambridgeshire and 

 in Sussex. There is a record that it was taken fifty years 

 ago near York, but this seems probably erroneous. In 

 Ireland it was found commonly at Killarney by the late 

 Mr. E. Birchall, and also reared from larvas found there. 

 Abroad it is found in Central Europe, Denmark, Hungary, 

 Dalmatia, Northern and Eastern Turkey, Southern Russia, 



