230 LEPIDOPTERA. 



Larva one and a quarter inch long. Elongated, tapering 

 to each extremity; head rounded, blackish; body grey, freckled 

 with yellow, especially upon the back ; dorsal line slender, 

 whitish ; subdorsal line irregular, undulating, and broken, 

 black; spiracular line similar; the usual spots crimson, 

 forming rows down the body, and emitting tufts of grey 

 or grey-brown hairs ; legs and prolegs grey except the 

 anal prolegs, which are blackish. When young the spots 

 are of the colour of the body, and the lines broader black, 

 interrupted between the segments. 



July to October or November, on lichens upon the 

 trunks and branches of trees, more especially fir, oak, and 

 beech, and on the lichens which grow on old park palings, 

 fences, and gates. Hiding in the daytime in chinks of 

 the bark of trees, as well as among the lichens, but some- 

 times moving about in the afternoon. The minute powdery 

 lichens are relished as much as those of larger size. 



Pupa short and stout ; abdomen tapering but blunt behind ; 

 shining red-brown. In a flimsy, silken cocoon, very close- 

 fitting, under moss or fragments of rubbish, at the foot of a 

 tree or on the ground under leaves, in some cases several 

 spinning up close together. The larva remains in the 

 cocoon for nearly a month before assuming the pupa state, 

 which is continued through the winter. 



The moth flies in a lively manner about the branches of 

 trees in the midday and afternoon sunshine, and in certain 

 years, when from unknown causes its numbers have enor- 

 mously increased, the more favoured trees in woods are 

 surrounded by flying, dancing multitudes almost as thick as 

 swarms of bees. This was the case in 185G, when the woods 

 in Kent and the New Forest ajopeared alive with them. The 

 same was noticed in 1872 and 1881, and last year (1893) 

 in the New Forest it was somewhat similar. In 1858, 

 as recorded by Mr. G. Balding, the woods near King's Lynn 

 appeared as though in a black snow-storm. In other 



