LITHOSID.-E. 233 



thorax and sides of the abdomen yellow ; legs long, blue- 

 black ; undersurface of abdomen smoky-black, with a bluish 

 gloss. Underside of the fore wings of the female dull yellow, 

 with the two black spots faintly visible ; hind wings whitish 

 yellow, deeper in colour at the margins ; thorax and abdomen 

 deep rich yellow ; legs long, blue-black. 



Rather variable in size in both sexes, the largest males being 

 larger than the smaller females, otherwise variation is rare ; 

 but in Dr. Mason's collection are two females without the 

 black spots, and a male with the grey of the fore wings a 

 very deep slate colour ; in that of the late Mr. F. Bond is a 

 female having the costal spot large and extended along the 

 margin into a streak ; while Mr. S. Stevens has one in which 

 this takes place on one side only on the upper surface, on 

 both sides below, and Mr. S. J. Capper possesses a male 

 having the margins and apex purplish black. 



On the wing in July. 



Larva \\ inch long; moderately stout, tapering a little in 

 front and behind ; usual spots slightly exserted and bearing 

 radiating tufts of hairs curled a little at their tips ; anal 

 prolegs protruded. Head rounded, shining black ; dorsal 

 portion of the body bright primrose-yellow ; dorsal line pale 

 grey, double and chain-like, edged with black wedges on the 

 second segment, and interrupted on the third and fourth by 

 a large black cross, and on the eighth by a black bar ; sub- 

 dorsal line broad, velvety black, interrupted by a round 

 orange-coloured spot on each segment, except the last two, 

 on which the spots are black. Below the subdorsal region the 

 yellow colour is bounded by a stripe of reddish-grey, shading 

 downwards into yellowish-grey, and below the spiracles to 

 darker brownish-grey. Hairs grey or blackish ; legs and 

 prolegs dark brown. (Buckler.) 



September to June, hybernating when small. Feeding 

 upon Lichen caninus, but only on the dark surface thereof, 

 avoiding the paler inner substance ; also on other lichens, 



