ARCTIIDJE. 269 



When young, dusky pale brown with short hairs, the long 

 hairs not being assumed until the larva is half grown. 



August to May, or even June, on almost every kind of 

 herbaceous plant, even including the common dog's-mercury, 

 and on many shrubs : especially fond of nettles and garden 

 weeds. Usually hybernating when rather small, but occa- 

 sionally, if kept in a warm situation, in confinement, feeding 

 up rapidly in August, and there is a record that, by means of 

 heat, a third generation has been reared in October. 



Pupa stout, not spiked nor hooked ; dark purple-brown, 

 with a very slight bluish eflflorescence. In a dull yellowish 

 silken cocoon among rubbish on the ground or under any 

 sheltering corner. 



One of our most familiar species, known to everybody as 

 the '• Common Tiger moth," and its larva as the " Woolly- 

 bear." Not by any means an active species in the perfect state. 

 Although so brilliantly coloured, it can rarely be induced, 

 like so many of its allies, to fly in the daytime, but sits about on 

 banks, or the bottoms of hedges, or under low herbage, and 

 does not stir until dark, only becoming active after midnight. 

 At this time, it will sometimes come in abundance to a 

 strong light, making itself indeed a great nuisance, since 

 it bangs against the lamp-glass, knocking off everything else 

 with its strong wings and heavy body, and is so persistent 

 that even if caught and pinched hard it will, in a few minutes, 

 return as eagerly to the light as ever. Nothing but death 

 seems, then, to check its enthusiasm. Strange to say, out of 

 hundreds so seen, no variety of a noticeable character ever 

 occurs. All the strange forms appear to be reared. It seems, 

 indeed, that confinement of the larva has some occult influence 

 in certain districts, in producing variation in this species ; 

 though artificial means have been tried with the most scanty 

 results. Feeding the larvre on bright coloured flowers was a 

 complete failure. Walnut leaves are said to have produced 

 better results, but this is very doubtful. Keeping the pupge 



