288 LEPIDOPTERA. 



S. Webb has one of which the fore wings are white, but the 

 hind clouded with black, and in the late Mr. Bond's collection, 

 one wholly black, another with the costa and apex smoky 

 black, and one white with scarcely a single black dot. 



On the wing in June, and, rarely, specimens of a second 

 generation in September, 



Larva moderately stout, tapering slightly in front ; head 

 small, shining black ; body brown, densely covered with long 

 even hairs of a deep purplish brown ; dorsal stripe broad, 

 orange-red or dull red ; legs black ; prolegs dark brown 

 tipped with reddish. When younger of a brighter light 

 brown with the dorsal stripe yellow or orange, a brown or 

 greyish sub-dorsal line, and a bluish sub-spiracular line ; 

 spiracles white. 



July and August, or when, in rare instances, the moths 

 emerge in autumn, larvae may be found in October ; but 

 they are not known to hybernate in this stage. On all sorts 

 of low-growing plants, but more especially on weeds in 

 gardens ; where weeds are not tolerated it does not disdain 

 cultivated plants, but is less destructive than the last 

 species. Like this also its motions are very rapid. 



Pupa stout, with the abdomen much rounded and its 

 segments drawn close ; tail very blunt with short bristles ; 

 shining dark purplish-brown or blackish-brown. In a soft 

 but closely fitting cocoon of silk and the long larval hairs, in 

 sheltered corners and at the foot of walls. In this condition 

 through the winter. 



A very quiet sluggish insect in the daytime, and a most 

 familiar object, sitting on any wall, fence, or hedge-bank. If 

 disturbed it draws in its legs and body and feigns death. It 

 flies strongly after dark and is much attracted by light, 

 settling on windows and gas-lamps. Hardly so plentiful as 

 the last species, yet common throughout the country to the 

 west and north of Scotland, though more scarce or even rare 



