14 LEPIDOPTERA. 



second line on the fore wings ; cilia as in the fore wings. In 

 the darker specimens the space between the two lines of the 

 fore wings often appears as a dark central band, the pale 

 edging of the two lines shading off so as to throw it con- 

 spicuously up. Female larger and stouter; antennae very 

 short, but distinctly though shortly pectinated, and curved 

 back ; abdomen very large and rather scantily clothed with 

 scales. Fore wings long, and with the two transverse lines 

 less parallel and very often drawing near together below the 

 middle, so as to constrict the central band, which is usually 

 rather dark ; colour almost as variable as in the male, though 

 rarely of the yellowish-buff; the usual tints are shades of 

 purplish-brown, red-brown, or chocolate, always rather dull, 

 and becoming in the darkest specimens almost unicolorous. 

 Underside similar in colour to the upper, but in the buff 

 specimens clouded with brown or reddish on the costa and 

 hind margin ; the second line of the upper side visible as a 

 brown or reddish central line, and continued distinctly across 

 the hind wings ; body and legs agreeing with the general 

 colour. 



As already indicated, always variable, the produce of any 

 single batch of eggs differing considerably from each other, 

 but, broadly speaking, the yellow-buff and paler brown forms 

 are more abundant in the south, the darker and more red- 

 brown varieties northward, and sometimes extremely red 

 forms in the Eastern Counties. Beyond these, aberrations are 

 rare, but in the collection of the late Mr. F. Bond are males 

 having the first and second lines drawn so near each other as 

 nearly or quite to coalesce, and a female in which they have 

 joined, and the central band has divided into distinct blotches. 

 Others, of a rich brown, have the two lines white and the 

 central band dusted with the same. 



On the wing in July and August. 



Larva two inches long, cylindrical, of even thickness, 

 exceedingly soft and limp. Head round, blue-grey, with 



