BOMB YCID^. ^ 29 



lobes dull purple dusted with grey ; face ochreous with brown 

 marking. Incisions of the segments velvety-black and 

 without hairs; remainder of the dorsal region dark brown, 

 covered with soft fulvous hairs of moderate and unequal 

 length ; there is a lateral interrupted white stripe, below 

 which the sides are dark purplish-brown marbled with orange 

 and with tawny hairs ; spiracles white ; an oval white spot, 

 red or brown-centred, immediately above the lateral stripe on 

 the third and fourth segments ; front edge of the second 

 segment dull orange ; and when half grown having a short 

 whitish diagonal dash meeting the lateral stripe ; under 

 surface black, with the sides ochreous and tawny, and in the 

 anterior segments with a series of shining black spots ; anal 

 segment tinged with ferruginous ; legs shining brown, spotted 

 with black ; prolegs tawny, with black dashes. (C. Fenn). 

 When young variable, light or dark brown, with the dorsal 

 markings more distinct, and the segmental divisions some- 

 times deep blue with black and white spots. 



Northern larvae are further variable, especially when young ; 

 bright golden brown, lighter or darker, with the white 

 subdorsal line interruj)ted 'and broken into spots, lateral 

 region reddish-brown with the hairs dark brown, and the 

 red broken markings obscured, or sometimes absent. The 

 younger larvse often possess yellowish bars, or large spots, on 

 the dorsal region, and in many individuals the segmental 

 divisions are blue, sometimes even light blue or lilac, with 

 these colours rather suffused on the sides. 



August till June, or, in the north, till August, on heather, 

 hawthorn, blackthorn, mountain-ash, dogwood, bramble, and 

 indeed on shrubs generally and many low plants, not 

 refusing ivy ; feeding usually at night and hiding itself on 

 the branches in the daytime. The larva hybernates, when 

 about an inch long, in November, recommences to feed in 

 April, and in the south usually feeds up rapidly. In Derby- 

 shire and Staffordshire a portion of a brood will do this, 

 the remainder feeding more slowly, and remaining in pupa 



