10 LEPIDOPTERA. 



above ; legs reddish-brown. Very rarely variable, but a 

 specimen having an elongated white central spot, and no 

 trace of the white transverse line, exists in the cabinet of the 

 late Mr. F. Bond, and another is in that of Mr. S. Stevens. 

 There is, moreover, a record that three such were reared at 

 Worcester a good many years ago. Mr. Stevens has also a 

 specimen devoid of the central white spot. 



On the wing in February and March, but in confinement 

 may be reared from January to April, though the middle of 

 February is the favourite time of emergence, should the 

 weather be fine. 



Larva two inches long, rather slender and very soft and 

 limp; even in thickness. Head small, rounded, with the 

 lobes deejDly divided ; grey. Dorsal portion of the second 

 segment black, edged behind with white ; body blackish-grey, 

 or slate-colour, with a large, somewhat squared, yellowish- 

 white or yellow-brown blotch on each segment on each side 

 of the dorsal line ; these blotches are black-edged, and set 

 each in a white frame ; below is a row of black spots, and 

 the under surface is light brown. Hairs on the dorsal sur- 

 face very short, downy, and soft, bright brown ; on the sides 

 rather longer and in large tufts, orange-brown tipped with 

 grey ; legs black, prolegs red-brown or bright red, except 

 the anal pair, which are black. A very handsome larva and 

 not very variable, though the colour of the large dorsal spots 

 varies from yellowish-white to red. When young it is of a 

 paler slate colour, or greenish-grey, with the spots black. 



April to July or August, on hawthorn and blackthorn, 

 usually the former. The eggs are laid in February or March 

 in a close mass, deposited spirally round a twig of the food- 

 plant, and carefully and closely covered over with the mouse- 

 coloured scales from the anal tuft of the female, forming thus 

 a very pretty object. The young larvee very soon construct a 

 silken covering, or habitation, in which they live, leaving it 

 to feed and returning to it to rest, when they lie closely 



