NO TODON TID.-E. 103 



which stands upright in the beech wood will do, so that it is 

 not too large. The females are not found quite so constantly 

 on young trees, perhaps because they are less active than the 

 males, but when once they have flown these also seem to 

 prefer the smaller trees. This selection of trees may be a 

 protection to the moth. The trunks of the large beech trees 

 are very smooth and clean, and a large moth like this is 

 conspicuous on them, but the little trees are ragged and 

 covered with knobs, large in proportion to the size of the 

 tree, where branches have been taken off to make it grow 

 shapely ; and the moth as it sits closely pressed to the tree, 

 carefully balanced to the perpendicular, with its wings folded 

 to a triangular shape, the hind wings projecting beyond the 

 fore wings, after the fashion of GastropacJia quercifolia^ looks 

 wonderfully like one of these knobs. The blackish variety in 

 particular is so like a knob on the tree that a close examina- 

 tion is needed to detect it." I feel particular pleasure in 

 quoting Mr. Holland's remarks since his opportunities of 

 observing the insect in the Reading district have been 

 unequalled, and it is to his unbounded liberality that I am 

 indebted for the magnificent series, including varieties and 

 specimens set so as to show the position in repose, from which 

 the above descriptions have been made. The manner in 

 which the projecting portions of the hind wings, with their 

 grey-brown and white shades, finish off the resemblance of 

 the moth to a knot, is wonderful to see. The larva, too, has 

 its curiosities of mimicry. When extremely young and at 

 rest it looks exactly like one of the brown scales of the beech 

 twig; when moving it resembles a large red ant; when 

 larger it agrees most accurately in colour and outline with 

 a twig of beech having unopened buds, such as it loves to sit 

 upon ; or is hardly to be distinguished from a dry brown 

 curled leaf. When disturbed it takes a quivering trembling 

 attitude, and if knocked off the spray " looks as though about 

 to expire in a fit of palsy." When feeding it has a singular 

 likeness to a great earwig or brown rove-beetle, and this last 



