132 LEPIDOPTERA. 



^reen, with two opaque yellow dorsal lines ; subdorsal lines 

 yellow, or when full grown broken up into rows of irregular 

 yellow spots ; spiracular lines distinct, yellow, edged above 

 with dark green, but on segments two to four tinged with 

 pink ; the yellow line is carried round the anal segment '■> 

 spiracles pinkish ringed with black, and each followed by a 

 white spot ; undersurface wrinkled, glaucous green ; legs and 

 prolegs similar. (Condensed from Buckler.) 



June and July on oak, usually on detached trees in fields 

 or parks or the more open woods. The larva lies along the 

 midrib on the underside of an oak leaf, and clings very tightly. 

 It is delicate and difficult to rear from the Q^^, requiring the 

 closest attention, and occasional sprinkling with water. 



Pupa stout and rounded at each end ; broad at the base of 

 the abdomen ; smooth, deep mahogany brown. In a some- 

 what ovate cocoon of yellow-brown silk, mixed with earth ; 

 in the ground, usually at the foot of an oak tree. In this 

 state from August through the winter. 



The moth emerges from the pupa in the middle of the 

 afternoon and may then be found, occasionally, on oak trunks 

 or palings. It is, however, restless, and probably ascends 

 quickly to the trees. It flies at dusk with great swiftness ; 

 indeed the Rev. Joseph Greene, who has dug up and reared 

 very many of the pupge. says that the male is " a furious and 

 distracted flier, and speedily spoils itself." It will come to a 

 strong light in its haunts, but does not seem to affect the 

 suburbs of towns. Never common, but occurring in open 

 oak districts in Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hants, Berks, Bucks, 

 Somerset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, sometimes almost 

 common in South Devon ; rare in Norfolk, Suffolk, Derby- 

 shire, and near Doncaster, Yorks ; very rare in Worcester- 

 shire, Cheshire, and Cumberland, and once taken, twenty-five 

 years ago, in North Staffordshire. Apparently rare in Wales, 

 but found near Swansea. Also rare in the South of Scotland 



