t74 LEPIDOPTERA. 



wholly dark grey with scarcely a trace of reddish. Some 

 specimens from the South of Ireland in Mr. F. J. Hanbury's 

 collection are very richly coloured and of unusual size. 



On the wing in May and as a partial second generation in 

 August. Only single-brooded in the North, 



Larva. — Stout, shining, slightly hairy ; head rounded, 

 dark brown. Dorsal region dull orange, with three ill-defined 

 grey lines, and a conspicuous black spot, each, on the fifth 

 and twelfth segments ; sides very dark grey, almost black ; 

 spiracular stripe broad, orange, divided by a dark grey line ; 

 subdorsal spots raised into orange tubercles ; under-surface 

 and prolegs purplish-brown ; legs blackish-brown. In its 

 northern range the dorsal region is darker or greyish ; sides 

 slate-colour, and an interrupted black stripe edges the spira- 

 cular stripe above. (0. Fenn.) 



June, and in a second generation in August, September, 

 and sometimes October. 



On sallow, specially on the low-growing species, such as 

 8alix fusca, on sprays springing from the ground ; occasion- 

 ally also on low growing shoots of aspen and poplar. In a 

 chamber formed of one or two leaves drawn together, in 

 which it remains during the day, coming out at night to feed. 



Pupa stout, rounded, anal segment also bluntly rounded, 

 and having a small spike ; bright mahogany-red. In a cocoon 

 among fallen leaves or rubbish on the ground, or occasionally 

 between leaves on the bush. In this condition through the 

 winter. 



The moth flies usually at night, or even towards morning. 

 When collecting by means of light in a fen all that I have 

 seen of this species have arrived just before dawn. In rare 

 instances it flies also in the daytime. I have caught a male 

 flying steadily over dwarf sallows in hot sunshine, but its 

 activity in the net at that time was astounding. Occasionally 

 it may be found in the daytime sitting on a sallow twig near 



