CYMATOPHORID.F.. 195 



the outer portion of the hind wings nearly as dark ; such 

 specimens have been taken at Cannock Chase, Staffordshire. 

 From the Perthshire hills similar dark examples are relieved 

 by one or two slender delicate white lines. Those from the 

 Shetland Isles are larger than ordinary, less black, but mottled 

 with dark colour. Irish specimens are also large, and are of 

 unusually pale forms ; — some of those exhibited to the South 

 London Entomological Society, by Mr. de Vismes Kane, were 

 of a beautiful white colour, the transverse purplish-brown 

 bands very variable in width and in depth of colour, in some 

 cases being hardly more than a shading of silvery-grey. 

 On the wing in June and July. 



Larva flattened, smooth, attenuated at each extremity, 

 particularly behind ; head large, rounded, and slightly bifid ; 

 a horny plate on the second segment. Whitish or yellowish 

 on the sides and undersurface, with a broad, dark grass-green 

 dorsal stripe occupying the whole space between the sub- 

 dorsal lines ; dorsal line grey ; spiracular line very indistinct, 

 yellowish ; dorsal spots slightly pale, lateral spots and spiracles 

 black ; head reddish-brown ; mouth and a spot on each side 

 of it black ; second segment with the plate black, and a black 

 lateral spot on each side in a line with the spiracles. When 

 young the green dorsal stripe is much paler. (C. Fenn.) 



August, September, and October, on birch, and sometimes 

 on hazel, alder, and oak. During the day it conceals itself 

 in a habitation formed of green leaves united by silken 

 threads, upon the tree. At night it comes forth to feed, and 

 may then readily be shaken or beaten off, though very hard 

 to dislodge in the daytime. 



Pupa rather stout, deep dull red or reddish-black, with the 

 incisions of the abdominal segments paler. Spun up in a 

 loose silken cocoon' between two or three leaves on the tree. 

 (C. Fenn). In this state, among the fallen leaves, through 

 the winter. 



