C YMA TOPHORID.E. 209 



ings greatly intensified, so that the whole fore-wings are 

 almost completely occupied by the broadly clouded blackish 

 transverse lines, except that the orbicular stigma becomes paler 

 and much more distinct. In the Midlands, and especially at 

 Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, all these characters become 

 mixed together, except that of the distinct orbicular stigma ; 

 indeed it, in many specimens, coalesces with the reniform, 

 forming a long greenish blotch in the discal cell. Such 

 specimens are in Dr. Freer's collection, and others combin- 

 ing the very dark cross-lines with pale greenish or slate 

 ground colour, or suffused with dark slate-grey, or even 

 faintly tinged with a sort of peach-bloom. Mr. S. J. Capper 

 has dark northern specimens with the orbicular stigma white ; 

 Mr. S. Stevens pale grey examples curiously tinged with 

 buff ; and in the cabinet of the late Mr. Bond is a specimen 

 of a pale greenish-grey almost devoid of markings. 

 On the wing in March and sometimes in April. 



Larva plump, slightly flattened, head rather small, with 

 the lobes rounded and distinct, light brown ; body dark 

 green, greenish-black, or yellowish-green, rather translucent ; 

 second segment with two conspicuous black dorsal spots, and 

 smaller ones at the sides ; along the subdorsal region is a row 

 of black spots, one on each segment, on each side ; and a row 

 of smaller black spots below them, marking the spiracles ; 

 the usual tubercular dots distinctly white ; undersurface and 

 legs pale greenish or yellowish. 



June and July on birch, sometimes on birch trees, but 

 more partial to the bushes which are so plentiful on sandy 

 commons and on hills. In the daytime remaining in a 

 habitation formed by spinning together leaves, often into a 

 rather conical shape, or into a nest ; coming out at night 

 to feed. 



Pupa moderately stout, but abdominal segments rapidly 

 tapering ; thorax and wing-covers abundantly pitted and 

 ridged with minute and delicate sculpture ; colour red-brown ; 



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