240 LEPIDOPTERA. 



some cases, after a change of skin, if the opportunity is given 

 it ; but in confinement it must be supplied with water, or it 

 will not thrive. 



Pupa of the usual plain noctua form, cylindrical to the 

 end of the wing-cases, thence tapering regularly to the tail ; 

 nervures perceptible in the wing-cases ; general colour rich 

 dark-brown, dorsal region a little blacker; anal point with a 

 distinct round knob, on which is placed a curved series of 

 decidedly hooked bristles. In a cocoon in a deep hole 

 excavated by the larva in rotten wood, decayed twigs, soft 

 bark or bramble pith ; or among chips or morsels of wood or 

 bark. Dr. Chapman says : " It (the larva) is not particular 

 in which direction it burrows, but seems to prefer to enter 

 horizontally and then turn upwards, so that the pupa rests 

 head downwards. The depth of the burrow varies from 

 \\ to 2| inches. It is made very rapidly, often in three or 

 four hours, though usually from eight to ten, no doubt 

 varying with 'ih^. nature of the material. It throws out all 

 the excavated material, then when the tube is completed, 

 stretches out its head and picks up some of the chips or any 

 other material within reach, and with this and some silk 

 makes a tolerably firm diaphragm across the opening. Then 

 retiring to the bottom of the opening, it there makes the 

 cocoon proper. The top of this is made firmly with silk and 

 chips and lined closely and smoothly with silk ; the walls 

 have but little silk, but at the base some strong silk is loosely 

 disposed round the sides, and in this the pupa takes a firm 

 entanglement with the anal spines and groove. The space 

 between the outer defence and the cocoon proper varies from 

 half an inlch to an inch, according to the depth of the 

 burrow." In this condition through the winter. 



So far as I am able to discover, this moth is never seen in 

 the daytime, and its method of concealment is quite unknown. 

 It is indeed one of our rarest species in the imago state, the 

 only captures, and those singly and at long intervals, seem to 



