286 LEPIDOPTERA. 



side a row o£ rather larger black dots, below which is some- 

 times a series of slender greyish longitudinal lines. Head 

 shining black, face with two white spots, dorsal plate of the 

 body-colour, or else spotted with black. 



April to July on low plants, or on the succulent portions 

 of cultivated plants such as mangold-wurzel, into the solid 

 substance of which it loves to gnaw. Hiding in the ground 

 in the daytime, and at night only protruding itself far enough 

 from the ground to obtain food, as to which it probably is 

 not dainty, eating the leaves of various low-growing plants. 

 So far as can be ascertained, there appears to be but one 

 generation in the year. I can find no record of the larva in 

 autumn or winter, though it may probably be feeding in 

 forward seasons as early as March or even February. 



Pupa of ordinary form, red-brown, subterranean. 



The question of the single or double-broodedness of this 

 species was argued with some earnestness thirty years ago, 

 and I do not find that much has been added to our know- 

 ledge on the subject since that period. The remarks of the 

 late Rev. J. Hellius, written in 1862, are interesting: " From 

 a pair of moths taken last March, and shut up in a box, I 

 obtained a batch of eggs ; as soon as these appeared I sowed 

 some radish-seed in a large flower-pot, thinking the larvae 

 would like roots, however, when they hatched, the larvaj 

 confined their attention solely to the radish haves, and fed 

 on them for some time till I thought of giving them lettuce ; 

 this they seemed to like much better and fed upon it very 

 well ; most ungratefully escaping at the bottom of the pot as 

 soon as they were full-fed, only one remaining to undergo 

 his changes in the place where he had been born and 

 brought up. Though these larvae did not eat the roots 

 provided for them, I should say they were strictly subterra- 

 nean in their habits." " Suffusa I know hybernates in the 

 perfect state, but it does not pair till the spring." I think 

 that Mr. Hellins was right. It is hardly likely that, if 



