TRIFID^. 349 



Not very variable, though the ground colour is occasionally- 

 more grey -brown, with the subcostal stripe and upper stigmata 

 whiter, and the space beyond the second line whitish-grey. 

 In well-marked brown specimens this space is sometimes 

 whitish-brown, and in these the blackish wedges and all the 

 minute details of other markings are more sharply defined. 

 In other examples the markings, except the two upper 

 stigmata, are often obscured and indistinct. In the female 

 the hind wings in some specimens are nearly white, and in 

 rare instances quite so, strongly contrasting with the fore 

 wings. 



On the wing in July and August. 



Larva, when full grown, an inch and a half long, cylindrical 

 and rather shining; the head grey-brown, mottled with 

 blackish ; the back dingy brown ; dorsal line rather paler 

 grey-brown ; the subdorsal line black, edged below with a 

 thin line of grey-brown, which, like the dorsal line, runs 

 through the blackish plate on the second segment ; to this 

 succeeds a broad stripe of dingy blackish-gieen ; then another 

 thin line of grey-brown, followed by another broad stripe of 

 dingy blackish-green, the black spiracles being situated along 

 its lower edge; under surface and legs grey-brown; raised 

 spots dark brown and not very conspicuous ; the general 

 aspect of the larva very dark and dingy. (W. Buckler.) 



May and June, but doubtless from September, and feeding 

 at intervals through the winter; on clover, plantain, chick- 

 weed, knot-grass, poppy, even onion, and doubtless on any 

 low-growing plant ; burrowing in the ground in the day- 

 time and feeding at night. Kollar says that the different 

 species of bedstraw (Galium) are preferred, and he gives an 

 acccount very similar to that alread}'- quoted in the case of 

 A. tritici,oi damage done to vines in Germany by these larvse 

 when their ordinary food fails. From his statement, how- 

 ever, it appears that the increase of this species to such an 

 extent as to become a serious pest is a very rare circumstance, 



