364 LEPIDOPTERA. 



In its colour and peculiar white markings this species 

 presents a curious and deceptive resemblance to a spike of 

 blossom of Erica cincrca, and a still closer mimicry of a purple- 

 brown shoot. 



On the wing in June and July. 



Larva stout, cyliudrical, head smaller. General colour pale 

 reddish-brown or umbreous ; dorsal line of the ground colour, 

 enclosed betwen two black longitudinal lines, so curved on 

 each segment as to form a series of long loops, one on each, 

 from the second to the twelfth ; on the thirteenth are two 

 black spots at the same level ; subdorsal lines slender, greyish, 

 forming the upper edge of a broad stripe of the ground 

 colour or of white, which is edged below with another grey 

 longitudinal line, along which lies a series of black, or 

 blackish, oblong spots. tSpiracular line slender, blackish ; 

 below it is a pale or whitish stripe ; spiracles black. Legs 

 and undersurface pale brown ; head shining, pale reddish, 

 barred with grey. Other specimens are paler brown, almost 

 drab, the dorsal line white and edged with black blotches ; 

 and other strong black spots along the spiracular region. 

 Another variety has the ground colour reddish, the dorsal 

 stripe yellow, and bright red subdorsal streaks. All, but 

 the last more particularly, bear a close resemblance to twigs 

 and spikes of buds of the food plants. Larva? furnished by 

 Mr. C. S. Gregsou. 



August to May on Calluna otdyaris and Erica cinerea, 

 feeding only at night, but apparently hiding during the day 

 only among dead leaves and twigs on the ground. 



Pupa of ordinary form, extremely glossy and polished, rather 

 cylindrical except the abdominal segments, which are short 

 and rapidly tapering ; anal segment terminated by a 

 triangular projection and two parallel straight spines ; very 

 dark red-brown. In a slight cocoon on the surface of the 

 ground or immediately beneath it. 



The moth hides during the day among heather, probably 



