THE SMALL PURPLE BARRED. 6l 



frequents marshes, damp rides and borders of woods, heaths, 

 and where there is plenty of tall grass. 



The species is widely distributed over England and Wales, 

 although it appears to be rather scarce in the midlands and 

 northwards. In Ireland it is generally abundant, but in 

 Scotland it has only been noted from the south, and is there 

 local and rare. 



The distribution abroad includes Amurland, Corea, and Japan. 



The Small Purple Barred {Prothymnia viridaria). 



The fore wings of this species (Plate 21, Figs. 10 5, n ?) 

 range in colour from olive grey to olive brown, and are frequently 

 adorned with two rosy-red (typical) or purplish bands {cenea, 

 Haw.). In some specimens the bands are of a dusky hue and 

 not very distinct, whilst in others the wings are of a uniform 

 dingy brown tint {dih.fusca, Tutt). 



The caterpillar (Plate 25, Fig. 2) is velvety-green above and 

 paler beneath, yellowish between the rings, with a dark green 

 slander line bordered by paler lines along the back, and three 

 pale lines along the sides ; below the yellowish spiracles there 

 is a broader pale line becoming whitish on rings 9-12 ; head, 

 green mottled with brown (adapted from Hellins). 



It is to be found in August and September on the common 

 milkwort {Polygala vulgaris). On May 31, 1906, I met with 

 the moth in some numbers on a marshy bit of heath in Surrey, 

 where there was a plentiful growth of lousewort {Pedicularis)^ 

 but, so far as I know, no Polygala. All the moths were much 

 below the average size, the bands were mainly purple, but in 

 no case rosy. The moth flies in May and June, and specimens 

 have been captured both earlier and later. Except that it 

 does not appear to occur in the extreme north of Scotland, the 

 species seems to be pretty generally distributed over the British 

 Isles, and is often very common in many parts. 



The eastern distribution extends to E. Siberia. 



