THE MALLOW. 1 43 



^* ^ ' Lead Belle ( OrthoUtha plwnharid). 



■vK-^ 



Two ordinary examples of this species are shown on Plate 54, 

 Figs. 4, 5. The ground colour is greyish, ranging in one 

 direction to whitish, and in the other to brownish ; on the fore 

 wings there are three cross lines, usually reddish-brown in 

 colour, but sometimes dark brown inclining to blackish ; the 

 first of these lines is always slender and sometimes very in- 

 distinct ; the second is often shaded on its outer edge, and the 

 third on its inner edge, with brownish ; occasionally the space 

 between the second and third is more or less dusky, especially 

 on the lower half ; sometimes these two lines approach each 

 other very closely on the inner margin ; the short oblique 

 streak from the tip of the wing to the wavy submarginal line, 

 and also the blackish central dot, are far more distinct in some 

 specimens than in others. 



The long stick-like caterpillar is pale ochreous brown, often 

 striped with darker brown or blackish. It feeds on furze (JJlex) 

 and broom {Cytisus), from August to April. The moth is out in 

 May and June, earlier or later according to the season, and is 

 to be found almost everywhere that its food plants flourish. 



The Mallow {Ortko/itha cervinatd). 



The fore wings of this species are normally ochreous brown, 

 inclining to reddish, but sometimes the general colour is of a 

 light chocolate tint, and in such specimens the slender white 

 lines edging the dark markings, and the white wavy sub- 

 marginal line, are more distinct ; the central band-like marking 

 occasionally tapers towards the inner margin. (Plate 54, 

 Figs. 6, 7.) 



The long caterpillar (figured from a coloured drawing by 

 Mr. A. Sich, Plate 52, Fig. i) is of a greenish colour, inclining 



