CHALK CARPET. I45 



pale brown ; a pinkish irregular ridge runs low down along the 

 sides. It feeds on clover, vetch, grass, etc., from September to 

 June. (Plate 52, Fig. 2, after Hofmann.) 



The moth is out in July and August, and is often common in 

 fields and grassy places, generally throughout the greater part 

 of the British Isles. In ancient times it was dubbed the 

 " Aurehan's Plague." The range abroad extends to Amurland. 



Ortholitha inoeniata. — Except that one specimen was said 

 to have been taken near Baron Wood, Carlisle, some years 

 prior to 1855 ; and another, in i8r6, near York ; there is no 

 evidence that this species is an inhabitant of the British Isles. 



'^■^ yyj^ ^ Chalk Carpet (Ortholitha hipimctaria). 



^^V^ In this species (Plate 54, Figs. 11 and 12) the ground colour 

 of the fore wings is white (inclining to bluish-white in some 

 specimens), more or less stippled and scored with greyish 

 brown ; the cross band is darker grey brown, and there are 

 two black dots placed :-wise (sometimes united) in the paler 

 central space of the band. Hind wings, smoky grey, with a 

 darker shade across the middle, and a pale one parallel with 

 the outer margin. In some rare instances, the ground colour 

 of the fore wings is entirely white, and the band exceedingly 

 dark ; but specimens with the general colour, slaty- black and 

 the band and basal patch grey, are extremely rare ; Barrett 

 mentions one such example, from Box Hill, Surrey, in Mr. 

 R. Adkin's collection. 



The caterpillar is whity brown, more or less tinged with pink, 

 dotted with black, and lined with grey along the back, the sides, 

 and the under surface. It feeds, at night, on clover and trefoils, 

 from September to June. (Plate 52, Fig, 3, after Hofmann.) 

 The moth is out in July and August, and in suitable localities, 

 such as chalk downs, lime-stone hills, etc., is generally plentiful 



Series II. L 



