BROOM-TIP. 151 



along the sides and the under surface ; the spiracles are reddish, 

 encircled with black, and the head is flecked with brown. It 

 feeds in the spring on broom (Cytisus scoparius). 



The moth is out in September and October, and secretes 

 itself during the day, but may be found at night flying about 

 the broom bushes for a short time, and later on it sits upon 

 the twigs. It occurs in almost every part of the British Isles 

 where the food plant of the caterpillar is well established. 



Broom- tip {Chesias rufafa). 



A noticeable character in this glossy, greyish moth (Plate 57, 

 Figs. I i , 2 $ ) is the black mark on the upper part of the second 

 cross line of the fore wings (which probably suggested the 

 English name " Chevron " given to the species by Donovan) ; 

 following the mark is a reddish or ochreous flush, extending to 

 the tips of the wings. 



The long, green caterpillar inclines to bluish above, and to 

 paler green beneath ; a darker line along the middle of the 

 back, then a slender whitish line edged with darker green, and 

 between this and the white spiracular line there is another 

 slender whitish line. It feeds, in August and September, on 

 broom ; when full grown it enters the earth, and there turns to 

 a reddish brown chrysalis, the wing cases of which are greenish. 

 I am indebted to Mr. A. J. ScoUick for the caterpillar and 

 chrysalis figured on Plate 56, Figs, i, la. 



The moth emerges the following year, from May to July, but 

 its time of appearance is uncertain, and it may come up in early 

 spring or not until early autumn. Sometimes it will remain in 

 the chrysalis for two winters. 



In England the species occurs in the counties of Kent, 

 Surrey, Sussex, Berks, Hants, Devon, Somerset, Hereford, 

 Worcester, Stafford, Leicester, Cheshire (rare in the last five), 

 Cumberland and Yorkshire (recorded once from each county), 



