244 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



and August, on flowers and seeds of all-heal, or cat's valerian 

 ( Valeriana officinalis). 



The moth is out in May and June ; its haunts are in fens, 

 marshes, and damp spots affected by its food plant, but, as a 

 rule, is only found in the caterpillar state. A local, but widely 

 distributed species in England ; occurs also in Wales and 

 in Ireland. 



Lead-coloured Pug {Etipithecia plumbeolata). 



The small, obscurely marked species, represented on Plate 

 98, Fig. I, has the fore wings whitish grey, sometimes assuming 

 a yellowish tinge; a number of rather wavy, darker cross lines, 

 and a more or less clearly defined pale band beyond the middle ; 

 discal spot always tiny and rarely distinct. 



The stumpy caterpillar is yellowish green, with three purplish- 

 red lines along the back, the central one swollen on each ring, 

 and the others irregular ; sometimes the back is suffused with 

 purplish-red. It feeds on the flowers of cow-wheat {^Melam- 

 pyrtini) in July and August. 



The moth is out in May and June, and is readily induced to 

 fly out from among cow-wheat, or the other herbage around. 

 It may be found in most of the English counties, wherever 

 its food plant abounds ; in South Wales ; in Scotland to Argyll 

 and Aberdeen, and in Ireland from Cork to Donegal. 



The range abroad extends to Amurland. 



Marsh Pug {Eupithecia pygmceata). 



This species (Plate 98, Fig. 4) may be distinguished from 

 haworthiaia, which it approaches in size and general appear- 

 ance, by its more pointed fore wings and the white dot at the 

 inner angle of these wings. 



