348 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



inclining to dark reddish on the back ; the small head is black 

 and glossy, and the mark on the first ring of the body is black. 

 It feeds in the solid wood of various trees, especially elm, ash, 

 and willow, but is three or four years in completing growth. 

 When mature, it often leaves its burrow and wanders in search 

 of a suitable place for pupation. When met with at such times 

 it should be, if taken, placed in a roomy tin box with a good 

 supply of sawdust or decayed wood, when it will make its 

 cocoon, and appear as a moth in due course. The early stages 

 are shown on Plate 151- 



Caterpillars are more likely to come under the notice of the 

 country rambler than are the moths ; examples of the latter, 

 however, may be seen occasionally, in June or July, resting on 

 a tree-trunk, a fence, or a gate post ; sometimes, although practi- 

 cally tongueless, the moth visits the sugar patch and either 

 settles on the tree or flutters around. 



The species seems to occur in all parts of the British Isles, 

 except perhaps the extreme north of Scotland and the Hebrides. 



Abroad, the range extends to Amurland and to North-west 

 Africa. 



rXO^ The Leopard Moth {Zeuzera pyrind). 



X Jll As will be seen from the portraits of this blue-black spotted 

 ' white species on Plate 153, the male (Fig. 6) is smaller than the 

 female (Fig. 7) ; it will be further noted that the antennas of the 

 male are bi-pectinated on the basal half, and thread-like on 

 the outer half; the antennae of the female are thread-like 

 throughout. 



The caterpillar (Plate 152, Fig. i, from a coloured drawing 

 by Mr. A. Sich) is dull whitish, more or less tinged with yellow; 

 the spots are black, and the head and plates on the first and 

 last rings of the body are blackish brown. It feeds in branches 



