THE BROAD-BORDERED WHITE UNDERWING. 45 



the fore wings is suffused with black, and to a lesser extent the 

 outer area also (var. cethiops, Hoffm. = s^iffusa^ Tutt) ; on 

 the other hand, typical examples have both basal and outer 

 areas silvery grey, and the central area black. A form, which 

 I have not seen, is described as having the black central area 

 broken by an ashy cross band passing between the stigmata 

 (var. variegata, Tutt). 



The caterpillar is reddish brown, with three white lines along 

 the back, and a reddish-freckled ochreous stripe low down on 

 the sides. Sometimes the general colour is blackish. It feeds 

 on bearberry {Arctostaphylos) in June and July ; also said to 

 eat Vacci7tium uliginosum ; in confinement it will thrive on 

 Arbutus tinedo, commonly known as the " strawberry tree." 



The moth is out in May, when it flies in the sunshine, and in 

 dull weather sits about on the rocks, stones, lichen, etc. Mr. 

 Cockayne notes that at Rannoch he met with it from May 17 

 in numbers, but always in isolated spots where bearberry was 

 plentiful. Here the moths were either feeding on the flowers 

 or settled on the ground. He further remarks that this species 

 occurs at the comparatively low elevation of 800 to 900 feet, 

 whereas the next species ascends to 2000 feet. 



The distribution abroad extends to Amurland and Labrador. 



The Broad-bordered White Underwing {Anarta 



melanopa). 

 This species has the ground colour of the fore wings greyish 

 in the type and brownish in var. ivistrovii^ Lampa. Specimens 

 with the fore wings more or less typical, but with the normally 

 white area of hind wings dark greyish, are referable to ab, 

 rupestralis. I remember seeing a specimen of the last-named 

 form in the collection of the late Mr. S. Stevens, but I believe 

 that it is very rare in the British Isles. In all forms there is 

 variation in the stigmata, and in the orbicular especially, (Plate 

 17, Figs. 55 and6 ?.) 



