THE LESSER BELLE. 89 



of the species,, refers to two specimens, of which one was in his 

 collection, from Devonshire. Wood's figure (768) of emortualis^ 

 in the West wood edition of the Index Entomologicus, does not 

 represent this species, but is far more like Herminia derivalis^ 

 Hiibner. 

 Abroad, the range extends to Amurland. 



The Lesser Belle {Madopa salicalis). 



A portrait of this uncommon British moth will be found on 

 Plate 35, Fig. 4. The greyish fore wings are crossed by three 

 paler edged reddish-brown lines, the outer one running to the 

 tip of the wing, and the inner one is sometimes faint or absent. 



The caterpillar is said to feed in July and August on sallow 

 and aspen, and is described by Hofmann as having only 

 fourteen feet ; green, inclining to greyish, in colour, with black 

 spiracles, and the ring divisions yellowish. (Plate 39, Fig. 3 ; 

 after Hofmann.) 



The moth is out in May and June, and in its few known 

 localities in England it is found in moist woods, hiding among 

 grass and varied undergrowth. 



Stephens (1834) wrote, "A very rare and local insect : I have 

 specimens taken many years since in the neighbourhood of 

 Bexley, in which vicinity I believe my friend Mr. Newman has 

 captured it within these few years ; it has also been found at 

 Charlton." Since that time other localities in Kent have been 

 mentioned, among which were Darenth Wood and West 

 Wickham ; the species was also noted from Birch wood, Surrey. 

 A specimen was found in a gas lamp at Dulwich in 1858 by 

 the late Mr. C. G. Barrett, and one was taken in Shooter's Hill 

 wood, Kent, in June, 1859. 



Between 1862 and 1868 specimens were obtained at Hasle- 

 mere, Surrey, and near Sevenoaks, Kent. According to Barrett 



