TWIN-SPOT CARPET. 187 



south-west Yorkshire a blackish form (ab. nubilata, Tutt) is* 

 not uncommon. (Plate jj, F'ig. 3.) 



The caterpillar is ochreous grey, with three brownish lines 

 along the back, and two other lines on each side, the upper one 

 yellowish, wavy, and edged above with dusky. It feeds on 

 bedstraw {Galium) in May and June. (Plate 73, Fig. 3.) 



The moth is out in March and April, and keeps pretty much 

 to the shelter afforded by its food plant or other herbage around 

 in its favourite haunts, which are damp woodlands, heaths, 

 and mosses. Occasionally, however, it may be seen on the 

 lower parts of fences, tree-trunks, rocks, etc. About dusk it 

 may be found sitting on grass and other vegetation, and at 

 such times is not much disposed to fly away from the 

 collector. 



Pretty generally distributed throughout the British Isles, 

 including the Orkneys. 



Twin-spot Carpet {MalenydHs didymata). 



The fore wings m the male are pale greyish, more or less 

 tinged with ochreous brown, and crossed by a dark grey, 

 inclining to blackish, central band ; the base of the wings is 

 often banded with dark grey, as also is the outer marginal area ; 

 on the latter, above the middle, are twin black spots, and there 

 is a black spot or streak above nearer the tip of the wing. 

 The female is smaller, paler, often whitish, and sometimes 

 pale ochreous; the latter form is prevalent in the Shetlands ; 

 the central band is the only distinct cross marking in this sex. 

 On the moorlands in the north of England a blackish form of 

 the male occurs (ab. nigra, Prout), and this is very similar 

 to ab. mtbilaia of the previous species ; ab. ochroleucata, 

 Aurivillius, is uniformly greyish brown, with a white sub- 

 marginal line, and I have a specimen near this from Durham. 



The caterpillar is green, inclining to yellowish on the back, 



