326 THE MOTHS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



The caterpillar (Plate 142, Fig. 3, from a photograph by Mr. H. 

 Main) is grey, with a dark-brown or blackish irregular double 

 line along the back, and pale lines along the sides, the lower 

 one edged above with reddish brown ; spiracles, black, as also 

 are the dots on the back ; the last ring ends in a point. 

 (Adapted from Porritt.) It feeds on ling {Calluna), from 

 September well on into the following spring. 



The moth occurs on heaths and mosses in July and August, 

 but it is local. On warm days the males are very active, but 

 about dusk they are not difficult to capture. In southern 

 England, the New Forest, Hants, appears to be its special home, 

 but it is also found in other parts of that county, including the 

 Isle of Wight, in Dorsetshire, and in Surrey; also noted from 

 Berkshire. It is scarce in Cheshire, fairly common on the 

 Witherslack mosses in North Lancashire, and at Ullswater in 

 Cumberland. It has been recorded from the Isle of Arran 

 (1882), Mallaig, Invernesshire (1909), and Loch Shiel, Argylls. 

 (1913). In Ireland it is widely distributed, and is abundant at 

 Kinsale, co. Cork. 



The Y-moth {^2 hafnno?io?na {I tame) wauaria). 



The popular name of this species (Plate 143, Fig. 3) refers to 

 the black discal mark on the more or less violet-tinged pale, 

 greyish fore wings ; but there is a good deal of variation in this 

 character. Occasionally the wings are suffused with smoky 

 (ab. vau-nigi-aria, Hatchett), or more rarely with blackish 

 brown {ab.fuscaria, Thunberg). 



On Plate 142 is a figure of the caterpillar, from a coloured 

 drawing by Mr. A. Sich. The general colour is greenish, or 

 some shade of brown ; the lines on the back are white, and that 

 low down along the sides is broad, and yellow ; the raised dots 

 are black with short bristles. It feeds in April, May, and 

 June on the foliage of gooseberry and currant, and is especially 

 fond of the tender shoots. 



