THE REED LEOPARD. 349 



and stems of trees and shrubs. Hatching from the egg, say in 

 the late summer of 1908, the caterpillar will not be full grown 

 until May or June of 1910, or possibly 191 1 ; forming a cocoon 

 of silk and wood particles, it turns to a reddish brown chrysalis 

 in the burrow, and near the bark of the stem or branch. The 

 moth comes out m the summer, and is most often seen in the 

 London district, where the female especially is not infrequently 

 found on tree-trunks or on grass, etc., under trees. It visits light, 

 and the electric arc lamps are very attractive to it. 



The species occurs in the south and east of England, and 

 through the north-west counties to Cheshire. It has been 

 recorded from Cardiff, South Wales, and doubtfully from 

 Ireland. 



Abroad, the range extends to Corea and Japan. In America 

 it seems to be established in parts of the State of New York. 



The Reed Leopard (^Phragmatcecia castanece). 



A male of this species {Macrogaster arundinis of some 

 authors) is shown on Plate 153, Fig. 3. The female is rather 

 larger, with longer body, and the antennae are without 

 pectinations. 



The wrinkled and rather shining caterpillar is ochreous white 

 with reddish-brown stripes along the back. It feeds low down 

 on the stems of reed {Phragmites communis) and is full grown in 

 the spring of the second year following that in which it left the 

 Qgg in late summer. Thus, a caterpillar hatching in August, 

 1908, would be mature about May, 1910, pupate in that month, 

 or the next, and the perfect insect would appear in June or July. 



The moth flies at night, and may be attracted by a brilliant 

 light. The earliest known British locality for the species was 

 Holme Fen in Huntingdonshire (1841-1848). In 1850 it was 

 found abundantly at Whittlesea Mere. Its haunts in the 



