SIX-SPOTTED BUR>-ET-MOTII. 125 



upper pair. They are gregarious in their habits 

 and sluggish and inactive in. their movements, and 

 may sometimes he found in dull weather clinging 

 to plants in considerable numbers, and remaining 

 quite motionless for a length of time. The most 

 common species to be met with in this country is 

 that mentioned above. It measures from fifteen 

 to eighteen lines across the wings ; the upper pair 

 are of a fine greenish-black with a high degree of 

 lustre, each of them with six red spots, arranged 

 in pairs, two at the base (sometimes united or 

 separated merely by the intersecting nervure), two 

 in the middle placed obliquely, and two towards 

 the apex nearly parallel with the last. The under 

 wings are carmine-red on both sides, the hinder 

 margin with a narrow blue-black border. The body 

 is velvet-black with a blue or greenish gloss ; the 

 antennae of a similar hue. 



The caterpillar is yellow, with three rows of 

 black spots along the back, and others on the sides ; 

 the head very small and black. It feeds on grasses 

 and a variety of common plants, such as Speed- 

 well, (Veronica), Mouse-ear hawkweed, Dandelion, 

 Spirasa filipendula, &c. ; from the latter it has ob- 

 tained its specific name. 



The perfect insect appears about the end of June 

 and continues till the end of August. It is plenti- 

 ful in most parts of England, and likewise occurs 

 abundantly in certain parts of Scotland, but in that 

 country it is somewhat local. In the vicinity of 

 Edinburgh, it is found on the shores at Cramond, 



