WOOD TIGER-MOTH. 21? 



wise two spots of the same colour on the anterior 

 margin, varying much in size, and sometimes con- 

 fluent. The hinder wings are ochreous-yellow 

 (sometimes reddish) with two black stripes at the 

 base, and a nearly continuous series of black spots 

 along the hinder margin, in the male; the whole 

 base black in the other sex. The head, thorax, and 

 back of the abdomen are black ; the former with a 

 yellow tuft on each side, and the thorax with lateral 

 streaks of light-coloured hair, which, however, are 

 wanting in the female. In the latter sex the abdo- 

 men is reddish, with a black dorsal line. 



The caterpillar, which feeds on the broad and 

 narrow leaved plantain, chickweed, &c. is black 

 and hairy, the six middle segments reddish on the 

 back and sides. It is well figured by Rosel, vol. iv. 

 t. 24. 



The moth is found in June and July, and is not 

 unfrequent in certain localities, although it does not 

 seem to be generally distributed. We have seen 

 several examples from Roxburghshire and some 

 other of the border counties of Scotland, and it has 

 been taken in Darenth "Wood, as well as in seve- 

 ral places in the north of England. It has also 

 been found plentifully in Shetland and the Orkney 

 Islands. 



