234 MOTTLED ORANGE-MOTH. 



expands from an inch and a quarter to nearly an 

 inch and a half; the upper wings are rich yellow, 

 variegated with reddish-brown, the latter colour 

 enclosing several spots of a lighter yellow than the 

 rest, each wing with two broad transverse bands of 

 reddish-brown, one near the base the other near 

 the hinder margin, from which it is separated by a 

 yellow band undulated on the inner side; fringe 

 long and thick, the colour reddish-brown. The 

 hinder wings are dirty white, glossy, with a dusky 

 crescent-shaped mark on the disk, and an obscure 

 band posteriorly ; the fringe ash-brown. The thorax 

 and abdomen are reddish-brown, the former slightly 

 tinged in certain places with yellow. The cater- 

 pillar feeds on the pith of the common burdock 

 (Arctium Lappet)^ and likewise attacks other thick 

 stemmed plants, such as Verlascum Thapsus, Scro- 

 phularia aquatica, the spear thistle, &c. It under- 

 goes its metamorphosis in the interior, where the 

 pupa likewise remains till the moth is ready to 

 emerge, which usually takes place towards the end 

 of autumn. The insect is not rare in many parts 

 of England, bat seems to become very scarce as we 

 advance northwards. The only Scotch specimen 

 we have seen was taken near Ttosslyn. 



