464 BRITISH LEPIDOPTEKA. 



costal edge of the wing, the bases of the antennae also prominent, and 

 forming the frontal edge of the pupa ; the glazed eye smooth, 

 forming an inconspicuous lunule, stretching from the base of the 

 antenna to the base of the leg ; the skin of the wing fine and silky- 

 looking, the neuration very strongly defined ; the abdominal incisions 

 well marked, the cremaster rounded, apparently without hairs, and 

 ending in a line with the dorsum. Dorsally : The frontal edge of the 

 head prominent, black, with a distinct shallow depression between the 

 two bulging bases of the antennae. There is a very distinct separation 

 of colour between the black antennae and wing-margin and the pale 

 thoracic segments. The prothorax frontal, a distinct segmental por- 

 tion (dorsal head-piece) of the same pale colour as the dorsal area 

 between the front edge of the prothorax and the antennae. The meso- 

 thorax well-developed, swollen medially, and giving rise on either side 

 to the fore-wings, the base and also the inner margin of which are 

 somewhat prominent. The prothoracic spiracle is deeply embedded 

 in the base of the incision between the pro- and mesothorax. The 

 metathorax is very narrow medially, widening out at the sides, and 

 giving rise to the hind-wings, which are conspicuous below and beyond 

 the inner margin of the fore- wings. The abdominal segments 1-9 are 

 all well- developed, with a very clearly marked intersegmental membrane 

 between 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6 and 6-7, the front edges of segments 2, 3, 4, 

 5, 6 and 7 being finely toothed (or ridged) longitudinally, and giving 

 a suspicion of being useful in enabling the pupa to force its way out 

 of the cocoon. The cremaster forms a small, projecting, and practically 

 smooth, cushion. A pupa examined when the imago was fully formed 

 within gave the following details : Dorsally, the thorax and abdomen are 

 of a pale grey colour, as also is the abdomen ventrally. The prominent 

 head, the mouth-parts, wings and appendages are shining black. The 

 skin is exceedingly delicate and transparent, the imaginal colours and 

 markings showing distinctly through it. Esper describes the pupa as 

 being "yellowish-white, with the back and the wing-covers of a blackish- 

 brown colour." Barrett describes the pupa as having the " head, 

 sheaths of the wings, legs, and antennae glossy black ; the whole 

 of the abdomen and the back clear, spotless, pale yellow, the skin of 

 the latter portion so thin, that, after the moth has emerged, there 

 remains only a filmy transparent white pellicle. The contrast shown 

 between the colour of the head and appendages, and the abdomen, is 

 very remarkable." 



FOOD-PLANTS. Lotus corniculatus (Briggs), Trifolium (Kirby), Vicia, 

 Lathi/nis pratensis, clover (Kaltenbach). 



HABITS AND HABITAT. This species is very local and uncertain in 

 its appearance. Hering mentions that, in 1839, it was exceedingly 

 abundant nr. Damm, but that in the same locality not a larva nor imago 

 could be found the following summer. It was first announced as a 

 British species in 1872 (although Cox says specimens were captured 

 in 1869), when many examples were taken in Stubby Coppice, in the 

 New Forest. In the five following years large numbers were collected 

 in every stage in the restricted locality first found, and it was soon 

 practically exterminated there. It was re-discovered in a neigh- 

 bouring locality in 1888, and has since been found in other spots all 

 very near to each other. The insect is, however, worked so systematic- 

 ally by professional dealers and collectors, that in some years it is 



