DESCRIPTIVE NOTICES OF CONSPICUOUS SPECIES 123 



the short turf of many a chalk down is enlivened by its 

 presence in the month of August. On the upper side 

 it can hardly be distinguished from the Large Skipper 

 (Pampliila sylvanus), but the pale markings at the tip 

 of the fore-wings are a little paler than in that species, 

 more of a whitish-fulvous ; on the underside the dis- 

 tinction is readily seen, as P. comma is distinctly 

 marked with square white spots. 



MOTHS. 



SPHINGINA. FAMILY I. 



PROCRI8 STATICES. THE FORESTER 

 SPHINX. 



This species appears to be common throughout 

 England and Ireland, though it is frequently so local 

 that it will swarm in one field and not occur in any of 

 the adjoining meadows. 



The expansion of the wings is rather more than an 

 inch in the male, rather less in the female. The fore- 

 wings are of a bluish-green ; the hind-wings of a 

 smoky-brown. The antennae of the male do not taper 

 to a point, but have a blunt, almost club-shaped ter- 

 mination. The larva is greyish-purple, with the dorsal 

 line whitish, edged with reddish-purple, and with a 

 broad yellow stripe enlarged on each segment ; it feeds 

 on sorrel in April. 



The perfect insect makes its appearance at the be- 

 ginning of June, and may be met with up to near the 

 end of July. 



There are two other species very closely allied, 

 Proem gtobularide and P. Geryon, but the differences 



