168 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



is expanded till it reaches the base, the margins of 

 the band are expressed by black lines. In the female 

 the ground-colour is dull brownish-grey, with the central 

 band only a little darker, and the black lines are wanting. 



The larva is bluish-black ; with red spots along the 

 back, connected by whitish stripes, and with a lateral 

 row of white spots ; it feeds in May and June, on haw- 

 thorn, sloe, and sallow. 



The perfect insect appears in September ; it comes 

 occasionally to light. 



FAMILY VII. BOMBYCID^. 

 CLISIOCAMPA NEUSTRIA. THE LACKEY. 



The insect used to be excessively abundant through- 

 out the south of England, but it is now (1867) very 

 much scarcer than formerly, and I have not seen either 

 larva or perfect insect for several years. 



The expansion of the wings of the male is about 1J 

 inch, of the female about 1| inch. The ground-colour 

 of the wings varies considerably, from pale ochreous to 

 a sandy red ; on the fore -wings are two transverse 

 brown lines near the middle, both terminating on the 

 inner margin, the intervening space is sometimes darker, 

 and in the darker coloured specimens they are generally 

 edged with a paler band than the ground-colour. 



The larva is very gaily coloured ; on the back is a 

 bright white dorsal line, then a broad orange stripe, in 

 which are included a black stripe and a blue one, and 

 then follows a silvery blue stripe ; it feeds in May and 

 June on fruit-trees, hawthorn, sloe, etc. When young 

 it is gregarious, but the larvge disperse before they are 

 full fed. 



