172 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



the fore-wings rosy-brown, with some transverse darker 

 lines ; in the centre is a conspicuous eye-like spot, con- 

 sisting of an outer black ring, then on the basal side a 

 whitish crescent, then a yellow ring, which encircles a 

 black spot, in which a paler crescent is sometimes per- 

 ceptible on the side towards the base ; the hind- wings 

 are dull orange, darker at the base, and with a dark band 

 towards the hind margin, and with a similar central 

 eye-like spot. The markings of the female are similar, 

 but the ground-colour of all the wings is of a soft grey. 



The handsome larva is green ; on each segment are 

 seven pink tubercles, in black rings, a tuft of black hairs 

 springs from each tubercle ; the spiracles are orange ; 

 it feeds on heath and various low plants in August and 

 September. 



The perfect insect appears in May. 



FAMILY X. PLATYPTERYGID^E. 

 CILIX SPINULA. THE CHINESE CHABACTEK. 



This curious little insect is common throughout the 

 country. 



The expansion of the wings is barely an inch. The 

 fore-wings are white, with a large brown blotch on the 

 middle of the inner margin, and towards the middle of 

 the wing is a large, oval, greenish-grey blotch. 



The larva, with no anal prolegs, is dull chocolate- 

 brown, with a dark tawny blotch on the back ; it is very 

 common on the leaves of sloe and hawthorn, at the end 

 of May and at the end of July. 



The perfect insect may often be noticed sitting on 

 palings, and flies freely towards dusk at the end of May 

 and in August. 



