DESCRIPTIVE NOTICES OF CONSPICUOUS SPECIES 175 



FAMILY II. BRYOPHILID.E. 

 BRYOPHILAPERLA. THE MARBLED BEAUTY. 



(Plate VI., Fig. 3.) 



This pretty little species seems common, and generally 

 distributed throughout the country. 



The expansion of the wings is about an inch. The 

 fore-win gs are white or whitish, prettily dappled with 

 bluish-grey. 



The larva is bluish-black, with a broad orange dorsal 

 stripe ; it feeds on the lichens growing on old walls, 

 rocks, etc., in the early spring ; only coming out to feed 

 in the early morning, when the dew is on the lichens, 

 or during rain. 



The perfect insect appears in July and August, and 

 may often be noticed in plenty, reposing during the 

 daytime on the surface of the old walls, rocks, etc., which 

 have been the feeding ground of the larvae ; it flies after 

 dusk, and comes very freely to light. 



The allied species Bryophila glandifera seems common 

 in the west of England, though we never see it now near 

 London ; it is rather larger and more of a greenish 

 tinge, and has a short black streak connecting the basal 

 dark patch with the dark patch before the middle of 

 the wing ; this black streak is altogether wanting in 

 Bryophila pcrla. 



FAMILY III. BOMBYCOID^:. 



DIPHTHERA ORION. THE SCAECE MAEVEL- 

 DU-JOUE. 



This fine insect occurs in few localities, and used to 

 be a great rarity ; its head-quarters appear to be the 

 New Forest, and the south of Sussex. 



