176 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



The expansion of the wings is barely 1J inch. The 

 fore-wings are of a beautiful pale green, with three 

 white streaks lengthwise, and with three transverse 

 black bands. The head is of a pale green ; the front of 

 the collar is black, and the top of the collar pale green 

 (a character by which this insect may be with certainty 

 distinguished from another green Noctua, Agriopis 

 Aprilina). 



The hairy larva is reddish or yellowish-grey, with 

 the back black, interrupted by large oval spots of a pale 

 yellow. It feeds on oak in August and September. 



The perfect insect appears in June ; it is sometimes 

 found sitting on the trunks of trees in the daytime, but 

 is more frequently obtained at sugar. 



FAMILY III. BOMBYCOID^. 

 ACRONYCTA P8I. THE COMMON DAGGER. 



Very abundant throughout the country. 



The expansion of the wings is about an inch and a 

 half. The fore-wings are grey, varied with dark, with 

 four conspicuous black marks, one of which, near the 

 anal angle, has been compared to a dagger or to the 

 Greek letter ^. 



The larva is greyish-black, with a broad pale yellow 

 line along the back ; on the fifth segment is a big black 

 hump, and on the twelfth segment is a smaller hump. 

 It feeds on a great variety of plants from August to 

 October. 



The perfect insect begins to appear in June, and keeps 

 out a long while ; it may constantly be noticed sitting 

 on walls, posts, trunks of trees, etc., in the daytime. 



