DESCRIPTIVE NOTICES OF CONSPICUOUS SPECIES 187 



fore-wings are reddish-grey, with the transverse lines 

 blackish ; a rather broad, pale streak runs along the 

 costa ; immediately below this is a deep black, wedge- 

 shaped mark, just before the orbicular stigma, and a 

 square-shaped black spot occupies the space between 

 the stigmata, so that the pale, reddish-grey, orbicular 

 stigma is rendered remarkably conspicuous, being almost 

 surrounded by black ; towards the hind margin are some 

 elongate black dashes, before the subterminal line. 



The larva is green or brown, mottled with velvety- 

 black, with white dorsal and subdorsal lines, and a 

 white lateral line ; it feeds on the common heath 

 (Calluna vulgar is), and may be taken very plentifully 

 by sweeping the heather at dusk in April and May. 



The perfect insect appears in August, when the 

 heather is in blossom, and may be taken buzzing at 

 the heath-blossoms after dusk ; it comes also rather 

 freely to sugar. 



FAMILY VII. NOCTUIM;. 



AGROTI8 PORPHYREA. THE TRUE 

 LOVER'S KNOT. 



This pretty species is very common on heaths 

 throughout the country. 



The expansion of the wings is about 1 inch. The 

 fore-wings are of a dull, dark red, with two or three 

 blackish, transverse lines, margined with pale grey, and 

 several short black streaks, longitudinally placed, espe- 

 cially on the fold ; the stigmata form two pale spots, 

 the anterior, or orbicular one is conspicuously white. 



The larva is of a reddish-orange, with the spots white 

 edged with blackish ; it feeds on heath in the autumn. 



