190 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



and the intensity of marking ; sometimes they are pale 

 reddish-ochreous ; sometimes dark reddish- brown, and 

 all intermediate shades occur; the two stigmata are 

 generally tolerably distinct ; on the costa, a little before 

 the tip, is a small black spot ; the hind-wings are yellow, 

 with a rather narrow black band before the hind margin. 



The larva varies also in colour from dull greenish to 

 dull grey, the dorsal and subdorsal lines rather paler ; 

 above the latter are some blackish spots from the 

 third to the eleventh segments ; it feeds throughout the 

 winter and early spring on all sorts of low plants, and is 

 full-fed early in April. 



The perfect insect appears in June and July, and is 

 often very abundant in hay-fields ; it flies very briskly 

 if disturbed during the day, and then dashes again 

 suddenly to the ground ; and though so conspicuous 

 when flying from the gay colour of the hind-wings, its 

 sombre demure look when at rest will often prevent the 

 inexperienced collector from recognizing ^the insect ol 

 which he is in pursuit. 



There are three other species of these Yellow Under- 

 wings, and two of them are tolerably common. 



FAMILY VII. NOCTULD^E. 

 NOOTUA PLECTA. THE FLAME SHOULDEE. 



(Plate VII., Fig. 5.) 



This pretty species is common, and generally distri- 

 buted throughout the country. 



The expansion of the wings is rather more than an 

 inch. The fore-wings are reddish-brown, with a broad, 

 whitish-ochreous streak along the costa to beyond the 



