210 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



similar localities in other parts of the country. Mr. 

 Birchall turned out a colony of larvae at Malahide, in 

 Ireland, where the species continues to brood. 



The expansion of the wings is about an inch in the 

 male; the female has scarcely perceptible rudiments of 

 wings. The fore- wings are whitish, with dark fuscous 

 veins, and with an oblique, dark fuscous streak of irre- 

 gular width from near the base of the inner margin to 

 the costa beyond the middle ; it is followed by a pale 

 band and then by a dark band, and a slender pale band 

 precedes the fuscous hind margin. The thorax of the 

 male has rather a downy look ; it is pale grey, varied 

 with dark fuscous; the abdomen in both sexes is blackish, 

 with narrow greyish- ochr ecus belts. 



The larva is grey, dotted with black along the back, 

 with a broad lateral, bright yellow stripe. It feeds in 

 May and June on yarrow and on various grasses. 



The perfect insect makes its appearance from the end 

 of February to the end of March, and may be found 

 sitting on the grass on the sand-hills, where the species 

 occurs. 



FAMILY III. AMPHIDASII^E. 



AMPHIDA8I8 PRODROMARIA. THE OAK 

 BEAUTY. 



This handsome species seems generally distributed 

 throughout England, occurring as far north as the 

 Cumberland Lake district, but I believe it has not yet 

 been observed north of the Tweed ; in Ireland it occurs 

 in the county of Wicklow. 



The expansion of the wings (both sexes are winged) 

 is from 1J to 2 inches. The fore-wings are whitish, 



