INSCRIPTIVE NOTICES OF CONSPICUOUS SPECIES 231 



FAMILY XIV. LARENTIM. 



MELANIPPE PROCELLATA. THE CHALK 

 CAKPET. 



(Plate XI., Fig. 6.) 



This very pretty insect seems restricted in its range 

 with us to the south of England, where it occurs in 

 various localities on chalky soils ; in Ireland it has not 

 been observed. 



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

 fore-wings are white, with several transverse wavy darker 

 lines ; at the base is a greyish-brown blotch, and there 

 is a large blotch of the same colour on the middle of the 

 costa ; along the hind margin is a rather broad brownish 

 band, intersec'ed by a slender wavy whitish line, and 

 interrupted a little below the middle by a large white 

 blotch, which runs into the cilia. 



The larva is ochreous-brown, with a varied dorsal 

 stripe, which swells into conspicuous dark blotches on 

 the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth segments ; before 

 and after these blotches the dorsal stripe is first reddish 

 and then deep black ; the tenth to thirteenth segments 

 are paler. It feeds on traveller's joy (Clematis Vitalbci) 

 in August and September. 



The perfect insect appears in June and July ; and 

 is sometimes beaten from bushes in chalky districts ; 

 occasionally it may be found at rest on palings. 



FAMILY XIV. LARENTIM. 



MELANIPPE MONT AN AT A. THE SILVER- 

 GROUND CARPET. 



This elegant species is very common throughout the 

 country. 



