DESCRIPTIVE NOTICES OF CONSPICUOUS SPECIES 247 



feeds on oak ; there was no alder near the locality where 

 I found my specimens. 



The perfect insect appears towards the end of June 

 and July ; it is generally obtained by beating, but will 

 occasionally come to light. 



FAMILY XV. 

 MYELOIS CPIBRUM. 



This conspicuous species seems to be quite confined 

 to the southern counties of England, and the localities 

 recorded for it are not numerous. It used to occur on 

 the chalk downs near Croydon, and has been observed 

 near Bristol ; also at Southend, on the Essex coast, and 

 at Brandon in Suffolk. 



The expansion of the wings is rather more than an 

 inch. The fore-wings are white with several distinct 

 black dots, thus arranged : one very near the base, then 

 two before the middle transversely placed (one near the 

 costa and one near the inner margin), then one in the 

 centre of the wing ; then beyond the middle are a 

 number of these dots transversely placed in two rows, 

 so as almost to form the letter V ; lastly, there is a row 

 of black dots along the hind margin. 



The larva is greyish, striped with bluish-green ; the 

 head is of dark brown, almost black ; the second seg- 

 ment is brownish ; it feeds in the stems of thistles in 

 the autumn and winter; being full-fed early in the 

 spring. 



The perfect insect appears in July and August ; it 

 may sometimes be met with flying amongst thistles ; 

 where met with it is generally rather gregarious, 



