GEOMETERS. 



163 



the two approximate lateral stripes is a pale 

 brown broader stripe, interrupted with various 

 black markings ; on the back of the seventh, 

 eighth, and ninth segments is a conspicuous 

 black V-shaped mark, the apex of the V 

 pointing backwards, and each terminating in 

 one of the blood-red marks already described; 

 these three V's are very large, obscuring, on 

 the three segments where they occur, the 

 stripes previously described, and below them 

 are fiva black dots on each side of the stripe. 



The EGG is laid in the autumn, on the leaves 

 of the primrose (Primula vulgaris\ on which 

 this caterpillar hybernates, and it is full-fed 

 at the end of March : this is the only species 

 of the genus that hybernates. Mr. Hellins 

 remarks that this caterpillar is always to be 

 distinguished by its having but three perfect 

 dorsal markings instead of four, which is the 

 normal number in the genus Melanippe. 



THE MOTH appears on the wing throughout 

 the summer, and is common in England, 

 Scotland, and Ireland. (The scientific name 

 is Melanippe montanata.) 



326. The Galium Carpet (Melanippe galiata). 



326. THE GALIUM CARPET. The fore 

 wings are white, with a smoky-gray blotch at 

 the base ; the lower half of this is very pale, 

 and there is a smoky-gray median band, some- 

 what indented on its inner margin, and much 

 indented and angled on its outer margin; 

 this band is divided into six bars by means 

 of zigzag black lines ; the third of these bars, 

 counting from the base of the wing, is the 

 broadest, and of the purest gray, and also 

 contains the long and narrow discoidal spot ; 

 the other bars are tinged with brown ; there 

 is a marginal black line on each side of the 

 median band; the costal margin has a blackish 

 cloud half-way between the median band and 

 tip, and there is another in the middle of the 



hind margin; this includes two white lunules : 

 the hind wings are pale gray, transversely 

 clouded with darker gray, and having a small 

 but distinct discoidal spot : the head, thorax, 

 and body are smoky-gray. 



The CATERPILLAR is almost uniformly cylin- 

 drical, and generally rests in a slightly curved 

 position, but when disturbed or irritated it 

 tucks the head in very tightly, so that it 

 touches the tenth segment, giving the anterior 

 part of the body the form of the Ionic volute. 

 The head is pale brown, with two broadish 

 dark stripes united on the crown, but widely 

 separated at the mouth ; the rest of the head 

 is dotted with black : the body is brown, 

 with parallel stripes of different shades ex- 

 tending its entire length ; the median stripe 

 is almost black, and on each side of it is a 

 paler stripe; in each of these paler sub-median 

 stripes are four black spots, one each on the 

 anterior edge of the sixth, seventh, eighth, 

 and ninth segments ; again outside each of 

 these sub-median stripes is a very pale stripe, 

 almost white, then follows a broader, more 

 diffuse, and more irregular double brown 

 stripe, perhaps more precisely described as 

 two brown and closely approximate rivulet 

 stripes, a very delicate pale stripe passing 

 between them; then follows a paler stripe, in 

 which are situated the spiracles ; and finally, 

 the belly is paler, but striped much in the 

 same way as the back. It feeds on two 

 species of bedstraw (Galium verum and G. 

 mollugo), and is double-brooded ; the second 

 brood of caterpillars are full-fed on the 5th of 

 September. Mr. Buckler has represented an 

 extremely beautiful variety, in which the 

 black dots on the back form the nuclei of 

 variegated black, red, and white markings. 



The MOTH appears on the wing in June, 

 and has been taken in most of our English 

 counties, especially in the chalk districts of 

 Kent and Surrey : I have sometimes found it 

 so abundant in the former, that it has become 

 almost a nuisance when collecting, the cap- 

 tures being incessant, and each capture when 

 examined proving to be a Galiata. It is also 

 found in Ireland, especially on the coast 

 (The scientific name is Melanippe galiata.) 



