THE NOCTU^ 265 



also very dark brown, and rather prettily spotted with an ochreous 

 tint. 



The caterpillar is pale grey, with four white stripes, and has 

 only three pairs of claspers. It feeds in May on clovers (Trifolium 

 pratense and T. repens) and other plants. 



Family CATOCALID^E 



This family contains only four British species, but these few are 

 very striking moths. They are of large size ; and, unlike the 

 Noctuce generally, the chief adornment is reserved for the under 

 wings. When at rest, the outer or fore wings completely hide the 

 other pair, and then their general appearance is dull, though if 

 closely examined it will be observed that these outer wings are 

 really beautifully marbled with shades of grey. 



The caterpillars of this family are very peculiar creatures. Their 

 bodies are convex above and flattened beneath ; and if disturbed 

 as they rest on the bark of a tree, instead of leaving their hold and 

 rolling into a ring like so many other larvae of Noctuce, they apply 

 themselves the closer, and hold on as if to defy our attempts to 

 remove them. Another peculiarity of these larvae is the possession 

 of fleshy projections along the sides, just above the legs. They feed 

 on the leaves of trees, and when about to rest they descend to the 

 trunk, and there remain protected by their imitative colouring, 

 detection being rendered even more difficult by the close application 

 of their flattened under surface to the bark. Before changing 

 to the chrysalis state, they spin a light cocoon among the leaves or 

 on the bark. 



The Clifden Nonpareil (Catocala Fraxini) 



This is the largest of the family, and, indeed, of all British 

 Noctuce. The fore wings and thorax are light grey, dotted and 

 marbled with darker grey (see fig. 5, Plate XI) ; and the thorax 

 and abdomen are banded with black and greyish blue. 



The young entomologist can hardly expect to meet with this fine 

 insect, for it is very rare, and it is only occasionally that a specimen 

 is seen in Britain ; but its characteristics are so striking that we have 

 endeavoured to find it a place here. Eeputed British specimens of 

 Fraxini command the price of a few pounds each, but specimens 

 from the other side of the Channel may be obtained for a few pence. 

 With such rarities we should advise a young entomologist to purchase 



