252 COMMON BRITISH INSECTS. 



one, but our space is diminishing so rapidly that we 

 must pass on to other insects. 



THE LARGER YELLOW UNDERWING (Tryphcena 

 pronuba), which is figured herewith, is by far the most 

 abundant species of the genus to which it belongs. 



Its upper wings are exceedingly variable in colour- 

 ing, but are always of some shade of brown. There 

 are several pale, narrow, waving bands drawn across 

 the wing, and on the upper part of the disc is a large 

 kidney-shaped black spot with a pale centre and a 

 chestnut outline ; there is also a small black spot near 



Tryphaena pronuba. 



the tip. The under wings are orange-yellow, but not 

 so richly coloured as in the preceding insect, and 

 parallel with their hind margin is a bold black stripe, 

 broad above and narrowing below to a point. There 

 is a very slight golden streak on its costal margin. 

 Beneath, it is remarkable for a shining golden stripe 

 that runs along the lower edge of the upper pair of 

 wings, the gold changing in some lights to prismatic 

 effects of green and blue. 



The caterpillar is another of the nocturnal larvae. 

 It feeds upon the crown, stem, and heart of various 



