27c COMMON BRITISH INSECTS. 



GREEN SILVER-LINES (Halias fraxinana). The 

 upper wings of this Moth are beautiful leaf-green, 

 across which are drawn three diagonal silvery lines, 

 taking a pinkish hue near the inner margin. The 

 head and thorax are of the same green hue as the 

 wings. The lower wings and abdomen are pale 

 yellow. The larva of this insect feeds on the oak, the 

 ash, and one or two other trees, and the perfect insect 

 appears in May. The middle of July is a good time 

 for taking the larva, as it is then nearly full-fed. The 

 colour of the caterpillar very much resembles that of 

 the Moth's wings. This Moth measures about an 

 inch and a half in the spread of its wings. 



When the caterpillar is full-fed, it changes into a 

 chrysalis, which is fastened to a leaf. The form of 

 the chrysalis is most peculiar, and has been compared 

 to that of a boat with the keel uppermost. The name 

 of Cymbidae, which has been given to this family, is 

 taken from a Greek word signifying a boat, and alludes 

 to the form of this pupa. 



WE now proceed to the typical family, the 

 Tortricidae, of which we shall take two examples, the 

 first of which is the very pretty, but very destructive 

 PEA-GREEN MOTH or OAK-MOTH. The scientific 

 name of this insect is Tortrix viridana. The appear- 

 ance of this little Moth is very prepossessing, the 

 upper wings being leaf-green, and the lower pair 

 greyish-brown. When the wings are closed, the green 

 is the only portion of the insect that is visible, so that 

 the Moths may be thickly spread over a branch, and 

 yet not one be distinguishable from the leaves. This 



