82 PURPLE BAR MOTH. 



popular name implies, this is one of the early 

 Moths, making its appearance in April. 



ONE of our prettiest Geometer Moths is the 

 PURPLE BAR (Melanthia ocellata), a figure of 

 which may be seen on Plate VI. fig. 7. 



The colour of the fore-wings is a rich creamy 

 white, crossed with a broad belt or bar of deep 

 brown crossed with purple. There is also a tri- 

 angular patch at the base of the same hue. 

 There are also sundry smaller markings, which 

 are of little consequence, especially as the broad 

 purple-brown bar is sufficient to distinguish the 

 Moth from any other insect, and ihe small marks 

 are apt to be rather variable. The hind-wings 

 are nearly white, as is the abdomen, the head 

 and thorax being black. 



This ia one of the summer Moths, and is found 

 in June* The caterpillar feeds on the bed-straw, 

 and if annoyed or alarmed drops into the ground, 

 where it lies until it believes the danger to be 

 over. When full-fed, it spins a web which binds 

 together the stalks of the plant on which it has 

 been feeding, and within this shelter it changes 

 to the perfect state. 



PBETTY and conspicuous as is the preceding 



