136 THE RED UNDERWING MOTH. 



the general arrangement of which can be seen 

 by reference to the figure, without any tedious 

 detailed description. The hind-wings are deep 

 crimson, with a jagged black band running across 

 their centre, and another broad band passing 

 round the hind margin. 



The caterpillar feeds on the oak, and the perfect 

 insect appears about the middle of summer. 



There is another insect that somewhat re- 

 sembles the preceding species. This is the BED 

 UNDERWING (Catocala nupta). It is generally 

 larger than the Dark Crimson Underwing, but 

 is scarcely so handsome an insect, the hind- 

 wings being red instead of crimson. 



The caterpillar feeds on the willow, and the 

 Moth appears in autumn. It is fond of settling 

 on the branch of the tree on which it is fed, and 

 when it is at rest the scarlet of the lower wings 

 is entirely hidden by the mottled grey-brown of 

 the upper pair, and the insect harmonizes so com- 

 pletely with the colour of the bark, that, large 

 as it is, very few persons could detect it. I have 

 frequently seen these Moths resting on the trunks 

 of the willows that edge the river Cherwell, 

 near Oxford, and on more than one occasion have 

 proved that even when the Moth was pointed 

 out to my companions, they could not see it. 



