504 INSECTS AT HOME. 



The commonest of them is the 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. 



The largest of all these Moths is the Scarce Silver Lines 

 {Halias quercana), which measures about two inches in ex- 

 panse of wing. The upper wings of this species are leaf-green, 

 and are crossed by two diagonal silvery lines, nearly but not 

 quite parallel with the hind margin. The caterpillar of this 

 insect should be sought for in May, the perfect insect appear- 

 ing towards the end of summer. 



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 this form of the pupa. 



We now proceed to the typical family, the Tortricidae. of 

 which we shall take a few examples, the first of which is the 

 Hazel Moth {Tortrix sorbiana), a figure of which is given 

 on Woodcut LVIII. Fig. 5. 



This is the largest of its family, and is rather a conspicuous 

 insect, its colours being boldly contrasted. The general 

 character of these markings is shown in the illustration, but 

 they vary so much in direction, shade, and dimensions that 

 scarcely any two specimens are exactly alike. The colour of 

 the upper wings is light warm brown, upon which are some 

 bold marks of dark brown. These are mostly three in number, 

 namely, a rather jagged band across the middle of the wing, 

 another near the base, and a triangular spot near the tip, the 

 base resting on the costal margin. The male may be known 



