THE TjAB>YM 



OF THE 



BRITISH MOTHS. 



Bmmelesia affinitata. 

 Plate CXXVIIL fi<r. 1. 



For many years a number of friends tried to send 

 me the long-desired larva of Emmelesia affinitata, 

 which I have been unable to meet with here, yet their 

 several consignments of seed-eating geometers invari- 

 ably proved to be its more common congener E. 

 decolor at a, until Mr. 0. G. Barrett turned his attention 

 to this somewhat local species, and it is entirely owing 

 to his very kind efforts, sustained for two or three 

 seasons, that my desire has been accomplished. 



Of this species Mr. Barrett first sent me four eggs 

 in 1876, at the beginning of July, but on that occa- 

 sion, for want of the proper food-plant, the young 

 larvse were not reared much beyond their second 

 moult, on seefrs of Lychnis vespertina, a substitute 

 food ; but in 1878 Mr. Barrett found and sent me 

 from Pembroke two young larvae on July 27th, feeding 

 in seed-capsules of Lychnis diurna. One, unfortunately 

 injured, died next day, but was replaced by another 

 on the 2nd of August, and supplemented by two more 

 on the 19th, together with needful supplies of the 

 seed-capsules, followed by more. 



VOL. VIII. 1 



