h the Moth and chrysalis caterpillar are plentiful through the summer, and during the autumn the ground may be^nearlv leared of pupae by judicious digging and hand-picking ^

• examnl Noctuidae will be represented by three ^ examples, the first of which is the Turnip Motu ^ serfe um), which is drawn on Woodcut LIV. Fig. 2. ^ ^

This is a small and inconspicuous Moth, but it does far more damage than many Moths of much larger size and more conspicuous colouring. The larva of this insect is to turnips what that of the last-mentioned insect is to the cabbage, aud with this difference, that whereas the Cabbage caterpillar works above ground and may be detected by the eye, the Turnip caterpillar works for the most part below the surface of the earth, and the only evidence of its presence is the drooping state of the plant. When very young, it feeds upon the leaves of the. turnip and many other plants, such, for example, as the carrot, or some flower, and in that stage may be removed by hand-picking ; but, when it glows larger, it descends towards the earth, fixes upon the upper portion of just where it joins the stem, and there gnaws a the root, round the stem, the entire plant often groove completely from the injury. It grows with great rapidity, and, dying grown, burrows into the earth and when about three-quarters attacks the root itself, beginning near the bottom, burrowing into it, and gnawing large hollows in it. deeply caterpillars are only too familiar to agricultmlsts.

These grey-striped more or less, and covered They are nearly smooth, round spots, from each of which proceeds a with little shining, bristle. As a rule, the gardener cannot mistake m short caterpillar that he finds beneath killing every brown-looking for it is sure to be one of those beings that the ground, among the crops, and the greater because their make havoc are carried on out of sight. It is principally m ravages caterpillars that the rooks frequent search of these destructive When the birds are seen busily digging with turnip-fields. they are engaged in the search after their powerful beaks, and not trying to eat the turnip the turnip caterpillar, itself. . , .. of this Moth is a very interesting one,

The whole history so rapidly that we must pass on but our space is diminishing

to other insects.

Woodcut LIV. I ig- -b insect which is shown on

The pretty the Lessbb Bkoad Bokdek

is popularly called one of a group called the bellow Unde

janthma). It forms hue of their lewer wmgs is hnght

wings, hocause the ground

ochreous yellow. The upper wings of this Moth are shining

brown, with a slight purplish gloss when viewed in a side

light. The purple shows best by placing the insect with the

tip of the wing towards the light, and then looking at it from

base to tip. On the wing are drawn a number of waved and

indistinct bands of chestnut, and there is a decided patch

of that colour on the costal margin, near the tip. The under wings are bright orange above, with a brown patch at the base, and a broad, waved black band nearly parallel with the hind margin. This black band is more ■ perceptible on the under surface of the wing.

The caterpillar feeds on several garden-flowers, and, like many of its kin, hides itself by day, and. only comes from its place of concealment at night. It has a particular fancy for the crown or top of the root, but will also eat the leaves. It is dull, greyish-yellow in colour, with some pale streaks on the side and eight bold black spots on the back. An outline of this larva is given at Fig. a. It is full-fed at the end of spring, when it burrows into the ground, and there changes into a brown, smooth chrysalis, merging into the Moth state towards the end of summer.

This is a wonderfully pretty little creature, the mottlings of the upper wings being peculiarly rich, and forming an admirable foil to the bold black and orange of the under wings. It is moderately common throughout the greater part of England. My own specimens were taken in Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Kent.

The Larger Yellow Underwing {TryphcBna pronuba), 1 which is figured on Woodcut LV. Fig. 1, is, as its name [i implies, considerably larger than the preceding insect.

Its upper wings are exceedingly variable in .11 colouring, but are always of some shade of brown. There are ii several pale, narrow, waving bands drawn across the wing, and on the 11 upper part of the disc a large kidney-shaped black spot with a pale centre and a chestnut outline ; there is also a small black spot near the tip. The under wings are orange-yellow, but not so richly coloured as in the preceding insect, and parallel with their hind margin is a bold black stripe, broad above and narrowing below to a point. There is a very slight

golden streak on its costal margin. Beneath, it is remarkable for a shining golden stripe that runs along the lower edge of the upper pair of wings, the gold changing in some lights to prismatic effects of green and blue.

The caterpillar is another of the nocturnal larvae. It feeds upon the crown, stem, and heart of various garden plants, especially favouring lettuces when they are tied up to blancli. The colour of the larva is as variable as that of the perfect

Tn-phcena pronuba. 2. Phlogophora meticulosa. 3. Plusia cbrysitis. a. Tryphrena, larva. b, Phlogophora, larva.

some shade between olive green and

insect, but is generally on the body are a variety of brown and black

brown, and by its portrait at Fig. a. It is a very

streaks, as may be seen and there are very few garden plants or vegegeneral feeder, When full-fed, it forms a kind tables which escape its jaws.

of rude oval cell, and therein undergoes its transformation Both the caterpillar and Moth are exceedingly

into the Moth.

common, and may be captured in any numbeis.

^ On Plate XVI. Fig. 3, is seen the Moth which goes by the

popular name of the Pink-babred Yellow {Xanthia silago).

This insect belongs to the large family of the Orthosidse.

This is of a brighter hue than the last-mentioned insect, ; the grormd colour of the upper wings being yellow. It is for ; this reason that the generic name of Xanthia, or Yellow, is given to this and other Moths of the same genus. The i markings on the wings are purplish brown, and the hind wings ( are pale brown, taking a yellowish hue towards the hind i margin. There is a good deal of colour about the body, the ! head and the front of the thorax being dark rust-red with a j purple gloss, the rest of the thorax yellow, and the body grey I with a yellowish tinge.

The larva of this pretty Moth feeds on the sallow, and the pel feet insect appears in the middle of autumn. It seems to be widely spread, though not very plentiful.

Passing over a considerable number of species, we come to an example of the Hadenidse, the familiar Angle-Shades {Phlogaphora meticulosa), which is shown on Woodcut LV Fig. 2.

I have always felt a great predilection for this insect, because it is one of the first Moths that I ever reared. I had found a number of pupas in the summer, and put them into a small box, which I covered with stout wire gauze, having in those days some hazy idea that a Moth could get through mushn or linen. I had also made up my mind that no Moths could emerge until the following year ; and my astonishment was extreme on finding one morning a fine Angle-Shades Moth clinging to the wire gauze, and shaking out its newlydeveloped wings. Insignificant as is such an incident in itself, it often forms a stand-point in life ; and such was the case with this Moth, the development of which under my own eye inspired an interest in this branch of natural history that has never been and never will be forgotten.

The name of Angle-shades is given to this Moth on account of the manner in which the wings are coloured. The upper wings are pale grey, tinged either with ochreous yellow

tie e Sr' letter V, J" imd formed 'taped much of several shades of brown. The

other inarks of the wing are also of brown, but not quite so ' dark. The edges of the hind margins of the upper wings are deeply scalloped. The lower wings are slightly scalloped, and are of a pale yellowish grey and crossed by two very slight waved bands of reddish brown. Towards the hind margins they are suffused with a slight pinkish tint. The thorax is covered with long hair, which in front stands out like the double ruff of Elizabeth’s time. Then comes a wedge-shaped ridge in the middle of the thorax, and then two rather large tufts at the back. The colour of these tufts is soft umber brown, tipped with a darker and warmer brown.

The caterpillar of the Angle-shades is represented at Fig. b of the same Woodcut. Its colour varies from bright green to dark olive green or olive brown, profusely sprinkled -with whitish dots not very well defined. There are three greyish lines along the body, and the spiracles are white, surrounded with a black line. It feeds on varions herbs and flowers, especially groundsel and primrose, and is full-fed about May, when it seeks the ground, and there spins a very slight cocoon. There are two broods of this pretty Moth — one towards the end of M!ay, and the other at the end of autumn. name meticulosa signifies fearful or timorous,

The specific but I never could find out the reason for giving such a name The Angle-shades is not a whit more timorous to the insect. in general, and though it has no distinctive than Moths boldness, it certainly has no distinctive timidity.

Woodcut LV. Fig. 3, is represented the Moth which is

On called the Burnished Brass {Plusia ch7'ysitw\ appropriately the metallic colouring of the wings. The in consequence of or gilded, is given to it for the specific name of chrysitis, This insect belongs to another family of the same reason. namely, the Quadrifidse or Plusidse. Noctuse, of the upper wings is bright golden green, which

The colour be seen in a side light before its beauty can be properly must There is a large and nearly triangular blotch distinguished. of the wing, the base of the triangle of brown on the middle another patch of the same colour resting on the costal margin, and a third on the inner margin, just below the at the base, often coalesce, as is the patch. These two large triangular

case witli the specimen now before me. The hind wings are

greyish brown, and so is the body.

The caterpillar is green, with a row of white dots under the

spiracles, a white streak above them, and six white marks on : the back of each segment. It assumes a curious attitude when

at rest, the front of the body being bent upwards, so that the

caterpillar only holds to its food-plant by its claspers. There , are two broods of the Bmmished Brass Moth in the year — one i: in the early summer, and the other in the middle of autumn. ; It feeds on several plants, such as the common white dead- I nettle, and even the stinging-nettle. : The Moth, when preserved, is very liable to ‘ grease,’ which i will sometimes affect it to such a degree that a whole row ! of Moths will be deprived of their beautiful metallic lustre, j the wings becoming almost uniformly brown, with a sort of

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