tinge (ab. rufa, Tutt). In others the ground colour is blackish (ab. suffusa, Tutt), and a rarer form (ab. pallida, Tutt) has the fore wings whitish grey with a distinct black reniform stigma, and red submarginal line. (Plate [7], Figs. 5, 6.)
The caterpillar is ochreous brown, sometimes tinged with reddish or purplish brown on the sides; of three whitish lines along the back, the central one is composed of spots, and the outer ones are not well defined, except on the dark first and last rings; the line along the sides is reddish. Head, glossy, pale reddish brown, marked with darker brown. It feeds on willow and sallow, and may be found among the foliage from April to June, and especially the topmost leaves of a twig, which it spins together with silk to form a retreat during the day. (Plate [5], Fig. 2.)
The moth comes freely to sugar in September and October, sometimes even later. It may be found pretty freely also at ivy bloom, and at the flowers of Tritoma. Although apparently commoner in the south, it is generally distributed throughout England, Wales, and Scotland up to Perthshire and Aberdeen. In Ireland it is widely distributed, but local.
The Yellow-line Quaker (Amathes (Orthosia) macilenta).
The typical coloration of this species (Plate [7], Figs. 7 and 8) is pale ochreous brown, inclining to reddish in some specimens; the lower part of the reniform stigma black. Sometimes, the black spot is absent (ab. obsoleta, Tutt). Another form has the ground colour pale yellowish brown, and this, with the black lower portion of the reniform present, is ab. straminea, Tutt, while specimens of the same tint, but minus the black spot, are referable to ab. obsoleta-straminea of the same author.
The caterpillar is reddish brown with white dots, and three white lines on the back; the line along the spiracles is whitish
with a dusky edge above. Head, ochreous brown; plate on first ring blackish lined with white. It feeds on beech, oak, and heather. When approaching full growth it probably feeds on low-growing plants, and it may be found from April to June.
The moth flies in September and October, sometimes in November. Decaying apples seem to have a stronger attractive influence at times than either sugar or ivy bloom. Except that it appears to be local or scarce in the Midlands, the species occurs, in many parts commonly, throughout England, Wales, and Scotland to Moray. In Ireland it is generally distributed and abundant in some localities.
The Brick (Amathes (Orthosia) circellaris).
Yellow or ochreous is the typical coloration, but the most frequent form of this common species in Britain is ab. ferruginea, Hübn., which is ochreous tinged with rust colour. Sometimes, the fore wings are more or less suffused with blackish, and with the markings black, such specimens are referable to macilenta as figured by Hübner, Noct., Fig. 688. The more usual form is shown on Plate [7], Figs. 9, 10.