S-1141001_COMPLETO.pdf

ROCK-EYED UNDERWING. 43
Arthur's Seat, near Edinburgh; the Cheddar Cliffs, Somerset­
shire; Walmer Forest and Languard Forest. I have also
taken this Fly in plenty on the top of the hill between
Charmouth and Lyme Regis, Dorsetshire. It is not uncommon
near Falmouth, Cornwall, and is plentiful on Newmarket
Heath, in Cambridgeshire, and in various other parts of the
country. It occurs sparingly near Great Bedwyn and Sarum,
Wiltshire, as J. W Lukis, Esq. has informed me.
The Rock-eyed Underwing is fond of barren spots, where
heath abounds, about stone-pits and rocky places.
The perfect insect appears in the middle of July, and has
been known to continue till the 12th. of September.
This Butterfly measures from about two inches to two and
a half in the expanse of the wings. The fore wings are of a
dull brown colour, tinged with bronze, with a broad interrupted
bar of various dark patches near the principal vein. Towards
the outer margin are two eyes.
The female is smaller than the male, and the hind wings
are brown to the base, with a brighter-coloured wave near
the margin, having a single black eye, with a white centre
near the inner lower corner. Underneath, the fore wings are
darker at the base, with the whole outer part yellowish or pale
buff, ended by a narrow dusky margin. There are two eyes,
the front one being the larger. The hind wings are marked
with numerous narrow white and brown streaks across. The
part next the base is the darkest, and is met by a very irreg­
ular broad bar of a paler colour, which again becomes darker
towards the outside, and near the inner lower corner is a
nearly obsolete eyelet, the same indeed that appears also on
the upper side.
The caterpillar is green or grey, except on the lower part,
which is brownish. There are five longitudinal lines along it,
one on the back being darker than the rest.
The figures are from specimens in my own collection.