FAMILY SKIPPERS. Ill 



polypoid patch of lively yellow, made up of an oblique basal and 

 a very broad transverse extramesial band which is abruptly 

 broadened in the middle and thus blends with the basal band. 

 Expanse li inches. 



Caterpillar. — Head piceous, rugulose. Body naked, briefly 

 pilose, pale brown, thickly dotted with inky black, giving the 

 whole a griseous appearance ; a blackish dorsal line ; thoracic 

 shield broad and black (immature ; full-grown caterpillar un- 

 known). 



Chrysalis. — Unknown. 



Found everywhere in our district in open country, and 

 one of our commonest butterflies. It probably hibernates 

 either as a full-grown caterpillar or as a chrysalis; it is 

 single-brooded in the northernmost parts of our district, 

 flying from the last of June to the middle of August, while 

 in the other portions it is double-brooded, flying first from 

 the end of May to the middle of July or later, and again 

 in August and September. The eggs, which are smooth, 

 hemispherical, at first white with a greenish tinge, after- 

 wards decorated with coarse red dendritic markings, are 

 laid singly and hatch in from ten to fifteen days according 

 to the season. The caterjiillar feeds on grasses and is very 

 uneasy, roaming about a great deal, making very slight and 

 delicate nests, otherwise similar to those of its allies, and is 

 easily alarmed. 



59. Genus Thymeltcus. 



THYMELICTJS MYSTIC— THE LONG-DASH. 



(Hesperia mystic, Pamphila mystic.) 



Butterfly. — Upper surface of fore wings tawny, brightest in the 

 male, with a very broad outer margin of dark brown and two 

 large dark patches, one just beyond the tip of the cell, the other 

 beneath it at the base ; discal dash of male very slender, slightly 

 arcuate, blackish brown, followed below by a rather large, 

 rounded, soft brown patch ; hind wings dark brown with an 

 equal, sliort, oxtrnmesial tawny band and a tawny spot at base. 



