98 THE LEPIDOPTERA OF ESSEX. 



Common in most woods in the county and in shady lanes and 

 about hedgerows on their outskirts ; generally distributed, but not 

 everywhere, mostly local. Quite absent now in Colchester district 

 where it was formerly common. Mr. Harwood has not seen one for 

 about ten years. [Still very common in Monks Wood, Epping 

 Forest, B. G. Cole.'] 



Pararge megaera, L. Wall. 



Geographical Distribution — Europe (except polar regions), North Africa, Asia 

 Minor, Armenia. Throughout Britain. 



Larva — Apple-green, darii-green stripe on back, two paler green stripes on 

 sides ; head bright green. Food — Grasses. Imago — May and June, August and 

 September ; hibernates as larva ? or pupa ? (see Entom. xii. 3, 57 ; Larvce, p. 165.) 



Abundant ; flying along every hedge in the county in the 

 summer. 



Satyrus semele, L. Grayling. 



Geographical Distribution — Europe (except polar regions), North Africa and 

 West Asia. Throughout Britain, but local. 



Larva — Light brown or drab, dark olive-brown stripe on back, three brown 

 stripes on side edged with white ; head brown. Food — Grasses, especially 

 Triticum and Aira. Imago — Jul}' ; hibernates as larva. 



Very rare and local ; on dry hill-sides, but generally confined to 

 chalk or limestone soils. 



Lexden Heath {Jer?fiyn, V.M. 71), probably now extinct in this 

 locality as Mr. Harwood has only taken two or three stragglers near 

 Colchester ; he has taken several at Birch Wood, Dedham. Common 

 on Tophill Heath {E. H. Burnell ; M.N.H. [2] i. 602). [This is 

 probably a misprint for Tiptree Heath, where it is now extinct.] 

 Felsted {Rep. F.S.N. H.S. ii. 44). It should, and probably does, 

 occur in the extreme north-western corner of the county, on the 

 chalky uplands of the Saffron Walden district, but I find no records. 

 Mr. G. N. Maynard writes, "There are several S. seviele in the 'old 

 collection,' Saffron Walden Museum, which I believe were taken in 

 this neighbourhood." 



Epinephele janira, L. Meadow Brown. 



Geographical Distribution — Europe (except polar regions), North Africa, West 

 Asia. Throughout Britain, our commonest butterfly next to P. rapcc. 



Larva — Green, darker line on back, pale yellowish stripe along spiracles; 

 head green, anal points pink. Food — Grasses. Imago — June and July; hibernates 

 as larva. 



Very abundant in all meadows, as everywhere. 



