Thecla. 



59 



* I. T. Ruin (Linn.), [Green Hair-Streak). — This, the smallest of the European species, is rather 

 unlike any of the others. It has no tail, and is uniform brown above and uniform green below, 

 with a row of white dots on the under side of the hind-wings. It expands from i to i\ inches. 

 It is abundant throughout Europe, North Africa, and Northern and Western Asia as far as Persia, 

 occurring in open places in woods in April and May, flying about and settling upon bushes. 

 There is a closely-allied butterfly in California {T. Dumctoruin, Boisd.) which is perhaps only a 

 variety of this. The larva is green, with a yellow line on the back, bordered with darker, and 

 followed by a row of pale triangular spots, and a yellow line on the sides. It lives on bramble, 

 broom, &c., in July and August. The under side of the butterfly is figured at PI. 15, Fig. 3. 



* 2. 7". Pnnii (Linn.), [Black Hair-Strcak\. — Dark brown; the hind-wings, and sometimes the 

 fore-wings also, with a marginal orange band towards the anal angle. Hind-wings with a short 

 tail, as in all the following species. Under side with an interrupted bluish-white line, and the 

 marginal orange band bordered inside with a row of round black spots, edged with bluish-white. 

 The hind margin of the hind-wings is also edged with a bluish-white line, and there are two 

 or three additional black spots at the anal angle, outside the band. Expands from i to i] inches. 

 It is found throughout the greater part of Central Europe in June, flying about bushes, but is 

 somewhat local, and not a very abundant insect ; it is also met with in the Altai. In the south 

 of England it is one of the most local of all our species, though generally abundant where 

 it occurs. The larva is green, with a whitish line on the back, and whitish oblique lines ; the 

 head is yellow. It lives on sloe, oak, &c., in May. The transformations are figured at PL 15, 

 Fig. 4, a—c. 



3. T. Ilicis (Esp.), [Evergreen-oak Hair-Streak^. — Dark brown ; female with a large dull orano-e 

 transverse blotch on the fore-wings before the hind margins ; the anal angle of the hind-winn-s 

 marked with a small orange spot in both sexes. Under side not much paler, with the transverse 

 white line broken into irregular spots, of which the last but one on the hind-wings forms an acute 

 angle. Hind-wings with a row of marginal orange spots, bordered within with black triangular 

 spots or crescents, scarcely marked with white ; the fringes black, edged within with a white line. 

 In the variety ^sciili (Hiibn.) the white line is wanting or inconspicuous on the fore- wings. 

 Expands about i\ inches. Common throughout Central and Southern Europe, North Africa, and 

 Western Asia, but erroneously reputed British. It is found in woods from May to July. The 

 variety ^sciili seems to be commonest in the south. The larva is pale green, with a row of 

 yellow spots on the back, and a yellow line and row of transverse streaks on the sides. It lives 

 on oak and evergreen-oak in May. 



4. T. Aeaci(B (Fabr.). — Very like Ilicis, but with no orange blotch on the fore-wings in the 

 female ; anal angle of the hind-wings with from two to four small orange spots. Under side paler, 

 greyish-brown ; the white line of the fore-wings is only visible in the female, and that of the hind- 

 wings is more regular than in Ilicis ; the last spot but one forms no angle. The red spots are 

 crescent-shaped, and the largest, nearest the anal angle, is bordered with a black lunule dusted 

 with blue, which fills up the hollow as far as the white marginal line. The next spot is marked 

 with a black dot outside. The tail is deep black in the female. Expands about i inch. It 

 inhabits the south of I'rance and Germany, South-Eastern Europe, and Western Asia, but 

 appears to be a local, and often a scarce, insect. It generally frequents hilly districts from May 

 to July ; and the larva feeds on sloe in May. 



* 5. T. IV-albiiin (Knoch.), [White Letter Hair-Streak).— Brown ; fore-wings of the male with 

 a patch of grey scales in the middle ; hind-wings with an orange spot at the anal angle. Under 

 side with the white line nearly continuous, and forming a very distinct white W near the anal 



