66 European Butterflies and Moths. 



*4. P. Actcvon (Esp.), {Lulwortli Skipper). — Brown, tinged with tawny; male with a slender 

 and rather curved oblique black streak on the fore-wings. A curved row of paler tawny spots 

 running from the costa beyond the discoidal cell of the fore-wings in both sexes. Under side of 

 hind-wings dull greenish-grey, yellowish towards the inner margin. Expands about I inch. It 

 is a very local species, though abundant \\here it occurs ; and is found in Central and Southern 

 Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor from June to August, frequenting sunny, weedy places, 

 especially on a limestone soil. In Britain it is exclusively confined, so far as is known, to one 

 or two very restricted localities on the south-west coast, chiefly in Dorsetshire. The larva is 

 pale green, with a darker line on the back, edged with a yellowish line on each side, and divided 

 by a pale central line ; there are also two yellow lines on the sides. It feeds on Caiai/iagrostis 

 epigejos in June. 



*5. P. Tliainnas (Hufn.), Linea (W. V.), {Small Skipper). — Uniform fulvous or tawny, with 

 brown borders ; the male with a slender and rather curved oblique stripe on the fore-wings. Hind- 

 wings beneath unicolorous greenish-ash, except the inner margin, which is fulvous. The tip of 

 the antennae is yellow beneath to the extremity, and blackish above. Expands from i to i ^ inches. 

 Common throughout Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia, from June to September, in 

 meadows and glades in woods. The larva, which is pale green, with two white lines on the back 

 and a yellow line on the sides, lives on grass in spring. The butterfly is figured at PI, 15, 

 Fig. 14. 



6. P. Liiicola (Ochs.). — Resembles Thaiunas in size and colour, but the club of the antenna 

 is yellow, with a black tip, and the hind-wings are unicolorous beneath, instead of the inner 

 margin being fulvous. The black streak on the fore-wings of the male above is shorter and quite 

 straight, and is sometimes wanting. The range of this species is more extensive than that of 

 Thamnas, as it is found throughout Northern Asia as well as Europe and the Mediterranean 

 district ; but it is absent in Britain. It occurs in meadows, &c., in July and August ; and we 

 have generally found it commonest along paths by the side of corn-fields. The larva is yellowish- 

 green, with four yellowish lines on the back and a j-ellow line on the sides. It lives on grass 

 in spring. 



