SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY. 187 



glossed with violet. The upper and under sides of 

 the body are concoloious with the corresponding 

 faces of the wings. 



The caterpillar is covered with a matted pubes- 

 cence of a green colour, and marked on the sides 

 with yellow or whitish lines. It feeds on various 

 grasses, but prefers the common couch-grass. 



The Speckled Wood Hipparchia is a vernal spe- 

 cies, the first flight taking place in the beginning 

 of April. This is succeeded by two others, one in 

 June, the other in August. It appears to extend 

 over all Britain. It is included in a list of Papilio- 

 niclce found near Dover ;* we have received it from 

 the north of Scotland, and have often seen it in the 

 neighbourhood of Edinburgh, in Roxburghshire, and 

 other southern counties, and it is far from scarce in 

 most parts of England. From the notices we have 

 received, however, it appears to be rather scarce in 

 the vicinity of Newcastle and Durham. 



* Loudon's Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. 5. 



