2l8 THE BOOK OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



The pupa (Fig. 254) is fin. in length ; it is pointed in 

 front, while the anal extremity is flattened and furnished 

 with hooks. The tongue-case is free from the body. 

 The colouring resembles that of the larva, but as the 

 time approaches for the imago to appear it becomes 

 pinkish anteriorly, then purplish, while the dorsal surface 

 of the abdomen assumes a brownish colour. As the 

 change approaches more closely, the colours become 

 darker still. 



The imagines (Figs. 255 and 256) very closely resemble 

 those of H. thaumas, but they are rather thickly sprinkled 

 with black scales, and there is a fan-like series of light 

 yellowish spots on the fore-wings. 



H. sylvanus, Esper. (Large Skipper) (Figs. 257 to 

 261), is the largest member of the group, but except 

 by entomologists is probably seldom seen, owing to its 

 inconspicuous colouring and abrupt, jerky style of flight. 

 It is, however, pretty generally distributed throughout 

 England, especially in the south. It should be sought 

 for in grassy spots, by road-sides, and so on particularly 

 near woods. 



The eggs are laid in July, and the larvae come out in 

 the same month and feed on the Broad-leaved Hairy 

 Woodrush (Luzula pilosa) as well as on various grasses, 

 amongst them being Cock's-foot-grass (Dactylis glom- 

 erata\ Couch-grass (Triticum repens), and Soft-grass 

 (Holcus lanatus). The larvae make for themselves silken 

 hibernacula amongst the grass-blades in early autumn, 

 and in them pass the winter. They are full-fed in May, 

 and the imagines come out in that month or the next. 



The larva (Fig. 257), which is of the shape common 

 to the group, is, when full-fed, over lin. in length and 

 bluish-green in colour, with a darker stripe down the 

 back and a light one in the spiracular region above the 



