170 



BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



60. Grizzled Skipper (Hesperia Malvce). 



white : the outline of the wings is very simple : 

 they are of a smoky black colour ; the fore 

 wings are adorned with variously-shaped white 

 spots, the position of which will be seen in the 

 figure; the hind wings have a com| ound white 

 spot near the middle, and a transverse series 

 of small white spots parallel with the hind 

 margin : the fringe is spotted with black and 

 white. 



Scarce Grizzled Skipper (H-speria Lavaterce). 



s. There is a rather striking variety 

 in which many of the spots on the wings are 

 confluent, and are thus rendered much more 

 conspicuous. Haworth has described this as 

 the Scarce Grizzled Skipper (Ifesperia Lava- 

 terce). Intermediate specimens between this 

 variety and the type are continually occur- 

 ring. 



LIFE HISTORY. The EGG is laid on the com- 

 mon bramble (Rubusfruticosus), andaccording 

 to Hubneralsoonthe raspberry (Rubus idcmit). 

 At page 149 of the second volume of the 

 " Entomologist," Mr. Pristo informs us that 

 in May, 1863, he found a pair in cop., and 

 put them in confinement ; the female after- 

 wards laid on the upper side of a bramble leaf, 

 and also on the stems of the bramble, a num- 

 ber of small round EGGS of a pale green colour, 

 each egg being deposited singly. The CATER- 

 PILLAR is represented by Hubner as drawing 

 together the edges of the bramble leaf from 

 the opposite sides, and thus forming a very 

 exposed dwelling-place : the head is almost 

 round, and wider than the second segment ; 

 it emits a number of short but very strong 

 bristles, which give it a scabrous or rough 



appearance : the body is cylindrical, but tapers 

 slightly towards both extremities ; like the 

 head it is beset with hairs. The colour of 

 the head is black, of the body either brown 

 or gi fen, having a rather narrow medio-dorsal 

 stripe darker than the ground colour; besides 

 this there is a triple' side-stripe, the median 

 portion of which is of the same tint as the 

 medio-dorsal stripe, but the lateral portions 

 are white. The CHRYSALIS is rather long, 

 smooth, and without angles or projections, 

 but the last segment terminates in a straight 

 horn directed backwards, and furnished with 

 hooks at the top ; the colour of the chrysalis 

 is dull white spotted with black ; the spots 

 are arranged on the back in three longitudinal 

 series, of which the medio-dorsal contains the 

 largest and most conspicuous spots. 



TIME OF APPEARANCE. May : it remains 

 only a short time on the wing. 



LOCALITIES. Unknown in Ireland and the 

 Isle of Man. It occurs in Scotland, but 

 according to Dr. White not in Perthshire. 

 In England I have found it in every locality 

 I have visited. 



61. Dingy Skipper (Tfesperia Tages). 



61. DINGY SKIPPER. The antennae are slen- 

 der at the base, and are gradually thickened 

 towards the tip, which is bent but not hooked; 

 they are of a smoky-brown colour, delicately 

 annulated with white : the outline of the 

 wings is simple ; their colour is dingy smoky- 

 brown; the fore wings have an obliquely 

 transverse gray band across the middle, be- 

 tween two darker ones ; there is also a white 

 spot on the costal margin at the commence- 

 ment of the exterior dark band, and a series 

 of seven or eight white spots on the hind 

 margin, just within the fringe : the hind 

 wings have several pale but obscure spots on 

 the disk, and a series of small white spots on 

 the margin ; the fringe of all the wings is 



