THE BROWNS AND HEATHS 177 



The Wall Butterfly (Pararge Megara) 



Belonging to the same genus is another very familiar butterfly 

 the Wall which receives its popular title from its peculiar habit 

 of frequently resting on walls and stony banks. It is one of the 

 first, if not the first, to take to the wing in the morning, and is 

 generally the last to seek its hiding place in the evening. I have 

 seen it actively flying about during August, as early as 7.30 in the 

 morning, and found it still flitting from one spot to another along 

 the western side of a wall as late as 8 in the evening, as if in search 

 of a convenient shelter for the fast approaching night. 



This pretty ' Brown ' must be familiar to the reader, and the 

 coloured drawing on Plate V (fig. 6) will at once serve for purposes 

 of identification without the necessity of a wordy description. It 

 may be mentioned, however, that the male (the sex figured) is 

 smaller than the female, and is further distingaished by a broad dark 

 oblique band passing across each fore wing. 



The Wall is a double-brooded butterfly, the first brood appearing 

 in May, and the second in August. The caterpillars which produce 

 the latter may be found on the cock's foot (Dactylis glomerata) 

 and other grasses in June, while those of the former are hyber- 

 nators ; and the chrysalides of the two broods may be found in April 

 and July respectively. 



The colour of the caterpillar is green, with a slightly darker 

 stripe down the middle of the back, a pale stripe along each side, 

 and another similar stripe about midway between these two. 



The chrysalis is green with the exception of the more prominent 

 parts of its surface, which are almost white. 



This species is very common in almost every locality in Britain. 



The Grayling (Satyrus Semele) 



The Grayling is the largest of our ' Browns,' and, although a 

 powerful flier, it seldom takes long flights. The female, which is 

 shown in fig. 7, Plate V, is really a beautiful creature, the light 

 markings of which stand out in bold contrast with the deep brown 

 ground colour ; but the male is comparatively dingy, there being 

 much less contrast between the ground and the markings. He is 

 also smaller than his mate. 



The under side of both sexes is similar (fig. 79), the pattern of 

 the fore wings being much like that of the other side, but consider- 



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