186 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES 



The under side (Plate VI, fig. 6) is coloured with a delicate 

 grey ground, adorned with a white streak on each wing, and a 

 couple of orange spots near the anal angle of the hind wings. 



This species is very widely dis- 



JB^Ife. . ><^KH tributed, being common in oak woods 



i^^A I ^^^- m mos t P ai 'ts of England, and also in 



ijji^'iiS- many parts of Scotland and Ireland. 



It flies around the branches of the 

 If trees, and often disappoints the col- 

 lector by keeping far beyond the reach 

 of his net. 



FIG. 85. THE PURPLE Those in search of this pretty insect 



HAIBSTREAK MALE. should ramble in oak woods, preferably 



in the south of England, during July 



and August The eggs may be found glued to the twigs throughout 

 the winter, and the larvte may be beaten from the branches of the 

 oak in June. 



The colour of the caterpillar is brownish or pinkish green, with 

 a row of V-shaped marks down the back. 



The chrysalis is of a brown colour, short and thick, and may be 

 found either attached to oak leaves, or under the surface of the 

 earth at the foot of the tree on which the caterpillar fed. 



The Green Hair streak (Thecla Rubi] 



Next to Quercus, this is the most plentiful of the genus. It 



frequents woods and heaths in nearly every county in England, and 



is also found in parts of Scotland and Ireland. It is peculiar 



among British butterflies as being the only 



^^^. \ /^^^^ one that exhibits a bright green colour. It 



S^^Sl a ^ so differs from the other Hairstreaks in two 



important particulars, for the hind wings, 



W^ HT though angled at the hind margin, are not 



^%^ ' tailed,' and the characteristic hairstreak 



FIG. 86. THE GREEN wnicn g ives tne popular name to the genus is 



HAIRSTREAK. here represented only by a series of white 



dots across the wings, or, in some cases, by 



one or two dots on the hind wings only. 



The upper side is dark brown, displaying metallic reflections 

 when viewed in a strong light. The under side is represented in 

 fig. 7 of Plate VI. 



