200 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES 



greenish brown that almost covers the wings. The male, which is 

 shown in fig. 14 of Plate VII, has a black streak across the fore 

 wings, and the female possesses a semicircular row of tawny 

 spots near the tip of the same wings, and also a tawny streak near 

 the centre. 



This is a very local species, having been found only in a few 

 localities. At Lul worth Cove and ' Burning Cliff' in Dorset it has 

 been met with in profusion. In Devon it frequents the rough 

 ground near the cliffs at Sidmouth and Torquay ; and it has also 

 been reported as appearing at Stratford- on- Avon, Shen stone near 

 Lichfield, and the neighbourhoods of Swanage and Tyneham. 



One can scarcely hope to see this insect at.large without making 

 a special trip to one of its favourite haunts, in which case a day 

 should be chosen toward the end of July or early in August. 



The Large Skipper (Hesperia Sylvanus) 



During May, June, and August this butterfly may be seen on 

 grassy banks in nearly every part of England, as well as in certain 

 localities of Scotland and Ireland. 



The wings are all of a bright orange -brown colour, with a narrow 

 black border, inside which is a broad shading of brown. The latter 

 colour usually completely covers the hind wings with the exception 

 of about half a dozen squarish spots; and the same colour, together 

 with the dark brown wing rays, breaks up the light ground of the 

 fore wings, often forming several squarish and triangular patches, 

 most distinct near the tips. The male (Plate VII, fig. 15) may be 

 readily distinguished from the female by the presence of a thick 

 dark brown streak across the fore wings. 



The under side of both sexes is pale tawny brown, with a 

 greenish tinge ; and has several rather indistinct yellowish spots. 



The larva is of a dull green colour, with a dark line on the back. 

 Its upper surface is dotted with black, and there are white spots on 

 the under side of the tenth and eleventh segments. It feeds on 

 several kinds of grasses, some of its favourites being the meadow 

 soft grass (Holcus lanaius), the cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata), 

 and couch grass (Agropyron rcpens). 



The Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia Comma) 



This species is very similar on the upper side to the last, except 

 that the squarish spots of both fore and hind wings are much paler 



