BUTTERFLY FLIGHT 



175 



may have arisen from the grayling's persistent habit of 

 basking ; for a wing surface inclined to the sun's rays 

 secures more warmth than one standing vertically. But 

 the posture certainly seems to add to the butterfly's in- 

 conspicuousness ; and if it has protective value, it would not 

 be less effective for having been developed out of a desire 

 for warmth. Possibly the many lizards on the sunny heaths 

 haunted by the grayling are 

 foes which it is worth while 

 to deceive. 



Graylings are not always 

 found either among heather 

 or on sandy commons; they 

 flap and bask in July and on 

 into August on many rough 

 stony hillsides, sitting among 

 the stones as on the sand. 

 Most of the browns like bask- 

 ing on dry ground ; but in 

 this respect, as in others 



, . i , GRAYLING 



mentioned in the chapter on 



June butterflies, the small meadow brown is an exception. 

 It is essentially a blossom-haunting brown and it is 

 specially fond of the blackberry blossom, which comes out 

 in its own season of July, and with its conspicuous bloom 

 and rich nectar draws even the purple hairstreaks from 

 their oaks. Though more local than the large meadow 

 brown of the pastures, it is a very common butterfly in most 

 parts of the south and west of England; its brown and 

 ruddy orange wings with their little black eyelets are part of 

 the associations of the typical English lane. They mingle 

 with the large meadow browns in the pastures and along the 

 rough banks spotted with knapweed blossoms, and meet the 



