102 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



European representative the ERYCINID^E have only 

 four kgs adapted for walking, whilst the females have 



THE BKOmr HAIE-STEEAK. 

 (Theda Betulce.) (Plate XII. fig. 1, Male; 1 a, Eemale.) 



THE genus to which this butterfly belongs, contains five 

 British species, elegant and interesting insects, though 

 not gaily tinted. They are most obviously distinguished 

 from other small butterflies by the tail-like projection on 

 the lower edge of their hind wings (though one of their 

 number, T. Rubij has this very slightly developed). 

 Erom each other they are best distinguished by the 

 characters on their under surface, where they all bear a 

 more or less distinct hair-like streaky whence their com- 

 mon name Hair-streak. 



The Brown Hair-streak is the largest of the genus, 

 measuring sometimes an inch and two-thirds in expanse. 

 The two sexes differ considerably on the upper surface, 

 the male being of a deep brown colour, slightly paler 

 near the middle of the front wing, while the female 

 possesses on the front wing a large patch of clear orange. 

 Both sexes have several orange marks upon the lower 

 angles of the hind wings. Beneath, the general colour 

 is tawny orange with duller bands, and marked with one 

 white line on the front wing, and two parallel white lines 

 on the hind wings. 



The caterpillar is green, marked obliquely with white ; 

 it feeds on the birch and also on the sloe. 



The butterfly appears in August, continuing into Sep- 

 tember. It is generally distributed through the south, 

 but is by no means an abundant insect. Mr. Stain- 

 ton observes that it has a habit of "flitting along in 

 hedges just in advance of the collector ;" but it is also 

 found in oak woods in company with the Purple Hair- 

 streak. 



Eorty were taken in a season in woods near Henfield, 

 Sussex. Other localities are, Underbarrow Moss, West- 

 moreland; North Lancashire, common in some parts ; 



