116 13IUTISH BUTTERFLIES. 



The caterpillar is said to be exactly like that of 

 Agestis. It feeds on Helianthemum vulgare (Rock 

 Cistus). 



The butterfly is found in July and August in several 

 parts of Scotland, and the north of England. Arthur's 

 Seat, Edinburgh, has been long noted for producing it. 



THE SKIPPEES. (Family Hesperidce.) 



THESE curious little butterflies form a very natural 

 group ; in many respects, both of structure and habits, 

 approaching the moths, and therefore placed at the end 

 of the butterflies. They are of small size, but robust 

 appearance, and not brightly coloured. Their flight is 

 rapid, but of short continuance, and they seem to skip 

 from flower to flower : hence their name. They are 

 chiefly distinguished scientifically from other butterflies 

 by the form of the antennae, which are more or less 

 hooked at the tip (see one magnified on Plate II. 

 fig. 14), by the great width of the head, and the dis- 

 tance between the roots of the antennce, by their moth- 

 like habit of rolling up leaves for their habitation 

 when caterpillars, and by spinning a cocoon for the 

 chrysalis. The caterpillars are shaped as in fig. 11, 

 Plate I. ; the chrysalides, as in figs. 26 and 27. There 

 are seven British species. 



THE GEIZZLED SKIPPER. 

 (Thymele Alveolus.) (Plate XV. fig. 1.) 



THE ground colour of this smart little butterfly is very 

 dark brown, or black, with a greenish hue over it, and it 

 is sharply marked with squarish spots of creamy white. 

 The fringe is also chequered with the same colours. 

 Sexes similar in appearance. 



The caterpillar feeds on the wild Raspberry, also, it 

 is said, on Potentilla alba, and P. anserina, and is 

 greenish, with white lines. 



The butterfly appears in May, and again in August., 



