PURPLE HAIR-STREAK. 213 



versed by a continuous undulating white streak, 

 edged with brown anteriorly ; beyond this there is a 

 double series of faint whitish crescents, with a few 

 dusky dots on the primary wings, and the secondary 

 pair are ornamented with two fulvous spots, one on 

 the anal angle, and the other forming an ocellus with 

 a yellow iris and a black pupil. 



The caterpillar, which invariably feeds on the oak, 

 is of a greyish-brown colour, with a dark brown head ; 

 the incisures and a row of dots along the back yellow. 



The most common species of Thecla in this island, 

 especially in the southern districts of England, where 

 it may be found abundantly in every oak wood. It 

 extends northwards in considerable plenty as far as 

 Newcastle, in the neighbourhood of which, Mr Wadles 

 informs us that it is far from uncommon. Beyond 

 that locality, however, it seems to become scarce, 

 and in Scotland it may be regarded as a rare species. 

 The only Scotch examples that we have seen were 

 from Roxburghshire, and the oak woods in the vi- 

 cinity of Inverary in Argyllshire. 



