BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



rare occurrence. It is on the wing during a great part of 

 Summer, egg-laying taking place in August. Grass- 

 blades or stems are chosen to receive the dull-coloured 

 egg8, but, soon after hatching, the young larva^ go into 

 hibernation until the succeeding Spring, when they 

 commence to feed upon various kinds of grasses. 

 Although the larva has pleasing markings, it is not 

 attractive in colour, and the pupa is deep chestnut. 

 It appears to pupate beneath the ground. The general 

 colouration of the imago may be described as light and 

 dark brown and black, with deckled edges to the wings, 

 and light yellow bands. There are two black spots 

 with white centres on the forewings, and one on each of 

 the hind wings. The under surface of the latter is 

 mottled with greyish and white, whilst the forewings 

 are ochreous, with an orange tinge. It is admirably 

 protected when it alights on the ground, and has the 

 habit of falling on one side to make the illusion more 

 complete. 



td Wooci 



Fi^r 



OpacKle-a wooa Fict; 



Speckled Wood. — {Pararge egeria.) Whilst I have 

 mostly watched the Grayling Butterfly in some numbers 

 in the grassy fields and waysides bordering the sea at 

 ^\■hitstable in Kent, the present species (Fig. 5) has more 



