THE COMMON SKIPPERS 



The Grizzled Skipper 



Hesperia centauretz (Hes-pe'ri-a cen-tau're-ae) 



Plate XLV, Fig. 8 



Wings blackish brown conspicuously checkered with white, 



and with the fringe of the wings white interrupted at the ends 



of the veins with the ground color of the wings. This species 



differs from the preceding in the smaller amount of white 



markings ; the white spots in the band just beyond the middle 



of the wing are but little if any broader than high. Expanse 



of wings one and one-fourth inches. 



This pretty species has been taken in widely 

 separated localities : New York, West Virginia, 

 Colorado, Labrador, Norway, and Lapland. 

 Nothing is known regarding its early stages. 



I, who take root and firmly cling, 

 Thought fixedness the only thing; 



Why Nature made the butterflies 

 (Those dreams of wings that float and hover 

 At noon the slumberous poppies over), 



Was something hidden from mine eyes, 



Till once, upon a rock's brown bosom, 

 Bright as a thorny cactus-blossom, 



I saw a butterfly at rest ; 

 Then first of both I felt the beauty ; 

 The airy whim, the grim-set duty 



Each from the other took its best. 



Lowell. 



301 



