THE GATEKEEPER. 1 29 



The egg (Plate 86) is pale yellowish when first laid, becoming 

 lighter and irregularly blotched with reddish-brown, the upper 

 blotches forming a sort of band round the egg ; as the cater- 

 pillar matures the shell assumes a darker tinge, inclining to 

 slaty, and the markings are less distinct. 



The caterpillar, when full grown, is pale ochreous, clothed 

 with short pale hair, and freckled with brownish ; the line down 

 the back is darker, one on each side is paler, and that above the 

 feet is yellowish. The head is rather darker than the body, 

 marked with brownish, and bristly. 



According to Hellins, the newly hatched caterpillar is whitish- 

 grey, with rusty yellow lines on the back. In October, after the 

 first moult, it becomes green with a brownish head. In April 

 the body is greenish-grey, and the head pale greenish-brown. 

 At the end of April it moults for the last time, and is then pale 

 ochreous generally, but some caterpillars are darker than this, 

 and some paler with a greenish-grey tinge. 



The chrysalis is whitish-ochreous, with dark brown streaks on 

 the wing-covers and some brownish spots and clouds on the 

 back and sides. Suspended from stem or blade of grass ; the 

 old skin remains attached. 



The caterpillars feed at night on grasses, such as Poa annua, 

 Triticum repens, and Dactylis glomerata, from September to 

 June. The butterfly is on the wing in July and August. 

 Although these butterflies may be seen, sometimes in consider- 

 able numbers, where the rides are grassy, in woods, they are 

 perhaps more attached to hedgerows. Bramble flowers are 

 their special attraction, but they are not indifferent to the 

 blossoms of the wood sage (Teucrium scorodonia) or of 

 marjoram {Origanum vulgar e). 



Pretty generally distributed throughout England, it is often 

 exceedingly plentiful in the south and also in South Wales. In 

 Scotland the butterfly seems to be common in Kircudbright- 

 shire, but not common in other southern counties up to Argyle 



