THE YOUNG 



NATURALIST. 



Variation. — Like others of the genus, 

 Betulce is remarkably constant to the type. 

 One variety only is figured in Mosley's 

 Illustrations, from a specimen in the cabinet 

 of Mr. Bond, and which that gentlemen 

 thinks may be a hybrid between the present 

 species and Quercus. One form is named 

 in Kirby's catalogue, Spinosa, Gerh., but I 

 know nothing of it. 



Note. — Kirby places this species and 

 Quercus under the Genus Zephyrus, Dalm. 

 — Dipsar, West. But Westwood and E. 

 Doubleday, who defined this genus, did not 

 include them in it, but in Thecla, pointing 

 out, however, certain slight differences in 

 these two species. As I do not presume to 

 decide disputed points, I place both species 

 when I find them in our English lists, 

 though it is probable they will eventually 

 be removed from it. 



Family V., Hesperiidse, Lea. 



" Hesperiid^e, Lea., Hesperiida, the family 

 of which the genus Hesperia is the type. 



As I have already spoken twice on the 

 position of this family (See Vol. I. p. 

 Vol. II. p. 238), I need not now enlarge upon 

 it. The Hesperiida are a large group 

 numbering over fifty genera.and perhaps more 

 than fifteen hundred species. Considerably 

 more than half of them are natives of 

 Tropical America. The Butterflies always 

 have four branches to the precostal vein of 

 the fore wings. The legs are all perfect in 

 both sexes, and the middle pair have " a 

 pair of spurs in the middle of the hind 

 tibiae, which are not found in any other 

 butterflies." They fly in the hottest sun- 

 shine, and from their peculiar jerking flight 

 have well been called " skippers." The 

 pupa is always suspended by the tail, and 

 has a silk band round the middle ; but it 

 differs from other Butterfly pupae by being 

 generally concealed in a rolled up leaf, after 

 the manner of many Hetevocera. The larva is 

 rather long, cylindrical, not spiny, has a 



large head and generally conceals itself in 

 rolled up leaves. In many of their habits 

 and charactistics they are more closely allied 

 with the Heterocera or Moths than any 

 other group ; and whatever other difference 

 there may have been in arrangement I 

 believe all writers have agreed in placing 

 the " Skippers " last. 



Three genera are represented in Britain, 

 which may be thus recognised. 



I. — Black, with white spots. Genus I. — 

 Syricthus. 



II. — Greyish brown, with darker spots. 

 Genus II. — Nisoniades. 



III. — Yellowish brown, with darker mark- 

 ings. Genus III.— Hesperia. 



These genera have had various names 

 given to them, but I use those most adopted 

 in this country. 



Genus I., Syrichthus, Bdv. 



This genus which is called Thymele by 

 Stainton and Hesperia by Kirby contains 

 over sixty species, of which all that I know 

 are black with white spots. About fifteen 

 of them are European, but only one British. 



MALVZE, Linn., -| 

 ALVEOLUS, Hub.;/ Pl ^ fi * 2 ' 



The Grizzled Shipper. 



"Alveolus, Hub., Alveolus, a chess-board, 

 • the image being blackish, chequered with 

 somewhat square, creamy- white spots,' 

 (Sta.)"— A.L. 



Imago.— PI. 26, fig. 2. Greenish black, 

 with a number of rather square white spots. 



Larva. — Pale green with faintly darker 

 lines ; head dark brown. 



Pupa. — "Dull white spottted with 

 block. ' ' — Newman. 



Food Plants. — Bramble and rasp- 

 bery (Rubus fruticosus and idceus). 



Times of Appearance.— The but- 

 terfly appears about the end of May and 

 continues until June. The larvae emerge by 



