THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



353 



Larva — Green, with pale lines; head 

 green. 



Pupa. — "Green, a pointed head case, 

 and very sharply tapered towards the tail." 

 Food Plants. — Various grasses. 



Times of Appearance— The butter- 

 fly appears on the wing in July; the egg 

 is laid on the food plant, and the larva 

 hybernates quite small, feeding up in the 

 spring, and assuming the pupa state in June. 



Habitat. — Generally distributed in 

 England, but is most abundant in the south. 

 I am not aware that it has occurred in 

 either Durham or Northumberland, nor 

 that it has been taken in Scotland. Mr. 

 Birchall found it in more than one locality 

 in Ireland, where it probably only needs to 

 be looked for. It is widely spread over 

 Europe, reaching Sweden. It is found in 

 Asia Minor, Persia, &c, and also in North 

 Africa. 



Variation. — Exceedingly constant to 

 type. Pale varieties occur, but rarely. A 

 male of the pale type is figured in Mosley's 

 " Illustrations,'' and Mr. Bond has the 

 same form in both sexes, as have other 

 collectors. It should be observed that there 

 is no change in the markings in these 

 specimens. 



Note. — This species was first described 

 by Hufnagel in 1766 by the name olThaumas, 

 which name should be adopted. 



SYLVANUS, PI. 26, fig. 5. 

 Orange Shipper. 

 " Svlvanus, F.,Sylva'?ius, found in woods." 

 — A.L. 



Imago.— PI. 26, fig. 5. Rich fulvous, 

 darker at the hind margin. The darker 

 shade sometimes spreads further over the 

 wing, leaving fulvous spots as in in Comma. 

 A dark line across the fore wing in the male. 

 Underside paler, with indistinct pale spots. 



Larva. — " Dull green, with darker dor- 

 sal line dotted with black; head brown; 



beneath, on the tenth and eleventh segments, 

 are snow-white transverse spots." — Zeller 

 quoted by Stainton. 



Pupa. — I know of no description. 



Food Plant. — Grasses. Meadow soft 

 grass (Holcus lanatus). 



Times of Appearance.— This but- 

 terfly appears to be double brooded. I have 

 no knowledge of it myself, but most of 

 writers give May and August as the times 

 of its appearance on the wing. Owen Wil- 

 son says June, July and August, and it is so 

 common a species that there should not be 

 a doubt about it, yet Mr. Wilson's is the 

 latest publication on the subject. What is 

 the experience of others ? 



Habitat. —Widely distributed, and 

 common in England, but scarcer in the 

 north. I have never met with it in my 

 county, Durham, though I have a specimen 

 taken in Crimdon Dene. Castle Eden Dene 

 and the neighbourhood of Darlington are 

 also quoted. In Northumberland I believe 

 it is unknown. It occurs both in Scotland 

 and Ireland. It is found all over Europe 

 except the extreme north, and in Western 

 and Northern Asia, &c. 



Variation. — This butterfly varies a 

 little in hue, and in the extent or clearness 

 of the paler markings, but is still very con- 

 stant to the type. A fine variety is figured 

 in Mosley's "Illustrations." It has the 

 wings orange yellow, paler towards the 

 hind margin, which is dark brown ; there 

 is also a dark brown spot on the costa near 

 the tip. 



COMMA, PI. 28, fig. 1. 

 The Silver Spotted Skipper. 

 "Comma, L., Com ma, on account of the 

 mark on the fore wings." — A.L. 



Imago.— PI. 28, fig. 1. Fulvous very 

 much clouded with greenish brown towards 

 the hind margin. A wavy row of obscured 

 paler spots on both wings. A black streak 

 on the fore wings of the male. Underside 



