348 
HESPERIDM. 
Imago. — Club of the antennse fusiform and hooked. Palpi 
separated, hairy, the last joint slender and prominent. The head 
as large as the thorax, which is thick. Abdomen reaching as far as 
the border of the hind wings. Wings entire, more or less rounded ; 
fringes not chequered with black. The colour of the wings is very 
sombre, at least in the two species found in Europe. About forty 
more species are known, the genus being distributed widely over 
the earth, but principally found in the tropics ; several species 
inhabit the American States, and two or three South Africa. 
1. — N. Tages, L. Syst. Nat. x. 485 ; Faun, Suec. 286 ; Esp. 23, 
3 ; Hiib. 456-7 ; 0. i. 2, 214. 
Expands from 1 to 1*25 in. Fore wings with the discal 
portion grey ; near the costa is a large dark brown spot and another 
near the inner margin ; there is a submargiual dark brown band, 
and a marginal band of a still darker colour, having whitish dots. 
This pattern is most marked in the male ; in the female it is less 
distinct and paler. Hind wings dark brown, with a darker 
marginal band, on which are dots similar to those on the fore 
wings, and often some pale spots on the discal portion. Under 
side almost uniform brown, lighter than above. Fringes of all the 
wings brown, and without spots. PI. LXXXI., 7. 
Times of Appeaeance. — April and August. 
Habitat. — Dry places throughout Europe, excepting the Polar 
Kegion. It also occurs in Western Asia and the Amur. It is a 
common British species (the Dingy Skipper), and is chiefly found 
on chalk hills and heaths. Larva tapering towards the extremities, 
bright green, with a yellow lateral stripe, and a second obscure 
line above the spiracles. Head brown. Feeds on Lotus cornicu- 
latus in May and September. Pupa green, tinged with red on the 
dorsal surface. PI. LXXX., 3. 
VARIETIES, 
a. Unicolor, Err. 505, 1, vi. p. 37 ; Stgr. Hor. 1870, p. 86. — 
A variety occurring in Greece and Western Asia, in which the 
wings above are uniform brown without any markings. 
