6 4 
SATYRIDAE 
Haunts and Distribution. The chief haunts of this butterfly 
are rough stony hills, rocky ground, heaths, sand dunes and 
downs. It is generally but locally distributed throughout 
England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, but appears missing 
from the Scottish Islands. Except for the Polar regions, its 
range abroad extends throughout Europe, Northern and 
Western Asia and North Africa. 
Time of Appearance. The Grayling is single-brooded, 
appearing on the wing in July, August, and early September. 
Hibernation. This species passes the winter in the larval 
state after its second moult, but its hibernation is only partial, 
as it feeds at times during the winter when it is mild, both 
by day and night, only remaining torpid during cold weather. 
Egg Laying and Egg. The eggs are laid singly on various 
grasses. Among those usually selected are the Barren Fescue 
Grass, the Sheep’s Fescue Grass, the Early Hair Grass, and 
the Tufted Hair Grass. The larvae will also feed on the 
Annual Meadow Grass, Couch Grass and other kinds. 
The egg is 0*80 mm. high, of an ovate spheroid shape, with 
about twenty-eight longitudinal ribs, which are united and 
reticulated on the crown, the base being rounded and finely 
granulated. The colour is milk-white, and turns a pale lilac- 
grey before hatching. The young larva emerges from the 
egg by eating away part of the side of the shell. The egg 
stage lasts about seventeen days. 
Larva. The larva attains full growth after the fourth 
moult. When fully grown it measures from 28 mm. to 31 mm. 
The head is much smaller than the first segment, the body is 
attenuated, mostly so posteriorly, where it terminates in a 
pair of sharp points. The general colouring is pale-yellow 
inclining to a lemon hue. It has five longitudinal stripes of 
a pale drab colour each reticulated with wavy black lines. 
The spiracular band is pale ochreous, bordered above by 
wavy coppery-coloured streaks, and blackish specks in places 
forming short streaks . ; The two colours produce an irregular 
mottled line. Below the band is outlined with blackish specks. 
The spiracles are dark brown. The ventral surface, including 
the legs and claspers, is dull ochreous-grey. The spaces 
between the stripes are striated with .claret-red. The entire 
surface of the body is densely covered with extremely minute 
