British Butterfiles Part 18

_Colouring_, same as in the last species (_Agestis_); but on the upper surface, the orange border-spots are often hardly perceptible on the front wing, and there is a distinct _white_ spot in the centre of the front wings. The _under side_ also is precisely like that of Agestis, with the black spots removed from the centre of the white rings, which are thus changed into _large white spots_, as shown in the figure.

There has been a great deal of discussion among entomologists, as to whether this be a distinct _species_, or only a variety of _Agestis_. I believe it to be the latter, but do not attach much importance to the question; and as this b.u.t.terfly is found under the name of _Artaxerxes_, in almost every cabinet, and is rather a famous little insect, I have thought it best to give it a separate heading under its usual t.i.tle, and collecting readers may still label it in their cabinet either as above, or as "_P.

Agestis, var. Artaxerxes_," and probably will be equally right either way.

The popular nature and limited extent of this work will not, however, admit of the subject being entered into scientifically, and I can only here state that I have {162} seen specimens from various parts of the country, that include every intermediate variety between the ordinary _Agestis_ of the south, and the _Artaxerxes_ of Scotland. The Durham Argus, formerly called _P. Salmacis_, forms one of these gradations.

Against the idea of _Agestis_ and _Artaxerxes_ being one species, it has been objected, that the former is double, the latter single brooded. What of that? Plenty of species that are double-brooded in the south of Europe are well known to become single-brooded in a more northern situation.

The _caterpillar_ is said to be exactly like that of _Agestis_. It feeds on _Helianthemum vulgare_ (Rock Cistus).

The _b.u.t.terfly_ is found in July and August in several parts of Scotland, and the north of England. Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, has been long noted for producing it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: XIV.]

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THE SKIPPERS. (Family--_Hesperidae_.)

These curious little b.u.t.terflies form a very natural group; in many respects, both of structure and habits, approaching the moths, and therefore placed at the end of the b.u.t.terflies. They are of small size, but robust appearance, and not brightly coloured. Their flight is rapid, but of short continuance, and they seem to _skip_ from flower to flower: hence their name. They are chiefly distinguished scientifically from other b.u.t.terflies by the form of the _antennae_, which are more or less hooked at the tip (see one magnified on Plate II. fig. 14), by the great width of the head, and the distance between the roots of the _antennae_, by their moth-like habit of rolling up leaves for their habitation when caterpillars, and by spinning a _coc.o.o.n_ for the chrysalis. The caterpillars are shaped as in fig. 11, Plate I.; the chrysalides, as in figs. 26 and 27. There are _seven British species_.

THE GRIZZLED SKIPPER. (_Thymele Alveolus._)

(Plate XV. fig. 1.)

The ground colour of this smart little b.u.t.terfly is very dark _brown, or black, with a greenish hue_ over it, and it is sharply marked with squarish spots of _creamy white_. The _fringe_ is also _chequered with_ the same colours. s.e.xes similar in appearance.

The _caterpillar_ feeds on the wild Raspberry, also, it is said, on _Potentilla alba_, and _P. anserina_, and is greenish, with white lines.

The _b.u.t.terfly_ appears in May, and again in August, being double-brooded.

It appears to be common in gra.s.sy wood-openings all over the country, extending also into the south of Scotland.

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THE DINGY SKIPPER. (_Thanaos Tages._)

(Plate XV. fig. 2.)

Certainly a rather "dingy" b.u.t.terfly, its colour being _dull grey brown_, with confused bands of darker brown; near the border _a row of whitish dots_. s.e.xes similar.

The _caterpillar_ (fig. 11, Plate I.) feeds on Bird's-foot Trefoil, and is pale green, with four yellow lines and rows of black dots.

The _chrysalis_ is shown at fig. 27, Plate I.

The _b.u.t.terfly_ comes out in May and August, being double-brooded, and is found on hill-sides, dry banks, old chalk pits, &c. generally throughout the country, though it is less common than the last. It is also met with frequently in Scotland.

[Ill.u.s.tration: XV.]

{165} THE CHEQUERED SKIPPER. (_Steropes Paniscus._)

(Plate XV. fig. 3.)

_s.e.xes similar. Wings chequered with brownish black, and tawny orange above_; beneath, in addition to the above colours, there are on the hind wing several bright spots of pale buff _distinctly outlined_ with dark brown--having a much more ornamental effect than we generally meet with on the under surface in this family--the colouring on that side being usually faint and _blurred_ so as to give a washed-out or wrong-sided appearance.

The _caterpillar_ is brown, striped and "collared" with yellow; head black.

It feeds on the Plantain, also on Dog's-tail Gra.s.s (_Cynosurus cristatus_).

The _b.u.t.terfly_ appears in June, but is very local--being either found plentifully in a place or not at all. It has occurred at Barnwell, and Ashton Wold, Northants; Kettering; Sywell Wood, near Northampton; near Peterborough; Clapham Park Wood, and Luton, Bedfords.h.i.+re; Bourne, Lincolns.h.i.+re; Monks Wood, Hunts; White Wood; Gamlingay, Cambridges.h.i.+re; Stowmarket; Milton; Rockingham Forest; Dartmoor; Netley Abbey; Charlbury, near Enstone, Oxon.

THE LULWORTH SKIPPER. (_Pamphila Actaeon._)

(Plate XV. fig. 4, Male; 4 _a_, Female.)

This plainly-coloured little b.u.t.terfly, prized by collectors for its rarity, has, in the male s.e.x, great general resemblance to that of the next species--the common _P. Linea_--but _Actaeon_ may be distinguished by having the wings clouded over nearly the whole surface with {166} dull brown, having something of a greenish cast. The _female_ is, however, very different from that of _Linea_, having all the wings of uniform dingy brown, excepting a crescent-shaped row of tawny spots near the tip of the front wing, and a more or less distinct streak of the same colour near the centre.

The male _Actaeon_ is further distinguished from the female by the possession of a blackish streak near the centre of his front wing.

_Beneath_, the wings are clouded obscurely with tawny yellow and a dingy brownish tint, the yellow tinge predominating in the male.

The _caterpillar_ is unknown.

The _b.u.t.terfly_ appears in July and August, but is so extremely limited in its local range that it is only to be met with, so far as is known, in three spots--all on the same line of coast--viz. Lulworth Cove, Dorsets.h.i.+re; the "Burning Cliff," about five miles nearer Weymouth along the coast; and at Sidmouth, Devons.h.i.+re. At the present time I believe the "Burning Cliff" is the locality where the insect is found in the greatest plenty. It is to be looked for on the rough broken ground covered with weeds that slopes down to the sh.o.r.e on this coast.

Mr. Humphreys states that in 1835 he saw it in great abundance at Shenstone, near Lichfield.

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THE SMALL SKIPPER. (_Pamphila Linea._)

(Plate XV. fig. 5, Male; 5 _a_, Female.)

Upper side, _uniform orange tawny colour_, shaded into brown at the borders. The _male_ (fig. 5) has an oblique blackish line near the centre of the front wing; this is absent in the female (fig. 5 _a_). The males of this b.u.t.terfly very much resemble those of the last rare species (_Actaeon_), but they may be distinguished by the middle part of the upper wing not being clouded with brown, as it is in _Actaeon_. Under side, two shades of tawny colour, but _not spotted_.

The _caterpillar_ is green, with four white lines, and feeds on gra.s.ses.

The _b.u.t.terfly_ appears in July, and is very common and widely distributed.

THE LARGE SKIPPER. (_Pamphila Sylva.n.u.s._)