No colouring can imitate the richness of the silvery spots on the under wings, which appear embossed, or as if solid drops of silver had fallen on the insect when it first emerged into life. The two sexes are perfectly similar.
The insects of this genus are usually brown, with dark or paler shadings, and eye-like spots on their upper or under wings. They principally inhabit the woods of tropical regions, and the hedge sides and lanes of European countries; this circumstance probably induced Latreille to change their name from Hipparchia (Fabricius) to Satyrus; which, although an innovation on the rules of nomenclature, may in this instance be allowed.
