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naturally perished for want of their proper nidus ; and this laud- 

 able experiment of course failed. The same accurate and patient 

 observer, however, subsequently arrived at the belief that the insect 

 preferred the Helianthemum vulgare, which grows luxuriantly on the 

 south side of the hill, remarking, that while the Ulecc europeeus 

 abounded all over the hill, the butterfly did not, but was confined to 

 the south, and only where the Helianthemum grew, frequently indeed 

 in conjunction with the Ulex. This inference has since proved cor- 

 rect. So lately as 1851, Mr Logan, in an article in the Naturalist 

 for March in that year, after describing the P. Artaxerxes as they 

 may be seen gaily flitting over the banks of Arthur's Seat in the 

 sunshine, or resting on the tall culms of grass and other plants while 

 quiescent, remarks : '* Strange to tell, no one knows anything of 

 their history ; where they lay their eggs, or what the larva feeds 

 on, and where the inactive chrysalid passes the long, cold months of 

 winter, are all in mystery ;" and adds, " the discovery of the cater- 

 pillar and chrysalis is a point much to be desired." Struck with 

 these remarks, published too just before the insect might be expected 

 to make its accustomed annual appearance, I determined to go to Ar- 

 thur's Seat for the express object of finding this long looked-for chry- 

 salis. I spent several hours diligently examining the stems of different 

 plants, particularly the JJlex europcBus and the Helianthemum vul- 

 gare ; the latter of which I frequently tore up bodily, and examined 

 piecemeal. I did this in the belief that all the Polyommati attached 

 their chrysalids to the stems of plants, as is indeed the usual habit of 

 this genus, and was ignorant that any of them burrowed in the ground. 

 My time and patience being nearly exhausted, I now began to dig in 

 the loose earth which lies beneath the bushes of furze, the shade of 

 which precludes anything from growing beneath them. Here I was 

 also unsuccessful, but seeing some tufts of Helianthemum overhang- 

 ing some barren patches of earth, I continued my examination there 

 also, and almost immediately found several chrysalids, the appearance 

 of which left me no doubt that they were those of P. Artaxerxes, The 

 day was now declining, and I was anxious to show my acquisitions to 

 Mr Logan, to whose house I immediately repaired. That gentleman 

 showed the greatest interest in the discovery, and, like myself, ex- 

 pressed his surprise that one of the genus Polyommatus should bury 

 its chrysalis in the ground instead of attaching it to the stem of a 

 plant. He further requested me to place the chrysalids in his keep- 



