60 THE SCOTCH ARGUS. 



of their history — ^where they lay their eggs^ on what the larva feeds, and 

 where the inactive chrysalis passes the long, cold months of winter, are all a 

 mystery; and yet every year, as the month of June comes round, the little 

 dark Buttei-flies make their appearance, and are in great demand among 

 entomologists, at home, as well as abroad, where the species has never been 

 seen alive. 



The discovery of the caterpillar and chrysalis is a point much to be desired 

 by lepidopterists, but every attempt to attain it has, hitherto, proved unavailing; 

 and there is much diversity of opinion as to the rank which the Butterfly 

 ought to hold among its congeners; the Durham Argus, {P. Salmacis,) found 

 at Castle Eden Dean, appearing to connect it with the Polyommatus Agestis, 

 or Brown Argus, of the southern counties, of which some people, therefore, 

 consider it as merely a variety; while others, with more appearance of truth, 

 hold it to be a distinct species. The discovery of the caterpillars of each 

 will probably alone solve the difficulty; or, the occurrence of either in the 

 district inhabited by the other, would go far to prove them distinct, as the 

 advocates of the variety theory gi'ound it on difference of soil and latitude, 

 affecting and modifying the characters of the insect. 



As we cannot solve the question, however, merely by reasoning about it, 

 let us turn our attention again to the little insects before us, and observe 

 their peculiarities of habit, if they have any. On Arthur's Seat, they are 

 chiefly found on the south side, at, or near, the base of the hill, and seem 

 very partial to the patches of gorse which occur here and there on the banks; 

 not apparently, however, that the Ulex has any particular attraction for them, 

 but because the grasses grow there more luxuriantly than elsewhere, and they 

 have more shelter than on the barer portions of the hill. They generally 

 make their appearance, in ordinary seasons, about the first week in June. 

 In very early seasons, they have been seen even in the end of May; and in 

 backward seasons, sometimes not till the end of June, or beginning of July. 



Let us now revisit their haunts as the shades of evening are beginning to 

 fall. The last rays of the setting sun are tinting the western clouds. 

 Sericoris Ccesjntana is getting active on the banks. Deilcpliila PorceUus, the 

 small Elephant Hawk Moth, glances at our feet for an instant, with his rosy 

 hue, and quick, humming wings. The CramU are flitting about where we 

 saw the Polyommati in the heat of the day; and resting on the culms and 

 pannicles of the gi-asses, with their wings closed, in a state of perfect repose, 

 showing, to excellent advantage, the beautiful white and brick- coloured spots, 

 on the pale brown or fawn-coloured ground, are the said Polyommati; where 

 they will remain, unless shaken off by the wind, in a state approaching to 

 torpidity, until warmed into life again by the morning sun; when they will 

 start, move their antennae up and down, advance a step or two, open their 

 wings to the sun, and, after basking for a few seconds, launch forth again 

 to sip the nectar of the fresh opened flowers. 



Now a word or two on the localities in which this Butterfly has been found. 



