LEPIDOPTEROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE FOLKESTONE DOWNS. 227 



blue wings with red marginal spots ; the same form, but with darker 

 ground colour, so that the blue is less assertive, with pale blue arches 

 above the orange lunules of the hindwings, and pale spots to complete 

 the usual row of orange lunules near the apex of the forewings ; the 

 blue-tinged form with pale discoidal spots, and pale arches on hind- 

 wings, and pale discoidal spots ; the dark form with more purple-blue, 

 but limited to the basal and median areas of the wings, as well as 

 entirely brown with orange marginal lunules, except for a very faint 

 tinge of blue at base ; whilst, of the underside forms — ab. icannus, ab. 

 semi-icarinus, and ab. subarcnata, were recognised. But Afjriades thetis 

 {hellanius) was, perhaps, the most interesting species, as it certainly was 

 the most abundant. The specimens were mostly freshly-emerged, the 

 J s showing distinctly the brilliant sky-blue of the form adonis, and 

 the more purple-blue of the form bellmujus, and, as they hung from the 

 thyme- or Centaurea-h\o^s,om. with their wings thrown back in the sun, 

 or chased the P. icarus, looking in comparison, beautiful giants, or 

 stood with the wrings almost closed, turning the hindwings alternately 

 wheel-like, they were very beautiful objects. Many examples, too, were 

 of the ab. puncta, with well-developed marginal spots on the upperside of 

 the hindwings. The ? s were of dark ground colour, rarely of the brown 

 form so much more common in the second-brood in hot summers, and 

 most were well-scaled with blue, although none of those overhauled 

 were at all extreme in form ; the orange-red lunules of some were very 

 bright, and examples with the discoidal lunules of the forewings ringed 

 with blue or white were also noticed. As the afternoon sun set 

 on the slopes, the blue butterflies took up their normal position of rest, 

 both species sitting head downwards on the grass culms or stems of 

 Centanrea. The only other species observed were Pyraweis atalanta, 

 which was newly out, and seemed to choose the hawthorn bushes on 

 which to sun, and show off its brilliant colours, and two worn 

 examples of Melanargia <jalathea, an exceedingly late date it seemed 

 to me even for worn specimens. Not a single Af/riailcs coridun was 

 observed, and a single newly -emerged, but small, specimen of Aricia 

 astrarche closes the list of species noticed. The next morning was 

 also fine, and a stroll over much the same ground disclosed no other 

 species, although a few almost full-grown larvfe of Macrothylacia rubi 

 were picked up. No fewer than five collectors were noted passing 

 over the ground in about an hour, and some parts of the herbage 

 looked as if an army might have been encamped there. It is rare 

 that one sees any scientific or other observations made by entomo- 

 logists who work the ground, but this would appear to be no proof 

 that the insects are not very closely hunted in this well-known locality. 



Anthrocera exulans ab. pulchra, Tutt. 



By p. a. H. MUSCHAMP, F.E.S. 

 I have taken a specimen of this beautiful insect which may be 

 described as follows : — 



Alar, expans. 34mm. Legs yellow. Thorax thinly covered with ochreous 

 scales. Ochreous collar. Abdomen black. Anterior wings with bright orange- 

 yellow costal edge. Orange-yellow subcostal nervure divided into two branches at 

 the beginning of cell, the upper one again divided into three yellow branches near 

 apex, and the lower one terminating in the centre of the wing. Orange-yellow 

 nervure x. The whole of the wing-area is blotched together into a field of red 



