POLYOMMATUS. 97 



Lyca^na icarus v. karinus, Lang, /. c. p. 117, pi. 25, fig. 5 



(1882). 

 Var. Polyommatus lahieiius, Jermyn, Butterfly - Collector's 



Vade-Mecum, p. 58 (1825). 

 Var. Polyommatus thestylis^ Jermyn, /. c. (1825). 

 Var. Polyominatiis /a 'on, Jermyn, /. ^. (1825^ 

 Var. Polyojiimatus eros, Stephens, /. c. p. 91 (1827). 

 Var. Polyommatus icarius, Stephens, /. c, p. 93 (1827). 



The Common Blue is the most widely-distributed and 

 abundant of all the species of this group throughout Europe 

 and Northern and Western Asia, and varies greatly. There 

 are two or more broods in the year, so that it may be found 

 throughout the fine season. 



It generally expands rather less than an inch and a half, but 

 varies very much in size. The smallest specimen which I 

 have ever seen I took on the beach between Hove and Shore- 

 ham Harbour on July 18, 1865. It was recorded in the 

 "Entomologist's Monthly Magazine" (vol. ii., p. 92), and was 

 a male in excellent condition, measuring only 8^ lines across 

 the wings. Some years afterwards I lent it to a friend who 

 wished to draw it ; but on pressing him for its return, he in- 

 formed me that he had put the box aside and forgotten it, and 

 on opening it, found that the specimen had been destroyed 

 by mites. 



The male is of a lilac-blue, with a narrow black border, and 

 white unspotted fringes. The hairs on the body and at the 

 base of the wings are likewise whitish. The female is brown, 

 more or less blue at the base (sometimes, however, the surface 

 is entirely purplish-blue), and ornamented with a row of 

 fulvous marginal spots, those on the hind-wings bordered 

 below with a row of black spots. On the under side the 

 wings are of a brownish-ash colour, with the base more or less 



10 H 



