no LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



The Butterfly called Folyommatus alco7i by Stephens is con- 

 sidered to be only a variety of N arion, and not the Continental 

 species described below. The specimen, which is stated to have 

 been taken in Buckinghamshire, is said to have been nearly im- 

 maculate above, and to have measured an inch and a half 

 across ;he wings. " Beneath brownish-ash, the anterior [wings] 

 with ocellated black dots as in the preceding, and a series 

 towards the hinder-margin, which has not the lunulated spots as 

 in F. arion ; the posterior wings also bear ocelli, as in the last- 

 named insect, and a series behind, but the hinder margin is 

 nearly immaculate. The female is nearly all brown above, 

 with some obsolete dots, but resembles the male beneath." 



THE ALCON BLUE. NOMIADES ALCON. 



^Plate XL VII. Figs. 3, 4.) 



Fapilio alcofi, Denis & Schiffermiiller, Syst. Verz. Schmett. 



Wien, p. 182, no. 4 (1776); Fabr. Mant. Ins. ii. p. 72, 



no. 683 {1787); Hiibner, Europ. Schmett. i. figs. 263- 



265 (1803 ?). 

 Fapilio areas, Esper (nee. Von Rottemburg), Schmett. i. (i) 



p. 338, pl. 34, figs. 4,5(1778?). 

 Folyommatus alcon, Godart, Enc. Meth. ix. p. 699, no. 236 



(1823); Duncan, Brit. Butterflies, p. 234, pi. 32, fig. 2 



(1835); Kirby, Eur. Butterflies and Moths, p. 45 (1879). 

 LyccBna akon, Lang, Eur. Butterflies, p. 132, pi. 32, fig. 3 



(1882). 

 As we have mentioned above, the present species was in- 

 cluded in the British lists on the strength of a specimen which 

 was suspected, even at the time it was described as A^ akon, to 

 be only a variety of N. arion. It is a rather scarce and local 

 species on the Continent, and I have occasionally taken it on 

 heaths in Northern Germany, where no other species of the 

 group of N. arion were to be met with. 



