﻿m. — A new european LYCAENA 

 Plèbe jus Argus (Jlrgyro gnomon) & Aegus, sp. nov. 



By T. A. Chapman, M. D. 



M. Oberthùr sent me spécimens of some half dozen local races 

 of Plebeius Argus {Ar gyro gnomon) expressing his belief that 

 they were not ail one species and askmg me to investigate 

 whether any light could be thrown on the question by an exa- 

 mination of the génital appendages, androconia, etc. 



This I hâve donc, mounting the appendages of some half a 

 gross of examples, of M. Oberthùr's spécimens and of others, 

 and using also the préparations I had by me. I hâve to thank 

 Messrs. Bethune-Baker, H. J. Turner, A. H. Jones and other 

 friends for various spécimens. 



The resulting conclusion I arrive at, so far as this particular 

 enquiry goes, is that there are in his examples two very distinct 

 species, one a species new to the European list and from a very 

 restricted habitat, the others are local races of Argus. I call 

 this species Argus as that is the name adopted in the Lépidop- 

 térologie comparée. Otherwise I should call it Ar gyro gnomon, 

 calling the species so long associated and confounded with it 

 Aegon. One of thèse two should be called Argus, but till our 

 authorities are agreed as to which it is, the only way to avoid 

 confusion is to drop Argus and use names, though one of them 

 must be wrong, that are free from ambiguity. This is no dis- 

 loyalty to the law of priority, which I strenuously uphold, and 



