304 LYCAENA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 



ulaina. L. alaina Styr. (= muzaffar (ir.-Grsh.). Kather small; the underside uniformly light dust-grey with 



but slightly contrasting ocelli, in the anal area of the hindwing at the outer margin with very weak red- 

 yellow spots. Htrongly recalls on both sides Evercs polfisperclion, but is at once recognized by the absence 

 of the Everes-tiul. In the possession of some metallic green scales in the anal area of the hindwing 

 beneath this form approaches a little the argiis-argyrognomon group. — In the Altai and the Peter-the- 

 Great chain, at 12 000 ft., in June. 



sieversi. L. sieversi Christ. (= mirza Stgr.) (79 a). Characterized by the discocellular spot of the forewing 



beneath showing strongly above in the (J,^, agreeing in this respect with hyrcana, which it also resembles 

 in the uniformly ashy grey ground-colour of the underside and the development of the markings. The 

 hindwing beneath has in the anal area some more distinct black spots, one of which bears metallic scales, 

 which are sometimes visible only under a lens. In the Pamir and in Persi>>, in mountainous districts. — 

 /if((;ti-iuu(cr(. haberhaueri Sfgr. (79 a) is considerably larger, sometimes twice the size, otherwise similar; from Turkestan. — 

 sieversi was found in spring, haherhaueri in July. 



hyrcana. L. hyrcana Led. (79 a). Above somewhat recalling baton, also in the shape of the wings, with 



distinct discocellular spot. Much smaller than the preceding species, especially than its large form (haberhaueri) . 

 The underside well characterized by several metallic glossy spots in the anal area of the hindwing. — 

 In Persia and the Achal-Tekke country; in June, plentiful; the butterfly is not shy, settles on the 

 stalks of Artemisia and when disturbed sometimes falls to the ground. 



hellona. L. bellona (Ir.-Grsh. A small Initterfly. whose ^ is deep dark blue above; recognized by the absence 



of all metallic spots on the underside of the hindwing; the hindwing bears, however, small orange spots 

 before the outer margin. — On the Kondara E. (Pamir), found above 10 000 ft. 



alcedo. L. alcedo Christ. (79 a). ,^ at once recognized by the broad black margin of the forewing occupy- 



ing nearly one-third of the wing, and by the dark discocellular spot. 5 above uniformly' brown. Beneath 

 dirty grey brown, the ocelli of the discal row on the forewing very large and conspicuous, the small 

 shadowy submarginal spots feebly bordered with white and arranged in a very regular row, so that they 

 form a kind of second chain of paler ocelli before the distal mai-gin, there being beyond this chain more- 

 over a row of feeble marginal dots. Hindwing beneath with yellowish red marginal spots, behind which 

 there are metallic blue-green glossy spots in the anal area. — In Persia, in July; not a fast flier, but 

 is shy and occurs only in pairs, not in numbers (Christoph). 



optilete. L. optilete Knoch (79 b). This species is quite out of place in the present group of Lycaena in 



characters as well as habits, and would be much better placed in a later group than here where it stands 

 in Staudingeb-Kebel's Catalogue. Both wings very broad and their outer margins strongly rounded. 

 (J above very dull dark violet-blue, sometimes with a broader black margin, sometimes without black 

 margin. In the 9 only the basal half of the upperside is dusted with glossy blue scales. Underside dirty 

 dust-grey, the ocelli very large, often distorted; only the anal area of the hindwing beneath bears orange 

 spots before the margin, from which they are separated by two large roimd dots with metallic centres. 

 More in the North, in Central and North Europe as far as Scandinavia and the Baltic provinces, sporadic, 

 on moors, also in the Alps in damp larch-woods, locally abundant. — Now and again the species appears 

 in a smaller form, especially in the high Alps (Valais, Engadine), in Lapland, North Einland, and North 

 cyparissus. Siberia. This is cyparissus Hhn. (79 b). Its underside is purer dust -grey, the black spots are smaller, 

 more compact, sharper, more regularly arranged, less distorted or widened; the anal red of the hindwing 

 beneath is usually reduced to one or 2 sharply defined spots, not being smear-like or dull as in true 



sibirica. optilete. — The two forms are connected not only by the specimens from the Amur — sibirica Stgr. — , 

 but also by transitions frequently found in West Siberia and Europe and sometimes approaching the one 

 form and sometimes the other. The alpine specimens — cyparissus — cannot be separated from the north- 

 ern ones, as optilete also flies in the Alps and cyparissus in the North. However, the individuals from 

 the High Alps and the High North appear to incline more towards cyparissus, while the form flying on 

 the Sphagnum-swamps of the warmer plains — particularly in North Germany — is the most normal opti- 

 uralensis. Ute. — In the Ural there flies a form with the ground-colour beneath black-grey; this is uralensis Courv. 



mdiala ^' ^^ — '^'^' subtusradiata Farre are specimens in which the distortion of the ocelli has led to 

 the appearance of rays. — Larva pale green, densely clothed with minute silky reddish yellow hair, 

 and adorned with a light-yellow black-bordered lateral stripe; until June on Vaccinium myrtillus. Pupa 

 rounded, obtuse, anteriorly dotted with small yellowish red hairs, green with yellow abdominal segments. 

 The butterflies from the end of June towards September, locally plentiful, on moors, also in woods of 

 high trees, where it is usually the only Blue found. The butterflies occur there mostly on more open 

 places where there is a bush in the centre from which the ^^ make short excursions. In the Alps often 

 at small rills, here sometimes in large numbers (Zermatt, Eiffelhaus) and often in company with other 

 Lycaenas. In consequence of the broad wings the flight is a little different from that of other Blues, 



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