LYCANID. POLYOMMATUS. 205 
the fourth subcostal nervule [terminal portion of subcostal nervure] and terminating at the 
submedian nervure, two submarginal (the innermost broadest), and the outer margin narrowly 
pale fuscous:—Aindwing crossed from the base to beyond the middle with about eight linear 
fascize as on the forewing (more or less fused and broken), followed by a distinct and some- 
what broad greyish fascia, and with two submarginal linear brownish fascize ; two large mar- 
ginal spots containing a few scattered greenish [metallic] scales, and inwardly margined with 
pale reddish-ochraceous, separated by the first median nervule; the outer margin narrowly 
fuscous, Cilia of both wings pale brownish, the tips greyish-white. Body above more or less 
concolorous with the wings, beneath greyish-white. Zegs greyishewhite, more or less streaked 
with brownish, FEMALE. UPPFRSIDE, both wings pale brownish, Forewing with a discal 
bluish patch. Aéndwing with [the base irrorated with iridescent blue], two outer greyish sub- 
marginal fasciz, the intermost broadest ; black anal angular spots as in the male, distinctly 
margined with greyish. UNDERSIDE, oth wings as in the male.” (Distant, 1. c.) 
Larva when full-grown measures %6 of an inch in length ; pale dull green throughout, 
slightly shagreened, but not hairy, except slightly so at the sides ; the small retractile head smooth, 
ochreous pale brown, shining; a dorsal line of a somewhat darker green than the ground, no 
other markings whatever, altogether a very plain looking creature. The constrictions at the 
segments shallow, the spiracles black but inconspicuous, the usual extensile organs on the twelfth 
segment very short. Larva feeds on the yellow pea-like flowers and on the pods of Crotalaria 
striata, D. C.,in Calcutta. Dr. A. Forel of Geneva has identified the three species of ants’ 
which I have found attending this larva in Calcutta as Camponotus rubripes, Drury (sylvaticus, 
Fabricius), subspecies comtpfressus, Fabricius ; Zapinoma melanocephalum, Fabricius; and 
Prenolepis obscura, Mayr (var. clandestina, Mayr). Pupa pale yellowish-green, the posterior 
end very blunt and rounded, the abdominal segments larger than the anterior, the head small, 
a dark dorsal line, a double subdorsal series of small black spots, the thorax slightly humped 
on the back, the pupa smooth throughout. 
Dr. Lang describes the larva in Europe as “green or olive, or sometimes reddish-brown, 
with a dark dorsal stripe. The spiracles are yellow, and below there is a white lateral stripe ; 
above the spiracles on each segment is an oblique line, paler than the ground-colour. 
Pupa reddish-yellow, dotted with brown, and with black spiracles. The larva feeds in the pods 
of the common pea, also on Colutea arborescens [the “ bladder senna ”’], and on various legumi- 
nous plants, devouring the seeds. The eggs are laid in the autumn on the twigs of the plants, the 
newly emerged larva entering the young pods in the following summer ; when it is fully grown it 
undergoes its pupation on the stems or in the leaves.” Professor Trimen describes the trans- 
formations of this species in South Africa as follows :—‘‘Larva bright green, paler on the 
under surface. A dark green dorsal line; beneath it, on each side, an indistinct line inter- 
rupted on each segment, followed bya row of short, oblique, indistinct streaks of the same 
dark green, and a pale green line just above the legs. Head small, shining, reddish-brown, 
Two-thirds of an inch in length. Feeds on the flowers of Crotalaria capensis (a Papilio- 
naceous shrub), in which it lives, Pupa very pale greyish-ochreous, dusted unequally with 
blackish, the wing-covers more greenish in tint ; a fuscous line down the back, some blackish 
spots on the head and back, two rows of blackish spots on each side of the back of the abdo- 
men. About half an inch in length; thickest and roundest in abdominal region ; head blunt.” 
The Rev. Thomas Blackburn describes the larva as found by him in the Hawaiian Islands 
as follows :—‘‘ Obscure olive-green, pretty thickly sprinkled with short hairs (much the ap- 
pearance of a bristly surface badly shaved); dorsal and subdorsal lines and the region 
included obscurely rosy; head testaceous, bearing a black V-shaped mark, which points 
backwards ; the rosy markings vary in intensity, as also the ground-colour; legs of the 
ground-colour; spiracles white. Onisciform. Feeds in pods of what appears to be a 
Melilctus.” (Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1882, p. 31.) 
... I have given these various descriptions of the transformations of P. deticus, as from them 
it would appear that the insect is much more variable in the earlier portion of its history than 
