88 European Butterflies and Moths. 



(spot 6). Spots 2 and 4, and spots 3 and 5, often coalesce into two loncjitudinal streaks, 

 the last of whicii is axe-shaped when spot 6 is united with it ; or the spots which stand 

 in pairs may coalesce ; or all the spots may be united, and leave only a few traces of the 

 dark ground colour visible. Occasionally the spots arc bordered with white, black, or yellow. 

 The hind-wings are generally red, bordered with black, and are seldom of the colour of the 

 fore-wings. The abdomen has sometimes a broad red or yellow ring beyond the middle. Tlie 

 antennae are not pectinated, but thickened considerably towards the extremity, which is sometimes 

 pointed and sometimes obtuse. The hind tibiae are sometimes entirely without spurs, and have 

 sometimes only one spur at the end, but they have often two spurs at the end, and either one or 

 two in the middle. The species are very variable, and are occasionally liable to have the red 

 markings replaced with yellow. They are most numerous in the countries bordering on the 

 Mediterranean and Black Seas, but are also found throughout Europe and Asia, as far as the 

 Himalayas, and in South Africa. One species has been recorded from America, but probably 

 in error. The larvns are rather long, and live till May or June on low plants, especially 

 LeguminoscE, and may be looked for on their food-plants, or captured by sweeping. The cocoons 

 are boat-shaped, and may often be found attached to a blade of grass. As the moths all appear 

 between June and August, we need not specify their times of appearance separately. 



I. Z. Erythriis (Hiibn.). — Fore-wings dark blue or green, with three elongated red streaks, 

 and the inner margin also red ; the hinder streak is scarcely axe-shaped. The hind-wings are 

 red, bordered with black ; and the collar and shoulders are yellowish. One of the largest 

 species of the genus, expanding about i^ inches. It appears to be confined to Italy and 

 South France, and some of the varieties of the next species closely resemble it. The larva is 

 greenish-yellow above and lemon-yellow beneath ; it feeds on Thymus Serpylluni. 



* 2. Z. ]\Iinos (W. v.). — Fore-wings dark bluish or greenish-grey, with three elongated 

 red streaks, the hinder one distinctly axe-shaped and rather pointed behind. The spots are 

 distinctly separated, and the inner margin is not red in the type. Hind-wings red, the fringes 

 narrowly black. The antennae terminate in an obtuse club. In the variety Pluto (Ochs.) the 

 hind spot is not axe-shaped, but rounded ; the variety Polygahz ''Esp.) has confluent spots, and 

 the Italian var. Ruhicnndits (Hiibn.) has entirely red fore-wings, with only the costa narrowly 

 blue. The var. Nubigcna (Led.) has the body more hairy, and the wings slightly transparent. 

 Expands about i^ inches. The larva is bluish-white or pale yellow, with two rows of large 

 black spots on the back. It feeds on clover, trefoil, pimpernel, &c. The true Minos is found 

 throughout the greater part of Europe, including the west of Ireland, and Northern and Western 

 Asia. The varieties are found chiefly in the south of Europe. The variety Nubigena is common 

 in the high Alps and on the west coast of Ireland ; it has also been met with on the west coast of 

 Scotland. This variety is the ordinary Minos of British collectors, the type being much less 

 common with us ; its reputed occurrence on the east coast of Scotland was an error. The true 

 Minos and its larva are figured at PL 21, Fig. 4, a, b. 



3. Z. Briza (Esp.) resembles Minos, but the hinder spot is rounded, as in Minos, var. Pluto, 

 instead of being axe-shaped, and the hind margins of the hind-wings are rather broadly suffused 

 with blackish. Expands about i inch. It inhabits Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and 

 Western Asia. 



4. Z. ScabioscE (Esp.). — Fore-wings thinly scaled ; blackish-blue, with three crimson longitudinal 

 streaks, of which the hindermost is narrow and widens into a round spot at the end, before which 

 it is contracted, but rarely interrupted. Hind-wings crimson, with the hind margin narrowly 

 blackish. The club of the antenna: is long and slender, and pointed at the extremity. Expands 



