78 LEPIDOPTERA. 



encloses a round black spot. Cilia white, with an inter- 

 secting fuscous line. 



Under side of the male ashy-grey, bluish at the base ; fore 

 wings with two white-ringed black spots before the middle, 

 and one in the middle, followed by a row of the same, and 

 then by a row of faint orange spots, internally black-edged, 

 and a marginal row of white spots with black centres. Hind 

 wings with numerous black-centred white spots in two 

 irregular series, one near the base, the other beyond the 

 middle. Between these is a white spot, and a white dash 

 crosses the middle of the second series ; beyond is a row 

 of orange spots edged on the inner side with black and white, 

 followed by a marginal row of white spots with black centres. 

 Female golden brown, with the spots, particularly those of 

 the fore wings, much more distinct. 



The colour of the male varies from pale lilac to various 

 shades of rich lilac-blue. llr. R. Adkin has one of an 

 exquisitely rich blue without a tinge of lilac ; some of those 

 from the West of Scotland and the North and West of Ireland, 

 are of a large size and singularly rich lilac or purplish-blue. 

 In some cases also they have a row of sharply defined black 

 dots near the hind margin of the hind wings, on the upper 

 side. This is best shown in specimens captured near Sligo 

 by Mr. Percy Russ. Others have the black colour from the 

 tips of the nervures carried on into the cilia so as to form 

 dark dashes, but these dashes never extend to the outside 

 edge of the cilia. The very pale forms seem to be found 

 mainly on the south coast, and their deficiency in colour arises 

 in some cases from absence of the brilliant delicate hair- 

 scales with which the upper side is usually furnished; in 

 others from actual poverty of ordinary scales. It seems 

 probable that these deficiencies arise from insufficient or too 

 dry food — burnt up by the hot sun. The same cause seems 

 at times to produce very small specimens. On the under side, 

 in this sex, the basal and marginal spots frequently become 

 indistinct or obsolete, and in other cases all the round ocel- 



