COLIAS KDUSA. 51 



Size. — From \-2b to 2'4 inches. I think I have seen 

 larger, but this was the largest measured; a male. Mr. E. 

 Boscher took a male as late as November 1 3th, at Bognor, 

 which measured "2'25 inches. 



Shape. — This varies considerably, especially in the hind 

 margin of the fore wings, which is either rounded, straight, 

 concave or convex, and curved; the inner margin also varies 

 slightly, as do the shape of the hind wings. 



Colour. — This is also subject to much variation. The 

 brilliant saffron or orange varies in intensity, and there is the 

 permanent greenish white variety of the female {Helice, Hiib.) ; 

 intermediate shades between these two, through pale yellow, 

 are to be met with, and many specimens have been taken in 

 1877 with the hind wings and the fore wings differing, a few 

 even with one wing only varying in shade. Some specimens 

 are beautifully "shot" with purple or blue. The females of 

 nearly all the Coliades seem dimorphic as to colour: in 1875 

 I took the pale and yellow females of C. Hyale^ about which 

 there was some doubt. 



Fore ivi/igs. — TJie marginal band in the male varies 

 slightly in shape, much in width, and in the intensity of its 

 colouring, owing to the greater or lesser number of the yellow 

 scales, and the conspicuity of the wing-rays ; also in its 

 continuity along the inner margin. A specimen or two 

 has occurred in which this band is bordered with yellow 

 on the hind margin. In the female the light spots 

 in the margin vary from almost a continuous baud to 

 entire absence. A beautiful variety of Hyale, with a con- 

 tinuous pale band at the apex of the fore wings, taken at 

 -Market Harborough in August, 1842, is figured in the 

 'Zoologist' (vol. i., p. 259). The central black spot is 

 altogether irregular in shape, and varies greatly in size. 1 

 have seen one or two specimens in which it is almost entirely 

 obliterated ; a few in which it has a more or less well-defined 

 yellow centre. The presence of black scales, especially on 

 the wing-rays, is not uncommon : in some varieties they are 

 very conspicuous. 



Hind ivings. — The marginal markings vary greatly, espe- 

 cially in the female. The ct-ntral orange spot also varies 

 much in shape, size, and relative intensity of colouring; it is 

 normally conduplicate, but many varieties occurred last year 

 in which it was very small and single. 



Such are the most important jjoints of variation which have 

 come under my notice. A few suffused varieties have been 

 met with, and some specimens are beautifully bright red at 



