BUTTEllFLIES IN MACEDONIA. 105 



seen, the whole of the upper surface, except the marginal band, 

 being suffused with greenish-black. In size they slightly exceed 

 British specimens and the tails at the outer angle are long and 

 prominent. So far from being found in open country, in 

 Macedonia I usually saw it in narrow ravines and brambly 

 passages between rocks, where I often saw scores flying together. 

 J met it from the last week in March to the last in November at 

 intervals. 



Tarucus telicanus was the most interesting of the Blues in the 

 Balkans. Though extremely common where it occurred it was 

 confined exclusively to ravines which have a perennial stream 

 and remained in the vicinity of its food-plant, the purple 

 loosestrife, round which there were often scores to be seen at a 

 time. It is very inconspicuous and Hies very swiftly, so that it 

 would not have been an easy matter to secure specimens had not 

 they been very numerous. I do not know another Blue which is 

 so elusive. July was the earliest month in which I observed 

 this species and it continue to be more or less common down to 

 October. 



P. argtis {(egon) was common in June and July in open fields 

 flying round Polygonum ramicis. 



Aricia medon. — Common in ravines near Janes in April and 

 May. The local form is rather smaller than British medon, the 

 red spots are brighter, more uniform in size, and extend quite to 

 the costa of forewings both above and beneath. The pupils of 

 the eyes are also much larger than in British specimens. 



P. icarus. — Abundant in the usual habitats of this species 

 from April to September. One afternoon I observed a most 

 extraordinary congregation of thousands in a dark cave-like 

 opening in a ravine near Janes. Variation much as usual with 

 this species, but I have no blue females among my specimens, 

 all being uniformly brown. One female has basal bars on the 

 fore wings, and a rather boldly marked male is remarkable for 

 having only one hind wing marked with the triangular white 

 patch generally found in this species. 



GlaucopsycJie ci/llarus. — I only saw three specimens of this 

 species, at Irikli in April, 1917, and Janes in May, 1918, and do 

 not think it is common. It flies in bare rocky places, and in 

 general appearance and habits the females remind one of 

 C. mi7iimu,<i, though much larger than that species. 



Celastrina argiolus. Common in ravines where ivy grows, 

 from April to August. My specimens have the spots beneath 

 very much smaller than in British ones. 



Carcharodus alcece. — The commonest Skipper in the parts I 

 visited, flying freely over the open plains and visiting thistles, 

 •Centaureas and similar plants. I also saw a good many flying 

 with T. telicanus at the loosestrife. On the wing in July and 

 August. 



