AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. 101 
of the country. South Creek, Norfolk ; Brandon Warren, Suffolk ; Dartmouth ; near Andover, Hants; Birch 
and Darenth Woods, Kent ; and near Hertford, are mentioned by Mr. Stephens : near Darlington, in great 
abundance, by Mr. J. O. Backhouse ; near Amesbury, Wilts, by the Rev. G. T. Rudd; near Newcastle, by 
Mr. Wailes ; near Durham, and in most of the northern counties of Scotland, by Mr. Duncan ; and in the Isle 
of Wight, also between Woodstock and Enstone, near Cheltenham, Dover, &c., by the Rev. W. T. Bree. 
The caterpillar is green with yellow dorsal and lateral lines; it feeds upon Astragalus Cicer, according 
to Godart. 

SPECIES 2.—POLYOMMATUS ARGIOLUS. THE AZURE BLUE BUTTERFLY. 
Plate xxxi. fig. 1—3. 
Syvonymes.— Papilio Argiolus, Linnwus, Syst. Nat. 2, 790. | Entomol. pl. 2, fig. 61. Duncan, Brit. Butt., pl. 31, fig. 1, 2. 
Haworth ; Donovan, British Insects, vol. 14, pl. 481. Lewin, Pap. Agriades Argiolus, Hiibner (Verz. bek. Schmett.) 
pl. 36, fig 4—6. Papilio Acis, Hiibner, Pap., fig. 272—4 
Lycena Argiolus, Ochsenheimer, Leach, Samouelle. Papilio Cleobis, Esper, Pap. 
Polyommatus Argiolus, Latreille ; Stephens ; Curtis ; Wood, Ind. Papilio Argus marginatus, De Geer, Gen. Ins., 30,3. 
This delicate butterfly measures from an inch and a sixth to an inch and a half in the expansion of its wings, 
which in the male are, on the upper side, of a delicate light blue, with a tinge of a pinkish-blush: the costa of 
the fore wings being still paler. At the extremity of the wings in this sex, there is a narrow border of dark brown, 
which colour also extends at the tips of the principal veins of the wings into the fringe which is otherwise of a 
white colour ; in the hind wings the fringe is entirely white, preceded by a very slender dark-brown line at the 
edge of the wings; the base of the wings is also darker. On the under side, the wings are of a very delicate 
greyish-white, tinged with silvery blue, especially at the base of the hind wings ; the fore wings are marked with 
a slender blackish transverse line at the extremity of the discoidal cell ; beyond this are five or six black spots, 
one placed a little in advance of the others, and nearer the fore margin of the wings; the others are more oblong 
and placed obliquely ; that near the posterior angle being sometimes geminated; between this row of marks 
and the margin are several almost obsolete dusky crescents. The hind wings beneath are marked with ten or 
twelve small black dots, placed irregularly, one of which is at the anal angle; besides which there appear traces 
of a submarginal row of dusky crescents above a row of dusky spots; there is also a very slender dusky line at 
the extremity of the discoidal cell. 
The female differs from the male in being generally of a smaller size, with the blue colour of the upper side of 
the wings somewhat paler, but is more particularly distinguished by having the extremity of the anterior and 
the entire outer margin of the fore wings marked with a broad black or dark-brown border. The hind wings are 
also marked with a submarginal row of dark brown or black spots, which are sometimes so large as to be almost 
confluent ; the costa of these wings is also dusky. In other respects, as well as on the under side of the wings, 
there is scarcely any difference between the two sexes. ‘The spots on the under side of the wings, as well as the 
dusky markings of the female, vary considerably in size ; the former also differs in number in different individuals, 
The caterpillar is pubescent, of a greenish-yellow colour, with a bright green line down the back, the head and 
legs being black. It feeds on the buck-thorn and holly. 
The chrysalis is smooth, brown and green, with a dark dorsal line. 
This pretty species differs materially in its habits from its congeners, frequenting gardens and plantations 
P 
