,„, BRITISH BUTTERFLIES 



SPECIES .5.-POLYOMMATUS ARION. THE LARGE BLUE BUTTERFLY. 



Plate xxxii. fig. I — '■'>• 



Synonymes. — PapzVio y/Won, I.innreus, Faun. Siiec. 1073. jPo/i^omma/us ^rion, Latreille ; Stciiliens ; Curtis ; Wood, Imle.x 



HawonI, : Lewin, P.!].. pi. :i", f. 1—2- Donovan, Brit. Ins. v. 0, p, Ent. t. 3, fig. (i4, $ 5 . Duncan, Brit. Butt, pi. 32, fig. 1 . 

 184, fem.' Hubn'er, Schna-tt. pi. bi fig. 254-C. Nomiadcs Arwn, Ilulmer (Voiz. bc-k. Schmctt.) 



Lyccena yji-io/t, Oclisc-nhcimcr ; Leach. 

 Tliis fine anil very rare species generally measnres sdinewhat more than an inch and a half in the expanse of 

 its winos, which are of a rather dark purplish-bine in the males, with the anterior or costal margin pale brown ; 

 but the outer margin in all the wings is rather broadly black ; in addition to this, the males may bo distinguished 

 from those of every other indigenous species by having a black crescent at the extremity of the discoidal cell, and 

 five black oval spots between it and the dark border on the upper side of the fore wings ; the hind wings have 

 also several black oval dots beyond the centre, and a .submarginal row of black spots ocejlated with lilue ; the fringe 

 is white. Beneath, the ground colour of the wings is ashy-grey, rather darker in its tone than in P. Acis ; strongly 

 sufFused with shining blue atoms, at the base especially, on the hind wings. The fore wings have one circular 

 and one kidney-shaped black spot, ocellated with whitish in the discoidal cell, beyond which is a very curved row 

 of large black spots similarly ocellated ; parallel with the outer margin of the fore wings, are two rows of black 

 spots, separated from each other by whitish atoms, and the extreme margin of the wings is also black, and the 

 fringe, which is white, is marked at the tips of the longitudinal veins witli black spots. Each of the hind wings 

 is marked with about twenty-six black spots, which (with the exception of those which are nearest the margin 

 of the wini^) are ocellated with whitish ; three of these spots form a curve near the base of the wings, and are 

 followed by a curved short transverse line at the extremity of the discoidal cell, this is succeeded by an irregularly 

 cm-ved row of eight ocellated spots ; beyond this, are two rows of .spots, parallel with the posterior margin, and 

 the frinoe is marked in the same manner as in the fore wings. 



The female is distinguished by having the wings more sufl'used with dark brown, and the spots on the disk of 

 the fore win"s are larger and longer than in the males ; the spots are also occasionally more numerous, and tlie 

 edces of the winos with a broader dark maro;in. There are, however, several varieties described, in which the 

 number and size of the spots varies considerably, and Mr. Stephens mentions one variety in wdiicii the wings are 

 almost immaculate above. 



Mr. ILawortli received this species from Dr. Abbott, who took it near Bedford, in the Slouse's Pasture, where 

 Mr. Dale again took it in 1819. It is also recorded as havino- been taken on Dover Clifi's, Marlborough Downs, 

 and on the hills near Bath ; also on commons near Broomhani, Bedfordshire, near Winchester, and on bramble 

 blossoms in some parts of North Wales. The species has also been recently taken by Mr. Queckett in some 

 profusion, as well as by Mr. Bree's son, in the middle of July, 1837B and 9, at Barnewell Wolde, near Oundle, 

 Northamptonshire, where Mr. Brcc himself also found it on the 4th of July, 1840. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXXIII. 



Insects. — Fig. 1. Polyonimatus Adonis (tlie Clifden, or azure blue B.) 2. Tlie female. 3. Siiowing the under side. 



,, Fig. 4. Polyomuiatus Corydou (the C'halk-liill blue B. ) .3. Tlie teuiale. fJ. Showing the underside. 7. The Caterjiillar. 



8- The chrysalis. 

 Plants. — Figs. !> and 10. Trit'olium stellatum (the starry.headeil Trefoil.) 



All these insects are figured from beautiful spcciniens in the cabinet of Mr. Stephens. The Caterpillar of P. Corydou I have represented 

 feeding upon Trifoliuin stellatum, which 1 have selected for the singular appearance of the seed-vessels. The Caterpillar is from Hiibuer. ll.N.H. 



