VOL. XVIII. (2) LARGE BLUE BUTTERFLY 157 



THE LARGE BLUE BUTTERFLY {Lyccena arion) 

 ON THE COTTESWOLD HILLS 



BY 

 O. GRANVILLE CLUTTERBUCK, P.E.S. 



{Read April 1st, 1913) 



In 1886, Prof. Allen Harker expressed the fear that the 

 " Large Blue " would soon become extinct.' Fortunately, 

 his fears have not been realized. I have taken specimens 

 on the hills on the dates given below. 



Records. — 5th July, 1885 ; July, 1886 (one specimen) ; 2nd and 6th 

 July, 1887 ; 30th June and 19th July, 1888 (a very cold and wet season — 

 6 specimens) ; 21st, 22nd and 25th June, 1896 (abundant) ; 6th June, 1897 

 (the earliest record, apparently), 13th and 23rd June, 1897 ; 27th June, 

 3rd and 7th July, 1898 (abundant) ; 14th June, 1899 ; 22nd June, 1900 ; 

 26th and 27th June, 1902 ; 28th and 30th June, 1903 ; 22nd and 28th June 

 and 6th July, 1904. ; 13th July, 1905 and 20th June, 1912. 



The Rev. A. G. Butler found numerous specimens on the 

 23rd June, 1890. 



Mr W. B. Davis informs me that he last saw the species 

 on 24th June, 1910. 



' In the very fine and hot season of 1911, Mr E. W. Lifton 

 took a pair on the 19th June. 



My earliest date for the species is the 6th June, and my 

 latest the 19th July, but the best time to look for it is between 

 the 20th and the 30th June. The butterfly is found in the 

 clearings in the beech woods, where the wild thyme {Thymus 

 serpyllum) grows, freely on the ant-hills made by the Mound 

 Ant {Formica flava). When on the wing it is easily recognised 

 by its iron-blue colour, its size, and slow, heavy flight. 



The life-history of the species has long been a mystery, 

 and since the days of Mr Merrin, who first discovered it in the 

 neighbourhood of Gloucester in 1858, successive generations 

 of local collectors have searched in vain for the larva after 



I. Proc. Cotteswold Nat. F.C, vol. ix., pt. I (1887), p. 83. 

 Fa 



