( xii ) 



read a letter from Mr. E. E. Green of the Botanic Gardens, 

 Peradeniya, Ceylon, inviting Fellows of the Society to send 

 him living specimens of C'lerus formicarki^ for introduction 

 into Ceylon. 



Discussion on the two similar species Plebeius argus 

 (aegon) and P. argykognomon. — Mr. J. W. Tutt opened a 

 discussion on the affinities of the two Palaearctic species 

 Plebeius argiis, L., {aegon, Schiff. ; argyrotoxus, Brgstr.), and 

 P. argyrognomon, Brgstr. {corgus, auctorum). He said that 

 there was great confusion from the earliest description 

 onwards as between the two species, and cited the following 

 authorities : — 



1758. Linne, Systema Naturae, 12th ed., p. 483 — argus, blue 

 butterfly with silvery blue spots beneath. Also idas, 

 p. 488, an Indian species. 



1761. Linn^, Fauna Suecica, 2nd ed., p. 283 — argus, with 

 same references. Also idas, p. 284 — and suggesting it 

 as the ? of argus (not therefore idas of the 10th ed.). 



1767. Linne Systema Naturae, 12th ed., pp. 789-90 — argus, 

 with same description, but idas referred as 5 to 

 same species. 



1775. Schiffermllller, Wien. Verz., p. 183 (note), referred 

 Linne's argus to the non-British insect now known 

 as argyrognomon, and described aegon as another 

 species, distinguishing it clearly as the species we 

 know as aegon. 



1787. Schneider, Syst. Besch., p. 252^ 



1788. Borkhausen „ „ p. 154 rfollowed SchifEermiiller 



Hubner, Illigei", Laspeyres, Herbst, Ochsenheimer, Oken, 

 Gbiart, Boisduval, Duponchel, Freyer, Herrich-Schliffer, and 

 a whole army of other reputable authors followed his con- 

 clusion — calling our species aegon, the non-British species 

 argots. 



Fabricius, Lewin, Haworth, Stephens, Curtis, Wood, West- 

 wood, etc., maintained the Linnean name argus for aegon. 



Stephens supported this by pointing out that in the 

 " Linnean collection " at Burlington House there were no 

 argus as understood by the continental entomologists. 



