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IV. On the Early Stages of Albulina pheretes, a Myrme- 

 cophilons Pleleiid hlue butterfly. By T. A. Chapman, 

 M.D. 



[Read February 7th, 1912.] 



Plates XVIII-XXXVI. 



In November 1910 I reported to the Society that the 

 larva of Latiorina orhitulus was without the honey-gland 

 so usual in the group of Lycaenids to which it belongs, 

 agreeing therein with the larva of Vacciniina optilete. 

 There seemed some reason to suspect that the unrecorded 

 larva of Albulina j^heretes might be a third species in this 

 section. I determined, therefore, if possible, to learn 

 something of the life history of A. 2)}ierctes. In this I 

 had some success last summer, and found that L. pheretes 

 does possess the larval honey-gland and does not therefore 

 belong to the group of orbitulus and optilete. 



All that was previously known of the larva was told me 

 by Mr. St, Quintin, to the effect that he had seen the 

 imago ovipositing on Phaca alpina, and had got the larvae 

 to about their second instar when his supply of the food- 

 plant gave out. 



By a slip of the pen Mr. St. Quintin led me somewhat 

 astray in my search for larvae ; the plant he meant was 

 not Phaca alpina, but Astragalus alpinus, known also as 

 Phaca astragalina. A search for larvae in June on Phaca 

 alpina and on Phaca frigida was naturally unavailing, 

 though I found afterwards that Phaca frigida at least was 

 welcome to the imago to lay her eggs on. 



It was not therefore till well into July that I found a 

 locality where L. pheretes occurred sparingly, and obviously 

 in association with a plant that proved to be Astragalus 

 alpinus. 



I had about the same time obtained some eggs from a 

 butterfly taken in a locality where the Astragalus did not 

 grow within a long distance. This specimen laid on Phaca 

 frigida, and not unwillingly on Trifolium pratcnse. 



In the Heuthal the butterfly was very strictly confined 

 to two patches of the Astragalus alpinus, one specimen 

 only being found at a considerable distance amongst Phaca 

 frigida. Amongst various plants given to the butterflies 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1912. — PART 11. (OCT.) P T) 2 



