unrecognised European Lycaena. 669 



of the apical orange spot of the hindwing, though it is 

 rather thersites than icarus, the butterfly represented 

 might be icarus, though there is a certain roundness of 

 wing, which is more marked in the smaller forms of alexins 

 (mihi) than in any icarus. 



Though I was ignorant of Herr Schreiner's name, until 

 this investigation led me to look up Freyer's account of 

 alexins, I must express a certain satisfaction, in, so far 

 as I do do so, showing that the work of this keen 

 Entomologist is sound, although it has been treated with 

 contempt for more than half a century. 



It is remarkable that Boisduval named our insect 

 thersites, but seemed to be sufficiently doubtful about it 

 to refrain from publishing it. This fell to Cantener, who 

 appears to have had no doubt about it. And later, 

 Freyer, though he got so far as publishing for it the 

 name alexius, seemed very much in doubt about it, 

 Schreiner being the real author. 



Thersites is a rather ungrateful name, and one is tempted 

 to imagine that Boisduval gave it grudgingly and in- 

 effectively, to be rid of the badgering of some one, possibly 

 Cantener himself, who wished the species to be recognised, 



I had hoped this summer to have obtained eggs of 

 thersites and observed the larval stages, I was, however, 

 rather too early on the ground and so failed, but I made 

 one observation of value, though the species was rather 

 scarce where I found it, icarus being fairly common, and 

 I only saw three females of thersites altogether, but I 

 found a pair of thersites in cop. confirming Herr Schreiner's 

 observation. 



As regards spotting otherwise than as to the want of 

 the basal marks, it may be noted that the spots are always 

 quite as strongly marked as in icarus, whereas in ab. 

 icarinus there is nearly always a tendency for the other 

 spots as well as the basal ones to be Aveak or wanting. 

 It may also be noted that the two (often conjoined) small 

 spots at the anal angle of the forewing are in thersites 

 quite in line with the one above them, whilst in icarus 

 they are not, the lower being nearer the hind margin. 

 This is subject to exception in individual cases, due to 

 the variation in position of all the spots to which this 

 section of "blues" is so prone. 



As illustrating that these distinctions are only general 

 and have many exceptions I may note specimens oi icaru 



