237 



CLIFDEN BLUE BUTTERFLY. 



Polyommatiis Adonis. 



PLATE XXXin. Figs. 1. & 2. 



Hesperia Adonis Fab — Pap. Adonis, Zezt-m, pi. 38. fig. 1-3. 

 — Pap. Argus, 9- Donovan, iv. pi. 143. f. 1. — Polyomma- 

 tus Adonis, Steph, Jermyn — Clifden Blue, Harris. 



Expansion of the wings 14 or 13 lines, the sur- 

 face of the male of the purest and most beautiful 

 azure; or silvery blue, changing with the light into 

 lilac, the hinder margin of all the wings edged with 

 a black line, beyond which there is a white fringe, 

 distinctly spotted with brown both above and below. 

 The female is brown above, slightly glossed with 

 blue at the base, having a small discoidal black spot 

 on the primary wings, and on the others a posterior 

 fulvous streak, with slightly ocellated spots, some- 

 times continued across the margin of the upper 

 wings. On the under side, the colour is brownish- 

 grey, with the base of the wings greenish-blue, the 

 markings disposed nearly as in P. Corydon, but the 

 discoidal white spot is small, forming only a trans- 

 verse streak. 



Of frequent occurrence in many parts of England, 

 especially in the southeni counties. It occurs in 



