240 COMMON BLUE BUTTERFLY. 



middle, succeeded by a continuous row of dusky 

 crescents, edged with reddish-yellow externally; and 

 beyond this there is a row of small dusky spots on 

 a whitish ground, the margin itself being black. 

 The posterior wings generally with four ocelli near 

 the base, an angular white spot near the middle, fre- 

 quently having a black streak in its centre, a curved 

 band of 8 or 9 ocelli, succeeded by a series of mark- 

 ings similar to those on the superior wings, but the 

 crescents and fulvous patches larger and more con- 

 spicuous ; a white blotch near the middle unites the 

 band of ocelli with the fulvous crescents. 



This species is so variable in its markings, and 

 even in the form of the wings, that some entomolo- 

 gists are of opinion that more than one distinct spe- 

 cies may be included under the name. It is a very 

 abundant insect, and, unlike the rest of its associates, 

 is distributed over the whole country. It frequents 

 pasture-lands and grassy meadows, first appearing 

 in England about the end of May, but not generally 

 in Scotland till the middle or end of June. There 

 is a second brood in August. The caterpillar is pu- 

 bescent, and of a green colour. It appears to be 

 polyphagous, but probably subsists chiefly on grasses. 



