40 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, an<5 

 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. 



