176 THE BOOK OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



Polyommatus, Bdv. (The Coppers). 



Members of the genus Polyommatu* may easily be 

 distinguished by the refulgent metallic coppery tint of the 

 upper surface of their wings. A tendency, rather con- 

 spicuous in P. phlceas, to develop a tail on the hind-wings 

 shows the close relationship of this genus to the Hair- 

 streaks, Thecla. Since it seems now hopeless to expect 

 the Large Copper (P. dispar) to turn up again, the 

 above-named P. phlceas is the sole representative left to 

 us of this beautiful genus. P. virgaurece, Linn. (Golden 

 Copper), though not a native, is an occasional visitor 

 amongst us, as also may be P. rutilus, Wer. (Continental 

 Large Copper), the nearest ally to our extinct Large 

 Copper (P. dispar). 



P. dispar, Haw. (Large Copper) (P^igs. 197 to 199), till 

 about the middle of the present century used to be taken 

 in one or two localities in the Fen Districts in the east 

 of England. The last capture seems to have been made 

 in 1847 or 1848. Reports of its occurrence since have 

 more than once appeared, but no capture has been 

 authenticated, and it is to be feared that the Large Copper 

 is now absolutely extinct. This is the more to be regretted, 

 as the species is not absolutely identical with any Conti- 

 nental species. L. dispar was, in fact, an insect exclusively 

 British. Such being the case, the number of specimens 

 is necessarily limited, and the fortunate possessors are 

 able to realise a high price for them. On the i6th May, 

 1892, as recorded in The Entomologist, p. 142, seven speci- 

 mens were sold, and fetched in the aggregate 15 i8s. 6d., 

 or on the average 2 55. 6d. each. One female sold for 

 ^4 i os. ; while a male, without either antennae or 

 abdomen, realised ^i 8s., a poor female i, and a 

 chipped male, showing the under-surface, ^i IDS. The 



