LYC^ENA. l8l 



The costal margin of the fore-wings of the imago 

 (Figs. 201 and 202) is nearly straight; the hind-margin of 

 the fore-wings is nearly straight also and entire, that of the 

 hind-wings is a little waved, the anal angle having a slight 

 protuberance, and the nervure next it bearing an indica- 

 tion of a tail. The upper surface of the fore-wings (Fig. 

 202) is bright copper-red, with a broad black hind-margin 

 and about ten black spots. The hind-wings have a notched 

 black band on the hind-margin, within which is a copper 

 band, and the rest of the wing is very dark, with indica- 

 tions of black spots. The under-surface (Fig. 201) of the 

 fore-wings resembles the upper, but the ground-colour 

 has no metallic lustre, and the hind-margin is reddish- 

 grey. The ground-colour of the hind-wings is also 

 reddish-grey, with an indistinct coppery band parallel 

 with the hind-margin, and a considerable number of 

 small, dark brown spots. This butterfly is subject to a 

 good deal of variation, in both the size and distinctness 

 of the black spots as well as in the ground-colour, which 

 is occasionally silvery-white instead of copper. 



Lycaena, Treitschke (The Blues). 



In the genus Lyccena we have ten very beautiful butter- 

 flies, though in most cases they are somewhat small : 

 L. bcetica, L. agon, L. astrarche, L. icarus^ L. bellargus, 

 L. corydon, L. argiolus^ L. semiargus, L. minima, and 

 L. arion ; while by some, L. argiades, Pall, (the Short- 

 tailed Blue), which has been a few times taken, is claimed 

 as an eleventh. The blue colour, which though various 

 in shade is often very intense, is usually only present to 

 any great extent in the males ; the females are generally 

 brown with but a sprinkling of blue scales, and those 

 chiefly at the base of the wings. One species, L. astrarche^ 

 has not a particle of blue in either sex, while the female 



