The British Butterflies Described 



Female, solid brown ; under side (Plate XV., Fig. 1 1 ) 

 a pale salmon, blue spotted as in Argiolus^ with black 

 outlined with white ; no orange spots on either sex. 



The caterpillar is dull green, orange-striped on back 

 and sides. It feeds on Trefoils, etc. This species is 

 local, but common all over the British Isles, except in 

 the extreme North. It is one of our early species, 

 appearing in May and June. 



THE LARGE BLUE (Lyc<ena Arion\ Plate XIII., 

 Fig. 5. This is the largest of our " Blues " and the 

 rarest of our really resident species, and although it 

 appears to be able to hold its own and maintain its 

 numbers fairly well, I would strongly urge collectors to 

 at least let all the " fair " and worn specimens retain 

 their liberty. Again and again I have seen specimens 

 set up and sent out in exchange that should never have 

 been taken. Of a dark blue colour, black-bordered, 

 Arion can always be recognized by the row of black 

 spots across the middle of the fore-wing ; they are 

 sometimes very large in size. There is occasionally a 

 row of black spots round both wings, just inside the 

 margin. The under side (Plate XV., Fig. 10) is a pale 

 grey, gradually shading into a bright blue-green next 

 the body, profusedly spotted with black in white rings. 



The caterpillar, which feeds on Wild Thyme in the 

 spring, is dark rust-coloured. The butterfly is out 

 in July, and is found mostly in the extreme south-west 

 counties. 



THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY FRITILLARY (Nemeobius 

 Lucina\ Plate XIII., Fig. 6. Very like a diminutive 

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