THE HAIR-STREAKS, COPPERS AND BLUES 193 



(Trifolium pratense and T. repens), bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus 

 corniculatus), horse-shoe vetch (Hippocrepis comosa), and lady's 

 fingers (Antliyllis vulneraria). 



The Holly Blue (Lyccena Argiolus) 



While all the other Blues delight to sport on low flowery banks 

 in the full blaze of the summer's sun, the Holly Blue prefers to flit 

 among the branches of trees, often many feet from the ground. 

 The larva feeds on the flowers of the holly (Ilex Aquifolium) in 

 the spring, and on those of the ivy (Hedera Helix) late in the 

 summer ; also on the alder buckthorn (Rhamnus Frangula) ; and it 

 is in localities where these grow that we may find this lovely Blue 

 sporting among the branches, or resting on a leaf with its wings 

 folded together, thus making itself conspicuous among the dark 

 foliage by exposing the pale silvery blue of its under surface. 



The upper sides of both the male and female are shown on 

 Plate VII (figs. 3 and 4 respectively), where the beautiful lilac 

 blue will be seen to have a border of black, wider in the latter than 

 in the former. 



The under surface is spotted with 

 black, as shown in fig. 92, and has no 

 border of orange spots. 



This is a double-brooded butterfly, 

 appearing first in April and May, and 

 then again in August. It is not at all ^HSUF W 



uncommon in the south of England, FIG. 92. THE HOLLY 

 and extends northward as far as the BLUE UNDER SIDE. 



Lake District, but is not found in 

 Scotland. It is generally distributed throughout Ireland. 



The caterpillar may be looked for in June and October. It is 

 light green, with a line of dark green down the back. 



The Mazarine Blue (Lyccena Semiargus) 



The male (Plate VII, fig. 5) is deep purple blue, with a narrow 

 dark-brown border, and the female (fig. 6 of the same plate) dark 

 brown. The under side of both sexes is light greyish-brown or 

 drab, with a row of black spots in white rings parallel with the 

 hind margin of each wing, and no reddish or orange spots. 



o 



