CALLOPHRYS. 55 



Polyommatus rttbi, Godart, Enc. Mcth. ix. p. 673, no. 175 



(1823). 



Theda ruli, Stephens, 111 Brit. Ent. Haust. i. p. 78 (1828); 

 Kirby, Eur. Butterflies and Moths, p. 59, pi. 15, fig 3 

 (1879); Lang, Butterflies Eur. p. Si, pi. xviii. fig. 3 

 (1881); Buckler, Larvae Brit. Butterflies and Moths, i. 

 p 89, pi. 13, fig. 3 (1886). 



This Butterfly is the smallest British Hair-Streak, rarely 

 measuring much more than an inch across the wings. It 

 is of a rather light uniform brown above; the hind-wings 

 are not tailed, but slightly notched towards the anal angle. 

 The under surface is of a beautiful green ; and instead of a 

 white line, we find a more or less distinct and continuous 

 series of white dots, especially on the hind-wings. 



The larva is pubescent, light green, or greenish-yellow, with 

 a row of triangular yellow spots on each side, and a white line 

 above the legs. It feeds on bramble, broom, and many other 

 plants in July. The pupa is dark brown, and hairy, and is 

 attached by the tail and by a belt round the middle. 



The Green Hair-Streak is common throughout Europe and 

 Northern and Western Asia, and a closely-allied Californian 

 form (C. dumetorum, Boisduval) may not be truly distinct. 

 Our species is found in April and May, flying about the 

 brambles which grow in sunny places, on banks, road-sides, 

 heaths, &c., with the bright green opening leaves of which its 

 green under side harmonises well. In the south it is double- 

 brooded, a second brood appearing in August. 



I have figured three of the largest and most beautiful of the 

 multifarious South American species placed provisionally 

 under Theda* It will be see.i at a glance that they belong to 



* Some of the more ordinary-looking South American species exhibit 



