200 COMMON BRITISH INSECTS. 



A GOOD example of the Blue Butterflies is 

 depicted below. This is ths CLIFDEN BLUE (Polyom- 

 matus Adonis}. 



The colour of this pretty species is bright shining 

 blue, with a delicate white line on the costal margin 

 of the fore-wings, and a black line on the hind mar- 

 gin. The fringe of the wing is 

 pure white, with a black spot 

 at the end of each nervure. 

 The female is brown on the 

 upper surface, with a slight 

 gloss of blue, and on the fore- 



Polyomtnatus Adonis. . . .... ,11 1*1 



wings is an indistinct blackish 



spot on the disc, and a number of small spots parallel 

 with the hind margin. Both sexes have the under- 

 side of the wings brownish, with a number of little 

 spots. This Butterfly is found on chalk downs and 

 similar places, but seems to be restricted to those 

 spots where there is a substratum of chalk. 



PASSING of necessity by the rest of the Blues and 

 the little Butterflies called by the name of Hair- 

 streaks, we come to the family of Hesperidse, popularly 

 known by the name of Skippers, probably on account 

 of their quick, uncertain flight. They are all small 

 insects, coloured with brown, black, grey, and white, 

 and very thickly and clumsily made, so that many 

 persons unskilled in entomology take them for moths. 

 They have the fore-legs fitted for walking, and when 

 at rest they hold their wings only partially erect, and 

 never pressed closely together, as is the case with the 

 previously-mentioned Butterflies. They are plentiful 



