112 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



Peterborough ; Norfolk ; Suffolk Berkshire ; Oxford- 

 shire ; Wiltshire ; Gloucestershire. At Grange, North 

 Lancashire, it is the commonest "Blue," not on chalk, 

 but limestone. 



THE ADONIS BLUE. 



(Polyommatus Adonis.} (Plate XIY. fig. 3, Male ; 

 3 a, Eemale.) 



Colouring : Upper side, male, brilliant sky-blue, 

 without any lilac tinge, bordered by a distinct black 

 line, the fringe distinctly barred with blackish. Eemale, 

 dark smoky brown, sprinkled near body with pure 

 blue scales the colour of those of male ; border of orange 

 spots, more or less visible. 



Under side, male, marked as in fi^. 3 ; border of red 

 spots. 



Eemale, almost exactly like that of Corydon (fig. 

 2 a), but usually has the black spots on the front wing 

 smaller. 



This is a most lovely little butterfly, the blue of its 

 upper surface being quite unapproachable among native 

 insects. Mr. Stainton, speaking of the different blues of 

 Corydon and Adonis, happily observes that, " Corydon 

 reminds one of the soft silvery appearance of moonlight, 

 whilst Adonis recalls the intense blue of the sky on 

 a hot summer's day." 



Caterpillar like that of Corydon. 



The butterfly is double-brooded, .appearing first in 

 May and again in August. It is found on the same 

 soils and in most of the localities with the last, but is, 

 I believe, more confined to the south. 



THE COMMON BLUE. 



(Polyommatus Alexis.) (Plate XIY. fig. 4, Male ; 

 4 a, Eemale.) 



Colouring : Upper side, male, lilac blue. Eemale, 

 purplish blue about the centre, brown towards the 

 margins, but the proportions of blue and brown are 



