MAY. 125 



abundant species, very similar to P. Alexis ; delicate blue, 

 tinged with lilac, the wings edged with black ; the female 

 has a broad dusky border on the primary wings and a series 

 of spots of the same colour near the hinder edge of the 

 secondary pair ; beneath, the colour is grey, tinged with 

 blue ; the upper wings with a slender curved spot in the 

 centre, and a band of streaks ; the hinder wings nearly 

 similar. The caterpillar is like that of the Common Blue, 

 and is found on the holly. The insect is seen principally 

 in the south ; there is another flight in August. 



POLYOMMATUS ALSUS. Bedford Blue. This is the smallest 

 British Butterfly, seldom surpassing an inch in size ; the 

 surface is brown, slightly tinged with blue ; the under side 

 ash-colour, with a black crescent, edged with white, on 

 each wing, and a transverse series of ocelli near the hinder 

 margin ; on the inferior wings this series is very irregular, 

 and there are several scattered spots towards the base. 

 This delicate little insect seems to occur, though not 

 abundantly, in most parts of the kingdom. 



POLYOMMATUS ADONIS. Clifden Blue. Expansion of 

 the wings about fifteen lines ; the surface of the male a 

 most beautiful azure-blue ; the hinder margin of all the 

 wings edged with black ; on the hinder side the colour is 





