58 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



discovered this, and gives (Nom.., iii.,pp. 34-5) Viber's* account of tiresias 

 in which he notes that " the underside in both sexes is quite whitish 

 . . whilst on the hindwings are two orange-coloured spots, as 

 on the upperside, but they have here two small, shiny, green eyes." 

 Schneider, in 1785, also described a tiresias (dys. Beach., p. 260), of 

 which he notes that " at the middle of the margin of the hindwings 

 on the underside, are two orange spots, margined on their inner edge 

 with black, and toward their outer edge kernelled with a similarly- 

 coloured point," but he also does not mention, the metallic nature of 

 these points. Hubner, in 1799, figures alcetas (coretas) under the 

 name of tiresias (Schmett. Eur., pi. lxv., figs. 319-^1), whilst, on the 

 same plate, figs. 322-4, he figures typical argiades under the name of 

 amyntas. Ernst and Engramelle, in 1779, described and figured 

 {Pap. d'Europe, i., p. 167, pi. xxxvii., figs. IQa-d) this species, 

 without name, calling, however, the $ the $ , and the $ the ? ; 

 particularly noting the small size, the golden crescents on the 

 upper- and underside of the hindwings in the 5 and on the underside 

 only in the $ , as well as the marginal spots on the upperside of the 

 hindwings in the $ . They also figure and describe (op. cit., figs. 

 l^a-b) much smaller forms of the same insect, which they suppose 

 represent the late brood, and refer the forms to tiresias, Esp.,pl. xxxiv. 

 (supp. x.), figs. 1-2, and pi. xlix. (supp. xxv.), fig. 2, respectively. 

 The next year (op. cit., ii., supp. p. 308, figs. 79a-c, bis) they 

 described and figured an " intermediate " form under the name 

 of " Le Myrmidon," the underside being the same, but the 

 upperside very different, the $ (fig. 79a, bis) being entirely blue, but 

 less deep than fig. 78c, although both have three black marginal dots 

 on the hindwings ; the $ (fig. 79c, bis) is black, the forewings tinged 

 with blue at the base, and the hindwings bordered with spots of the 

 same colour, etc. They then refer this to Bergstrasser's jiolyspercJion 

 (Nom., p. 72, pi. xliv., figs. 3-5), and say that they copied the insect 

 from Gerning's collection.! In 1845, De Selys-Longchamps (Mem. 

 Soc. Hoi/. Sci. Liege, ii., pt. i., p. 31) criticises the applications of the 

 various names to different forms of the insect by different authors, and 

 tabulates four forms, which he notes as follows : — 



1. Amyntas.— Of large size, 13-14 lin. in expanse, with fulvous anal lunnles, 

 large beneath, reappearing above in the ? ; the latter, in Belgium, powdered with 

 blue above, as are most 2 s of alexia (But Duponchel, Guenee, and De Villers have 

 only seen brown 2 s in France. This form would lie a variety). Godart's first 

 description agrees exactly with Belgian specimens. 



2. Polysperchon {tiresias, Hb.). — Of small size, without the yellow lunules at 

 the anal angle. [To this I should like to refer a brown 2 from Piedmont. But 

 Duponehel says positively that it is always dusted with blue. This would be a 

 variety.] Donckier has a J from near Bordeaux without a black point near the 

 anal angle above. 



?). Myrmidon. — Of small size ; the yellow lunules small below and appearing 

 little or not at all above in the 2 , which is powdered with blue, offering often a 

 bluish-spotted border on the hindwings. I refer here some cf s received from 



::: Attention may here be called to the identity of Von Rottemberg's original 

 description of tiresias, and this referred by Bergstriisser to Viber. Is there any 

 connection between Viber and Von Rottemberg? 



"I" Bergstrasser's figures were also taken from Gerning's collection; the S 

 upperside of Ernst and Engramelle is practically identical with Bergstrasser's, the 

 ? . on the other hand, corresponds with his description but not with his figure. 



