94 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



never (up to 1878) seen the species there again ; Nickerl notes that, in 

 Bohemia, it is in some years very abundant, in others very rare ; Gill- 

 mer writes that both broods are now very rare at Schwerin, and it 

 appears to be doubtful whether it still occurs in its old haunts here. 

 Lelievre observes that the first-brood is generally very rare in the 

 Forest of Amboise in May, whilst the second-brood is very abundant 

 from about August 1st, the $ s almost as numerous as the $ s ; this 

 was so in 1871, whilst, in 1872, the May-brood was almost as abundant 

 as the second- brood ; much evidently depends upon the state of the 

 weather, etc., in any particular year. Kossler asserts that, at 

 Wiesbaden, the cold winter of 1879-80 completely destroyed 

 the species, but this is not so, for, in 1888, Prideaux found it 

 in both broods, quite near to the town, the second-brood being 

 locally abundant. Blachier observes that, in the Geneva district, 

 although the typical E. argiades is not uncommon from mid-July to 

 September, the spring-brood is exceedingly rare in May and June. 

 [De Niceville observes that, in Sumatra, the sexes are usually found 

 in different places, the $ s on the roads, the $ s on flowers in small 

 jungles, but this account evidently refers to Binghamia parrhasius.'] 

 [Rowland-Brown records that he captured the species in July, 

 1905, at a patch of moisture at Vernet-les-Bains, but this does not 

 seem a common habit, and we believe refers to E. alcetas; we may note, 

 moreover, that Hofner records several alcetas (coretas), drinking at wet 

 places in the road on July 12th on the southern foot of the Petzen, 

 near Schwarzenbach.] Scudder says (Butts. New Engl., ii., p. 917) 

 that the flight of the butterfly in North America is quick and 

 nervous, and it is itself so small and delicate that one easily 

 loses sight of it as it doubles in and out among the herbage, over the 

 tops of which — unless very low — it is rarely seen. Its flights are of 

 short duration, and it alights frequently after some seconds of uncertain 

 quivering on the heads or terminal leaves of plants and low shrubs 

 and vines, especially of Legaminosae. Minot observed it, when alighted, 

 holding its wings perpendicularly, or parted at an angle of about 15°, and 

 rubbing the hindwings up and down while the forewings were motionless. 

 Habitats. — Spread all over the Palrearctic and Nearctic regions, 

 this species has been termed the " cai-dul" of the Lycamids, although 

 Celastrina argiolus, excels it in this respect. Its range in altitude 

 is not so great, rarely reaching more than 6000ft., even in sub- 

 tropical countries. As may be expected its habitats are greatly varied. 

 In Europe, it appears to haunt grassy ridings in woods, meadows on 

 the outskirts of woods, dry exposed banks, heaths, and many other 

 similar localities, usually, however, where there is an abundance of 

 flowers. Speyer says that it flies, in Germany, in clearings in woods 

 where there is a plentiful supply of flowering-plants, also in meadows in 

 the lower mountain-districts, being often, indeed, pretty abundant in the 

 lower part of the mountain-region. Various details are given by different 

 observers, e.g., Zeller observes that the species at Glogau haunts open 

 woods where several species of Lrgmninosae grow, but was also found 

 in a damp wood with much undergrowth, where its favourite food- 

 plant, Lotus corniculatus, grew abundantly, whilst Prideaux says that 

 the small spring form appeared very sparingly in May, 1888, at Wies- 

 baden, but the large second-brood form was far more abundant, pre- 

 ferring any piece of open rough ground, to the meadows in woods ; in 



