304 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



Of the appearance of this species in Britain, C. W. Dale gives 

 following summary (Hist. Brit. Butts., p. 58), from his father's 

 " Entomological Journal," of the insect's appearance near Glanvilles 

 Wootton, in Dorsetshire — "It was common in 1808; recorded once in 

 1811, once in 1812, common in 1813, 1814, 1815 (one being taken as 

 late as August 1st), and 1816, scarce in 1817 and 1818, common in 

 1819, 1820, and 1821, scarce in 1822 and 1823, common in 1825 (20 

 captured June 13th), scarce in 1828, 1830, and 1831, common in 1834 

 and 1835, one only seen in 1836, a few in 1837, none in 1838, scarce 

 in 1839 and 1840; in 1841, a pair on June 19th, the last seen in 

 Dorsetshire." In 1833, a contributor to London's Magazine, vi., p. 96, 

 states that he captured in Monmouthshire, "a few examples that 

 summer, in a single small field of not more than an acre in extent, 

 sporting about the hay with P. argus, about the end of June and 

 beginning of July." Bree notes (op. cit.,ip. 190) that, in 1803, Haworth 

 spoke of it as probably the rarest of our British " blues," and that 

 he had received it from Yorkshire and Norfolk, but that, in the mean- 

 time, it had been recorded from Cambridgeshire, Dorsetshire, Hamp- 

 shire, and Surrey, whilst Lewin had previously taken it near Bath. 

 Bree says that he had since captured a ? in an open planta- 

 tion near Coleshill Park, on June 28th, 1804, and another 2 > 

 very worn, on July 15th, 1812, near Hinckley, Leicestershire; he 

 possessed another example, captured in Warwickshire, probably near 

 Birmingham, whilst a collector at Coventry had several specimens, 

 taken near that town, which, at the time, he did not distinguish from 

 " the common blue," whilst a S was taken some 30 years before near 

 Dudley ; it appears, therefore, to be by no means common, but yet 

 widely distributed, nor is it peculiar to chalk districts, but seems to 

 delight in woody situations, abounding in grass. In 1837, Miss 

 Jermyn (Vade Mecum, 2nd ed., pp. 74-5; pp. 148-9) amply describes 

 the species, and adds — 



Chalk soils in Norfolk, Yorkshire, and Sherborne in Dorset. In May and 

 July. 



In 1839, Wood observed (Lid. Ent., p. 8) — 



Acis. Chalk soils. Kent. May to July. 



In 1841, Humphreys and Westwood (Brit. Butts.,]). 102) observe — 



Polyommatus acis. This rare species frequents chalky districts. The late 

 Mr. Haworth gave Yorkshire and Norfolk as its localities, and Miss Jermyn, 

 Sherborne, etc., Dorsetshire. Various parts of Cambridge, Hampshire, Windlesham 

 Heath, Surrey, are mentioned by Mr. Stephens. There are also some notices of 

 this insect in nos. 31 and 32 of Loudon's Mag. of Nat. History, by the Kev. W. T. 

 Bree, who informs us that he took it in Coleshill Park, Warwickshire, also near 

 Hinckley, Leicestershire ; other specimens have also been taken in Worcestershire. 



Stainton, in 1857 (Manual, i., pp. 58-9) describes it, and notes — 



Mr. Newman writes : " P. acis is common in Herefordshire. I used to take 

 it in my father's fields in Leominster, 25 years ago. I have repeatedly seen it 

 since, and suppose it to be as abundant as ever." The Eev. Jos. Greene took 

 "two specimens (not good) of this rare species in a chalky field, near Lower 

 Guiting, on the Cotswolds, the beginning of July, 1849*." Mr. Allis writes me : 

 " I know of no captures within the last 7 years. The Birmingham collectors used 

 to take it in plenty, but none have occurred recently that I know of." 



* These two "not good" examples have been the cause of some misunder- 

 standing. As Greene provided Stainton with the Lower Guiting list for the Manual, 

 one suspects the " " in the Manual, to represent a quotation from Greene's list of 



