322 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



Bhopalocera, p. 3, places in it argiolus, corydon, alexis (agestis), and 

 artaxerxes (sahnacis and artaxerxes), whilst he refers adonis to Nomiades. 

 In 1875, Scudder (Hist. Rev., p. 105) discusses the name Agriades, 

 mentioning most of the facts noted above, and concludes "The species 

 mentioned by Stephens and Kirby seem to belong to the earlier 

 Rusticus, and hence have no effect ; orbitulus may be taken as the 

 type." This, of course, is not so, both Stephens' and Kirby's 

 Agriades are heterotypical, and the species which these authors place 

 in Agriades do not, as Scudder says, belong to Rusticus (type argyrog- 

 nomon) ; the restriction of Stephens, therefore, renders Scudder's 

 action, in 1875, of fixing orbitulus as the type, ultra vires, and, in accord- 

 ance with Stephens' restriction, we have suggested (antea, viii., p. 313) 

 coridon as the type. The restricted genus is the sect. B of Herrich- 

 Schaffer's Lycaena (Sys. Bearb., i., pp. Ill et seq.) as noted, antea vol. 

 viii., pp. 309-310, and is described as — 



I. Alse posteriores ecaudatse. 



2. Subtus ante limbum maculae rufge. 



A. Inter lunulam mediam et basin alarum anteriorum ocellus unus 

 aut alter. 



A. Ocellus cellulse 6 alarum posteriorum linea recta inter ocellos 

 cellulse 5 et 7 positus. 



b. Alse posteriores subtus inter seriem ocellorum et maculas 

 limbales cellulse 3 et 4 albse. 



/3. Ciliae (saltern in alis anterioribus) nigro-notatee, alse 

 posteriores subtus anterioribus paullo obscuriores — 

 corydon, F., adonis, F. 



Herrich-Schaffer's limitation is practically ours. At present we 

 are inclined to place no other European species therewith, although 

 meleager was included, antea p. 155, and is somewhat doubtful. The 

 further range of the group has still to be determined. It is very 

 closely allied, indeed, to Polyommatus, though the genitalia of the two 

 groups are somewhat different (see antea p. 157, pi. xxi., figs. 3, 4 ; 

 pi. xxii., figs. 3, 4). The genitalic characters are, however, very 

 different from those of Plebeius as illustrated by P. argus (aegori) 

 (see pi. xx., figs. 1, 2, 3; xxi., figs. 1 and 4; xxii., figs. 1 and 4). 



The Agriadid egg is larger than that of any of the other British 

 Plebeiids, except that of Plebeius argus (aegon). It is somewhat charac- 

 teristic in that the reticulation is particularly coarse and open on the outer 

 edges of the egg, whilst the upper surface is more absolutely flat than 

 in the eggs of the closely allied groups, and is covered with a finer net- 

 work that contrasts strongly with that of the outer ring of the egg. 

 The Polyommatid egg has the upper surface of the egg reticulated 

 with cells very similar to those of the outer edges. 



The Agriadid larva is very characteristic compared with those of the 

 rest of our British Lycsenids, even in a tribe where the larvre are so much 

 alike. It is particularly marked by the extensive development of the 

 dorsal ridges and lateral flanges, which give it a very characteristic 

 appearance. In their food- and feeding-habits the larvae of our two 

 British species are exceedingly alike, being largely confined to the 

 same foodplant, Hippoarepis comosa, and preferring leaves to flowers, 

 but, in their other habits, they are entirely different, Agriades thetis 

 producing a large number of " forwards," so as to be almost 

 regularly double-brooded, whilst, except in one or two spots 

 in the most southern parts of its range, Agriades coridon is a purely 



