152 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



This is little more than a synonym of labienus, Jermyn, or minor, 

 Ckll., except that some of the specimens are of the minor -nigromaculata 

 form, to which the name must be restricted. Ochsenheimer, in 1808, 

 recorded a $ not more than half the usual size with black spots along 

 the edge of the upperside of the hindwing ; several of the form having 

 been taken in the neighbourhood of Dresden. 



e. ab. (et var.?) parvula, Kroul., " Ent. Nachr.," xviii., p. 370 (1893).— In the 

 Viakta Govt, there is generally only one brood of icarus, but sometimes a supple- 

 mentary (second) brood from 10mm. -13mm. (the normal specimens being 16mm.- 

 21mm.) occurs. [These measurements obviously refer to one side only.] The s sare 

 of a darker blue than the type, with very narrow border ; underside whitish-grey, and 

 quite white before the border'; reddish-yellow spots very pale. ? without a trace 

 of blue on the upperside; underside lighter brown, with much lighter marginal 

 spots. 



This should probably be considered as merely a synonym of minor, 

 Ckll. We only separate it in case the special description of the under- 

 side indicates racial characteristics. 



f. ab. hyacinthus, Stphs., "Cat.," p. 24 (1829); Humph, and Westd., "Brit. 

 Butts.," p. 108 (1841). Alexis ab., Ochs., " Die Schmett.," i., pt. 2, p. 41 (1808). 

 Icarus var. /3, Stphs., " Illus. Brit. Ent.," i., p. 92 (1828). Icarus ab., Blach., 

 "Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr.," pi. iv., figs. 2-3(1889). — A dwarf form 22mm. or less in 

 expanse, the two transverse ocelli at the base of the anterior wings beneath 

 obliterated (Stephens and Westwood). 



Ochsenheimer describes (Die Schmett., i., pt. 2, p. 41) two similar 

 small $ s of the icarinus form, one from Portugal, the other from 

 Leipzig. Blachier observes that a $ of this minor-icaiinus=hyacinthus 

 form, is figured in the Ann. Soc. Ent. France, 1889, pi. iv., figs. 2-3. 



7). ab. major, n. ab. Icarus ab., Swinhoe, " Proc. Ent. Soc. Lond.," p. 340 

 (1885); South, "Ent.," xx., p. 76 (1887); Staud., "Rom. Mem.," vi., p. 162 

 (1892); Newnh., " Ent. Rec," v., p. 12 (1894); Fuchs, " Jahrb. Nass. Ver. Nat.," 

 liii., p. 31 (1900). — Larger in both sexes than usual, expanding more than 35mm. 



Large specimens of this species are not at all rare, indeed, in some 

 districts there is a tendency for the large size to become racial, e.g., 

 Bourg St. Maurice, Western Ireland, the Hebrides, etc. Stanger- 

 Higgs records a $ l-53ins., taken at Upton St. Leonards (1887), 

 a $ 17'5ins., Hempsted, Glos. (1889). South notes a $ 35mm., 

 taken at Ventnor, another 35-5mm. captured at Sligo, whilst Newnham 

 mentions one caught at Church Stretton l^ins. Also reported from 

 Amurland (Staudinger), Siberia (Fuchs), and Quetta, in the late 

 autumn brood (Swinhoe). 



Underside Aberrations. 

 a. ab. discrcta, Tutt, "Nat. Hist. Brit. Butts.," iv., p. 16(1910); Hodgs., 

 "Ent. Rec," xxii., p. 115 (1910). Icarus ab., Bird, " Ent. Rec," xvii., p. 311 

 (1905); Hemming, "Proc. Sth. Lond. Ent. Soc," 1909, p. 110 (1910).— The spots 

 of the submedian series thrown back from the discoidal towards or against the 

 marginal series, sometimes forming an almost straight line. 



This form is not at all uncommon. We have excellent specimens 

 from Chattenden, Cuxton, Deal, Dover, and other Kent localities, and 

 from many Continental ones. Bird notes a 2 , taken August, 1901. at 

 Tintern, the submedian spots very large, and, with the exception of 

 the top one in a straight row, close 1 to, and parallel with, the black- 

 edged orange spot*. Blachier notes (in litt.) that a # of the c<imlioj>t> 

 (iphis) form, taken at Ecl6pens on August 5th, 1907, has the spots of 

 the submedian series thrown right back, so that the ocellated spots touch 

 the black chevrons which surmount the orange-red marginal lunules; 



