LYCAENA AKION. 335 



theless certain that, when fully grown and ready for pupation, it some- 

 times if not always leaves the nest or shelter within which it has been 

 concealed, and seeks a secluded and convenient position at the roots 

 of the surrounding herbage in which to undergo its change, a position 

 very similar to that chosen by its allies Agriades coridon and A. thetis. 



The discovery of a freshly emerged $ arion imago in the early 

 morning— 8 a.m.— of July 12th, 1905, by Mr. F. W. Frohawk and 

 myself, stimulated our already keen desire to learn something of the 

 pupa, and as the imago, when found, was hanging about a foot from 

 the surface of the ground to the spines of a low bush of gorse, through 

 which was growing a tangled mass of heather, thyme, and coarse grass. 

 the first step towards success, obviously, was to closely examine, and 

 remove piece by piece and stem by stem, this tangled growth, it 

 appearing probable that the empty pupa case would be found attached 

 to one of the twigs or stems. 



The whole bush, covering perhaps about four feet by three, was in 

 this way gradually removed, but without success, and when the last 

 piece of heather had been cut away, the mystery appeared to be as far 

 from solution as ever. 



We were, however, determined to leave no room for failure, and 

 therefore proceeded to excavate the ground w T e had cleared, and to 

 remove the gorse, heather and grass, root by root. 



For some time even this drastic proceeding seemed as little likely to 

 prove successful as had been the earlier work, but at length patience 

 brought its usual reward, and our pleasure may be imagined when, on 

 carefully pulling away a small portion of the root of a tussock of 

 coarse grass, a living pupa was disclosed, evidently Lyeamid in shape, 

 and beyond suspicion that of arion. 



This was a surprise indeed ; we were looking for, and hoping to 

 find, an empty pupa case, and here was brought to light instead 

 something even more welcome and conclusive. 



Needless to say our energies were redoubled, and to our great 

 pleasure success quickly followed upon success, for within three inches 

 of the spot w 7 hich had been occupied by the living pupa, and snugly 

 ensconced in the roots of the same tuft of grass, was found the empty 

 case of the $ whose consideration in emerging just as our eager steps 

 were scouring the rough hillside, deserves our lasting gratitude. 



Both pupa and empty case were near, but certainly below, the 

 surface of the ground, and, so far as could be seen, neither w T as in any 

 way attached to the earth or roots by girth, cocoon, or silken pad. 



From the living pupa a $ imago emerged on the 16th of July, 

 1905, as recorded by Mr. Frohawk in the Entomologist of August in 

 that year, p. 194 (Ray ward, in litt.). 



Ontogeny of Larva. — First instar ; When newly-hatched exceed- 

 ingly small ; only -8mm. in length ; rather stout in proportion ; the 

 segmental incisions deeply defined ; a longitudinal dorsal furrow ; 

 head showing olive-black; on the prothorax a large dorsal dark- 

 coloured disc ; a smaller one on anal segment ; colour of body pale 

 ochreous-yellow, tinged with greenish ; on the dorsal surface longitudinal 

 rows of glassy white serrated hairs placed in two pairs on either side 

 of each segment above spiracles, all have pedestal-like bases of 

 olive colour ; the dorsal row (i. and ii.) all curving backwards ; the 

 anterior one (i.) on each side much the longest ; the subdorsal pair 



