304 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



In 1777, Scopoli provisionally grouped (Introduction etc., pp. 481-8) 

 the butterflies into most incongruous genera, the species being arranged 

 in sections, according as they were marked with (1) silver or golden 

 bands (Argyreus), (2) ocellated spots (Argus), (3) tails (Pterourus), 

 (4) blotches (Battus), (5) bands (Graphium). The Ruralids (" coppers," 

 " blues," and " hairstreaks ") are distributed throughout these groups 

 (genera) in the most remarkable manner. 



In 1780, Kluk (Zwierz. Hist. Nat., iv., p. 81), after briefly describing 

 the butterflies in general, says that they are to be grouped in five 

 genera, the last of which is — 



Genus V — Plebeius divided into — 



Eubales — Plebeius cupido, etc. 

 Urbicol^: — Plebeius comma, etc. 



This is the first (and we believe only) occasion in which Plebeius was 

 used generically by the early authors. 



In 1781, Barbut fixed betulae as the type of Ruralis. He gives 

 (Gen. Ins. Linn., p. 173) : — 



Plebeii. Rurales — Ruralis, example P.P.R. betulae, Linn., no. 220. 



In 1793, Fabricius (Ent. Syst., iii., p. 258) renamed the Linnean 

 Plebeii, calling the group Hesperia. Be, however, maintained the 

 Linnean subdivisions, calling the combined " coppers," " blues," and 

 " hairstreaks " — Rurales. 



In 1798, Cuvier refers to certain species as illustrative of the 

 Linnean groups, his 6th group (/) being : — 



Les Pleb&ens — Plebeii — Papilio argue. 



In 1801, Schrank described (Fauna Boica, pp. 206 et seq.) the Linnean 

 Rurales under the name Cupido. He subdivided the genus into three 

 very natural groups, viz : — 



Cupido. — A. Gold glanzende Schildfalter. 



(a) The males almost unspotted — C. virgaureae, Lin., hippothoe, 



W.V., chryseis, W.V., etc. 

 (6) Both sexes spotted — C. phlaeas, W.V., circe, W.V., etc. 



B. Vielaugige Schildfalter. 



(a) Without reddish-yellow transverse band on underside of 

 hindwings — C. avion, Goze, alcon, W.V., acis, W.V., 

 damon, W.V., damoetas, W.V., argiolus, W.V., eumedon, 

 Esp., corydon, Scop., adonis, W.V., alexis, W.V., age&tis, 

 W.V., argus, W.V., battus, W.V., puer, Schrk., etc. 



C. Klein schwanzige Schildfalter — C. rubi, W.V., betulae, Linn., 



quercus, Goze, pruni, W.V., spini, W.V. 



In 1802, Latreille (Hist. Nat., iii., pp. 397-8) simply notes the 

 group as : — 



Plebeii {Cupido, Schr.). . 



1. Les petits porte-queue. Example Papilio pruni, Lin. 



2. Les argus. Example Papilio argus, Lin. 



3. Les bronzes. Example Papilio virgaureae, Lin. 



In 1803, Haworth described (Lep. Brit., pp. 37-49) the group 

 under the name Rurales, and subdivided it as follows : — 



Caudate. — Papilio Plebeius Ruralis betulae, pruni, quercus, rubi. 

 CuPREiE. — P.P.R. dispar, virgaureae, chryseis, phlaeas. 



Ccerule/E. — P.P.R. arion, corydon, adonis, icarus, hyacinthus, argus, idas, 

 artaxerxes, argiolus, cymon, alsus. 



It will be observed that " Cuprea? " and " Cceruleas " are adaptations 

 of the popular names of " coppers " and " blues." 



