STRYMON PRUNI. 195 



stygianus, Butl., $ ( = mera, Jans., 3 ), rubicundula, Leech, and pruni, 

 Lion. (type). Its proper relationship with some of the species in the 

 allied genus Felderia, still remains to be worked out. 



The egg of Strymon pruni is more characteristically " hairstreak " 

 in its general build and character than is that of the allied Edwardsia 

 iv-album (compare pi. ii., figs. 3-4). The remarkable development of 

 the prothorax of the larva in width, compared with the long and more 

 slender prothorax of E. w-album, is very noticeable, but still more 

 marked is the angulated pupa, in which its spines, etc., resemble 

 rather a Yanessid, than Euralid, pupa, and in the development of 

 which it differs entirely from the smooth rounded pupa of E. w-album. 

 Chapman says : " The pupa of S. pruni is also remarkable, among our 

 British " hairstreaks," for its exposed habit. Instead of securing 

 protection by hiding away, it does so by becoming conspicuous, but, 

 in a cryptic fashion, resembling a bird-dropping, or some of the 

 lichens, or perchance some of the collections in old spider-webs, all of 

 which are usually plentiful on old blackthorn bushes. E. w-album 

 comes nearest to it, as that species pupates on the twigs or leaves of 

 its foodplant, but under a leaf, in a curled dead leaf, or otherwise 

 hidden. The pupae of Ruralis betulae and Bithijs quercus have no 

 cremaster, and the larvae pupate in or beneath dead leaves and other 

 material on the ground, whilst the larva of Callophrys rubi actually 

 goes beneath the earth, if this be at all loose enough to allow it to do 

 so. Consequently all these other species are rounded, and of obscure 

 and tolerably uniform coloration, that of B. quercus having a dead leaf 

 colour, and that of C. rubi a dark earthy one." 



It will be observed that Strymon is an essentially eastern Palaearctic 

 genus, only one species, pruni, Linn., coming into the European area. 

 The remainder are, like the species of Felderia, chiefly confined to 

 eastern Asia. 



Strymon pruni, Linne. 



Synonymy. — Species: Pruni, Linn., " Sys. Nat.," xth ed., p. 482 (1758); 

 "Fauna Suec," 2nd ed., p. 283 (1761) ; Poda, " Mus. Graec," p. 76 (1761); 

 Scop., "Ent. Cam.," p. 175, in part (1763); Linn., " Sys. Nat.," 12th ed., p. 788 

 (1767), etc. Ptorsas ?, Hufn., "Berl. Mag.," ii.. p. 68(1766) [referred to as 

 Prorsas, Ochs., "Die Schmett.," i., pt. 2, p. Ill (1808)]. Prorsa, Kott., 

 "Naturf.," vi., p. 6 (1775). [N.B. — All other references mentioned in the 

 generic synonymy (anted, pp. 192-193) are referable to pruni.] 



Original description. — Papilio {Plebeius) alis subcaudatis supra 

 fuscis, subtus fascia marginali fulva utrinque nigro-punctata. Eoes., 

 Ins., Pap., 2, t. 7 ; Raj, Ins., 130, n. 9 (?) ; Pet., Gaz., ii., fig. 10 (?). 

 Habitat in Bruno domestic a. Descr.— Alae omnes supra fuscae; postice 

 caudatae et ante caudam maculis 2 s. 3, ferrugineis lunatis. Subtus 

 omnes obscure cinereae, linea transversa. Secundaria intra marginem 

 posticum fascia fulva, utroque margine nigro punctata (Linne, Syst. 

 Nat., 10th ed., p. 482). 



Imago. — 25mm. -31mm. All the wings brown, rather than 

 blackish-brown, the androconial patch oval and dark grey ; an ante- 

 marginal series of orange lunules on the hindwings (sometimes also on 

 forewings); the caudal appendage well-developed (no trace of an upper 

 one), turned very obtusely outwards ; a tiny blue spot at anal angle. 

 Underside of all wings brown or yellowish-brown, with white transverse 

 line across the forewings, edged internally with darker, and broken up 

 by nervures ; a similar one on hindwings curves round to the middle 



