LYC^ENINiE. 



321 



conceivable way — in form, in the number and articulation of the ribs, 

 in transparency, in size, and in the length and shape of the peduncle ; 

 among them are found some very anomalous forms, e.g., that of 

 Lampides boeticus. In some examples of the same species they are 

 much more abundant than in others ; whilst in some species they are 

 plentiful, and in others scarce, and in some are only to be discovered 

 with difficulty. Mr. Sidebotham illustrated this article with a number 

 of excellent drawings (op. cit., pi. i., figs. 1-29; pi. ii., figs. 30-41; 

 pi. hi., figs. 42-53) which must be studied in order to understand their 

 connection. The directions, in which Watson considers that the 

 plumules give clear scientific indications, are : 



1. The plumules are always identical in different individuals of the same 

 species, and, therefore, mere geographical or other varieties may be detected by 

 this test. 



2. In species nearly allied, so closely as to make them difficult of distinction, 

 these scales will be often found very different, forming very certain and unquestion- 

 able divisions ; while, on the other hand, species of easy separation in other 

 physiological peculiarities have sometimes very identical plumules. 



In 1880, Aurivillius published (Bidr. Sve?isk. Vet. Akad. Handlin., 

 v., pp. 22-26, pi. ii and iii) descriptions and figures of the androconia 

 of many Palaearctic species of "blues," and added a table giving 

 the measurements of those of many species. He states that 

 Deschamps first discovered and figured these androconia, which 

 are a trifle longer than broad, almost square, with complete straight- 

 edged sides, and a faint convex apex. He states that, in an undamaged 

 wing, one notices, under the microscope, the bases of the androconia 

 passing through the rows of the large wing-scales, being pale, unpig- 

 mented, and transparent, the scales being arranged so as to form 

 distinct rows in the interspaces, but nearer the outer edge than centre 

 of the interspace. There are also found, in the discal cell of the 

 males of some species, long hair-like scales, with a broad open base 

 absent in the females. The table he gives reads as follows : 



Species. 



ANDROCONIA. 



Hair-scales. 





Length 



Width. 



Number of 







WITHOUT STEM. 





rows. 





Celastrina argiolus 



0- 072mm 



0'05mm. 



13 



wanting 



Cyaniris semiargzis 



0" 054mm. 



03mm. 



8 



5> 



Cupido minima... 



0' 054mm. 



0'04mm. 



12 



)» 



Nomiades cyllarus 



O'Oomm. 



0'045mm. 



9-10 



J) 



Lycaena alcon ... 



0-072mm. 



0'05mm. 



14-15 



ii 



L. avion 



O'OSmrn. 



0-027mm. 



10-12 



?> 



Polyommatns pheretes . . . 



0'054mm. 



- 045mm. 



14 



numerous 



P. amandus 



0'045mm. 



0-015mm. 



8-9 



3) 



P. escheri 



0-068mm. 



0-021mm. 



7-8 



S3 



P. icarus 



0'054mm. 



0-021mm. 



5-6 



)) 



Agriades bellargus 



0-054mm. 



0-027mm. 



8 



5? 



A. donzelii 



0-07mm. 



0"04mm. 



17-19 



wanting 



A. aquilo 



0*063mm. 



0'045mm. 



16-17 



)> 



Plebeius optilete 



0-048mm. 



04mm. 



11-12 



j ? 



P. aegon (argus) 



0"054mm. 



0-023mm. 



8-9 



55 



P. argus (argyrognomon) 



0'054mm. 



0-045mm. 



10-11 



numerous 



Besides these characteristic androconia, there is usually considerable 

 sexual diversity in the colour of the species, most of the males being 



