422 BEITISH BUTTERFLIES. 



is a marked spring form, like violacea 2 (fig- 6), and not at all like $ 

 neglecta (fig. 12), as again asserted. The resemblances on the under- 

 side may be as pointed out by Edwards, the underside of the $ echo 

 (fig. 21) being not altogether unlike that of $ neglecta (fig. 10). 

 On the whole, the uppersides of all three 2 s (figs. 21, 26 and 27) are 

 distinctly of spring forms, and, as Wright has apparently not bred 

 the later one, we feel strongly that our opinion is possibly correct. 



£. ab. echo, Edw., "Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil.," ii., p. 506 (1864); "Butts. N. 

 Amer.,"ii., Lye. pp. 9-10 (1884). Piasu s, Edw., "Butts. Nth. Amer.."ii., Lye. pi. ii., 

 figs. 20-21 (1884). — Male. — Expands lin. Upperside delicate light blue, silvery on 

 costa of primaries, both wings bordered by a fine black line ; fringe of secondaries 

 white, brown at tips of nervules ; of primaries brown towards the apex, and at tips 

 of the nervules. Underside white ; both wings have a marginal series of indistinct 

 lunules ; primaries have a transverse series of brown streaks, of which the second, 

 third, fourth, and fifth are in a line parallel to the margin, each turned obliquely 

 towards it ; the first is forward of the line on the costa ; the spots next inner angle 

 obsolete ; discal streak long. Secondaries have a transverse series of smaller 

 streaks and spots, two being on the costa, followed, after a wide space, by four 

 parallel to the margin ; the sixth is below the line and lunular, the seventh upon 

 the margin also lunular, towards the base are three small spots, one on costa, the 

 second in the cell, the third on abdominal margin. Female. — Expands l^in. 

 Primaries have a broad fuscous costal border, hind margin and discal streak, the 

 disk blue. Secondaries fuscous, slightly sprinkled with blue upon the disk ; a 

 marginal series of rounded fuscous spots in grey circlets. California, from Dr. 

 Behr. This is the western representative of pseudargiolus. It is much smaller 

 than that species, but otherwise very like it (Edwards). 



This description suggests most strongly that of nigrescens, Fletcher 

 (see postea), which is stated by Cockle to be "the common spring 

 form at Kaslo, on Kootenay Lake, British Columbia. It does not 

 agree, in either sex, with Edwards' figures 20, 21, which he refers 

 (Butts. Nth. Amer., ii., Lye. p. 9) to echo, and where he states that, "on 

 the Pacific coast, the species is represented in part by individuals not 

 distinguishable from neglecta, viz., echo (fig. 21)." Certainly in our 

 opinion, fig. 21 bears no resemblance to his neglecta (fig. 12), and 

 both fail entirely to satisfy this original description of echo, the form 

 here described being certainly that to which the name must be attached. 

 We are as unable to unravel Edwards' detailed references to echo as 

 those he makes to piasus. The Californian race certainly wants 

 carefully breeding. The fact seems to be that Edwards' figures 20, 

 21, represent spring examples of the Californian insect, whilst his 

 description of echo, is, one suspects, of the summer form. 



o. ab. nigrescens, Fletch., "Can. Ent.," xxxvi., p. 127 (with fig.) (1904). — The 

 most conspicuous difference between this and the other described varieties of the 

 stem species is the large amount of black on the upper side of the females. This 

 darkening forms a wide black border on the costal and outer margins of primaries, 

 and spreads over the whole surface of the secondaries, which merely show a little 

 blue on the folds between the veins. The blue of the disc of primaries is a dark 

 purplish-blue, as in var. piasus, and is frequently irrorated with black scales. 

 The upperside of the male is a deep rich violet-blue, almost of the same shade as 

 in amyntula. The underside of this variety is remarkable, and specimens of both 

 sexes may be found which, if the underside alone were seen, might be jef erred to 

 neglecta, violacea, lucia, or marginata, and some even combine characters of all 

 of these. One beautiful form which frequently occurs has an irregular discal dark 

 blotch of confluent spots on the secondaries beneath, as in lucia, and the clear 

 marginal and submarginal spots of violacea. This form Mr. Cockle, who has 

 collected this butterfly for several years and has been much interested in it, 

 considers to be most typical of the variety. In all forms of this Kaslo Blue, the 

 eye-like spots of the marginal band are distinct, a character in which it differs 

 from piasus, some specimens beneath showing the marginal band of marginata 



