64 Beautiful Butterflies. 



what it feeds on does not appear to be known ; nor as 

 far as we can learn, has the chrysalis been discovered. 



Respecting the name, we can only say that Argus 

 refers to the little spots on the wings, that being the 

 designation in the ancient mythology of one who is 

 said to have had a hundred eyes ; so we say of a very 

 watchful person, like your schoolmaster, for example, 

 that he is argus-eyed — he sees everything. But for 

 that matter, all Butterflies are Arguses, for, as I have 

 already shown, they have each a great many more than 

 a hundred little reflecting lenses; to these real eyes, 

 however, the term does not refer, but to the eyelike 

 rings with dots in the centre, which appear in the 

 wings of this and many other species. The Wood 

 Argus (Hipparchta JEgerid) and the Arran Argus 

 (U. Ligea) are two of these; the latter closely re- 

 sembles the one we have just described. It is very rare 

 in Britain, having only been found in the Scottish Isle 

 of Arran, whence it takes its name. The former is 

 an elegant fly, with dark brown wings, specked with 

 buff-colour, from which the little eyes peep out; the 

 under sides are much lighter, beautifully streaked and 

 mottled. This insect is found in woods and lanes all 

 through the country, from April to August. It is 

 sometimes called the "Wood Lady, or Speckled Wood 

 Butterfly. 



We have before mentioned three generic names — 



