222 THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE WEST COAST 



This is one of the most abundant "blues" in California in the 

 spring. It is of a lustrous, dewy blue, with visible veins, as in 

 Heteronea. It is a valley species, not going into the mountains. 



The larval food-plant is Lupinus, of several species. 



368. Lycaena Behri. Not elsewhere illustrated. 



Plate XXIX; Figure 368, Female, underside, Spokane, 

 May 16, 1890; Author. 

 The distinctive points of Behri are on the underside, so I have 

 figured the female, which shows the variation better than the male. 

 The figure shows all the spots of under side about the same size, 

 and ringed with white. Behri I suppose to be the northern rep- 

 resentative of the southern Antiacis, darker every way, and all 

 spots more prominently irised with white. 



369. Lycaena Mertila. Not elsewhere illustrated. 



Plate XXIX ; Figure 369, Male, underside, San Francisco, 

 1890; C. E. Cottle. 

 Mertila is a variety of Antiacis, with all the round dots on under 

 side half covered with the white iris which surrounds them. This 

 variety seems to be quite local. 



370. Lycaena Xerces. 



Plate XXIX ; Figures 370, b, c. 



Fig. 370, Male, San Francisco, 1890; C. E. Cottle. 



b, Female, San Francisco, 1890; C. E. Cottle. 



c, Female, underside, San Francisco, 1890; C. E. 



Cottle. 

 In this species the peculiarities of Mertila are still more evi- 

 dent ; the black margin is wider, and on under side the spots are 

 all completely covered over with the white iris, so that they look 

 like white spots. This beautiful butterfly was lost for thirty 

 years, and was believed to be extinct, but of late years it has 

 reappeared in the same locality where it formerly was so com- 

 mon, namely, Lone Mountain Cemetery, near San Francisco, and 

 it is said that it is becoming quite plentiful in that locality, though 

 unknown in any other place. 



371. Lycaena Orcus. 

 No figure. 



Orcus I suppose to be the same as Mertila. It is said to be from 

 Central California, having the same habitat as Mertila, and from 

 all I can learn is the same form. 



