49 



It is a common species throughout a great part of Europe and Western 

 Asia, from June to August, though somewhat local, frequenting damp 

 meadows near woods, and in the mountains. 



CHEYSOPHANUS PHLCEAS. 

 Small Copper, 



Phlceas, Linn. Phlce'as, a surname of Venus, perhaps derived from flos 

 bloom. 



The sexes of this lively little representative of the genus resemble each 

 other closely, and also the female of Bispar on the upperside, the hind-wings 

 however, are much blacker, and there are three lilac dots on each. On the 

 underside, the hind-wings are of an ashy brown. The expanse varies from 

 eleven lines to one inch and four lines. 



It is a very variable species, and the ground colour varies from the bright 

 copper of the type through paler yellow to perfectly pure silvery white, which 

 variety is called Schmidtii. In the other direction, it varies by the fore-wing 

 being suffused with dark scales until they nearly resemble the hind-wings. 

 Mr. Stephens in his " Illustrations " give the following varieties. 



Var. b. has the fore-wings of a deep dusky copper, with very large nearly 

 confluent spots ; the hind- wings with a very narrow waved band. 



Var. c. has the forewings of a pale rufous copper, with the spots very small, 

 and several of the inner ones obliterated. 



Var. d. has the hindwings more or less spotted with blue towards the 

 coppery band. 



Yar. e. has the hind-wings with faint radiating coppery lines, as in the 

 female of Bispar, 



Var./. has the hind-wings wholly of a dusky colour, without the cupreus 

 marginal fascia. 



Var. g. has the disc of the wings pure white ; but the wings are spotted 

 and bordered as in the type. 



The Southern variety Tineus, Cranes, is very much darker than the type, 

 and has short tails to the hind-wings. 



Other named varieties are Chinensis, occurring at Shanghai; PseudopMceas, 

 from Abyssinia; Americana, from Massachuchets, and Hypophlceas, from 

 California. 



The egg is large for the size of the butterfly. It is circular, rather flattened, 

 of a light cream colour, and very coarsely reticulated with whitish raised net 

 work, — Buckler. 



