134 
LYCMNIDJ^. 
border; the spots have the same arrangement as in the last species, 
but those on the fore wings are much larger and rounder, whilst 
those on the hind wings are fainter and smaller, and are often 
absent altogether in the male. Beneath, this species differs from 
the last in having a double row of hind marginal spots, and in 
having the bases of the hind wings more decidedly tinged with blue. 
Times of Appearance.— From the end of May to the middle 
of July. PI. XXXII., 5. 
Habitat. — The greater part of Europe, excluding the Polar 
regions and the South-West ; it occurs also in Western Asia and 
in the Southern parts of Siberia, frequenting meadows and open 
places. In Britain it is very local, its chief localities being in the 
Midland and South-AVestern parts of England. 
The Larva has never been observed in its full-grown state ; it 
has been described when fifteen days old as being of a dirty pink 
colour, the head brown and shiny, the dorsal line rust-colour. It 
was reared by Mr. Porritt, on wild thyme, on the flowers of which 
it feeds. 
Obs. — Varieties of this and of the preceding species (L. 
EupJienms) occur occasionally in which the wings are strongly 
suffused with dark brown, almost obscuring the spots and giving 
the insect the appearance of a brown rather than a blue butterfly. 
The dark form of L. Avion is called var. ohscura by the German 
and Swiss Entomologists, and occurs in Alpine districts of Switzer- 
land and the Tyrol. 
49. L. Areas, Piott. Nat. vi. p. 25 (1775). — Erebus, Knoch. Btr. 
ii., t. 6, 6, 7 (1782) ; Fab. Mant. 72 ; Hub. 260-2 ; Esp. 
101, 1 ; 0. i. 2, 10 ; B. Ic. 11, 4-6. 
Expands 1*25 to 1'30 in. Fringes of all the wings brown. 
The male is very dark, irony blue, with broad brown hind marginal 
borders. Fore wings with a narrow black discoidal and a central 
row of elongated s})ots. Hind wings with similar spots, but those 
of the central row are smaller and rounder. The female is strongly 
suffused with dark brown. Under side uniformly brown, with no 
tinge of blue, the discoidal spots almost imperceptible; all the wings 
have a central row of round black sj)ots enclosed in lightish rings. 
Pi. XXXII., 6. 
