60 
ill the lowland part of the county, and occasionally 
is rather common. It has not yet been found north 
of Forres.—1868, May 15; 1859, May 14; 1860, 
May 24; 1868, May 16 ; 1866, May 2. 
23. Polyommatus alsus V. has occurred abundantly 
near Perth at several places, as at Proxy, but of late 
years it has been very scarce. It seems confined to 
the lowland part of the county, although it occurs in 
all parts of Scotland, both east and west, as far north 
as Forres. —1858, June 10 ; 1859, May 31 ; 1867, 
June 15. 
24- P. Icarus, Eg. is one of those butterflies whose 
range extends from the level of the sea up to a con¬ 
siderable elevation on the mountains. It appears to 
occur throughout Britain.—1858, June 6 ; 1859, June 
13; 1860, June 27 ; 1864, June 18 ; 1865, July 1 ; 
1867, July 7 ; 1868, June 16 ; 1869, June 23. 
25. P. Artaxerxes, Fah., or P. Medon var. Ar- 
taxerxes. I do not intend at present to enter into 
this qucBstio vexata, beyond urging on the entomo¬ 
logical members of the Society to assist in the solu¬ 
tion of the problem, whether Medon and A rtaxerxes 
are distinct species, by experiments wuth the food 
plant of the larvse. Medon feeds on Erodium Ci- 
cutarium, Artaxerxes on Helianthemum vulgare. 
Does the food plant produce the difference in the 
two forms ? and wdll Artaxerxes larvae fed on Erodium 
produce butterflies of the Medon type? Professor 
Zeller is working at this, but, why, should not 
we, who have so many opportunities of obtaining 
A rtaxerxes, not also contribute to the elucidation of 
the problem ? P. Artaxerxes appears to occur every¬ 
where in Perthshire where Helianthemum vulgare 
grows. Even in Pannoch, where the plant is scarce, 
I saw specimens of the butterfly. The butterfly 
has been recorded from as far north as Aberdeen¬ 
shire ; but, as the plant is found in Sutherland- 
shire, probably the butterfly may also be found 
there. In Moray, Dr Gordon states, A rtaxerxes has 
not been detected, and Helianthemum vulgare only 
in one place. Artaxerxes is also found in the north 
of England, but has not been reported from any 
locality out of Britain, though Medon has a wide 
