46 
and in both cases quite by accident; Hodgkinson gives the details in 
the Entomologist, vol. xv., pp. 285-6 ; from Gross, in his interesting 
account of his rearing the species from the egg, we learn that he had 
tried all sorts of alpine and other plants without signs of success, and 
in despair threw his little larvse into a cage in which he was going to 
hibernate those of Cidaria scripturata, and which happened to contain 
some moss. Till October he saw no more of them, but then, chancing 
to disturb the moss, he found nine larvae of not quite lc.m. length, 
which he compares in form and colour with those of Eupithecia cam- 
panulata; they had evidently kept concealed, and only fed late at night. 
He hibernated them in the open, and began forcing them at the end of 
February, when they took to chickweed, and finished feeding up on 
this. They spun up between April 6th and 15th, and four moths 
emerged from April 28th to 30th. Both Gross and Hodgkinson com¬ 
pare the later-stage larvas, with their diamond markings, to those of 
the “ pugs,” but this would not necessarily isolate the species from 
others which we have been considering this evening, for the adult 
blandiata is also adorned much in this way. Hodgkinson ( Entom ., xi., 
p. 231) remarks that “ the habit of the larva is much after that of P. 
bifasciata ; when touched it frisks about as if it wanted to be played 
with.” He also tells us {Entom., xv., p. 286) that “ it has a very 
peculiar habit when at rest; it looks like a pot-hook.” Hofmann 
(Raupen Gross-Schmett. Eur., p. 236) says that before hibernation it 
feeds on dead leaves of low plants. This statement is repeated, 
probably from personal observation, by Gross (J.B. Wien. Ent. Ver., 
xi., p. 75). I should have liked to be able to add further quotations, 
but my paper has already far outgrown the limits Avhich should have 
been maintained ; reference to the places I have cited will supply all 
the rest which I could have furnished. 
POLYOMMATUS CORYDON. VARIETIES AND ABERRATIONS. 
(Read March 7th, 1905, Mr. C. P. PICKETT, F.E.S.). 
P. corydon has always been one of my favourite blues; its exquisite 
colour reminds one of the lovely silvery moonlight on a summer evening. 
When we speak of P. corydon, we naturally think little or nothing 
about this common species, but when we come to look deeper into the 
lovely forms and aberrations we then begin to feel how little of real 
entomology we take up. Just go on to the ground of some of our 
common butterflies, when they are in abundance, and put in a little 
hard work, examining each specimen carefully, and your surprise will 
be as mine was. 
