49 
foodplant was abundant. When corydon (males) first emerge, and their 
wings are dry, their first flights are indeed very swift and straight, and 
would compare favourably with that of hyale or edusa. ’Tis a pretty 
sight to see nature’s beautiful bit of electric blue flash by in the sun; 
they seem to have no purpose in view, but to see how far they can 
travel, trying their newly developed wings; this, however, does not last 
long, and the flowers soon begin to attract them. Towards the after¬ 
noon this power of flight seems to be forgotten, and attention is turned 
to flirting, courting and marriage. 
By far the greatest number of aberrations are taken when they are at 
rest, and in a favoured corner, where P. corydon can catch the last rays 
of sun, they cluster together in little colonies, and can be counted by 
the dozen. The males usually rest head downwards on the grass, stem 
immediately under the flower, and are wonderfully protected ; the 
females choose the dark grass, and many are also to be found resting 
on the undersides of the dried flower heads of the Knapweed, and are 
even better protected than the males. After a little while, the eye 
becomes accustomed to their habits of concealment, and by careful 
searching this way between four o’clock and seven, one can examine 
a great number without disturbing them. Even when carefully 
searching, the females are easily passed over, so you have to give extra 
careful attention to them. 
I have series of corydon from various localities. In some 
places they are constant, and an aberration is reckoned a rarity ; 
sheltered spots seem to produce the most varied forms. In 
those that come from Lewes the variation is very slight, whereas 
those taken from the downs behind Worthing are much more 
variable. Both Lewes males and females are dull—especially the 
females, which are of a dull brownish colour—they are also smaller in 
size, and there are exceptionally few aberrations taken here. Although 
Worthing is such a near neighbour, quite different forms of P. corydon 
are found there, and specimens are much richer, and of a darker hue. 
Of aberrations very few are taken, according to my friend, Mr. J. W . 
Chadwick, who has collected on these downs for the last five years ; 
the only aberrations he has ever taken, are the ones with the spots 
united into a line at the base of the forewings (this being somewhat 
common, both in males and females), a few shotted females and 
an occasional bleached specimen—aberration obsoleta does not appear 
in his series at all. Possibly aberrations are to be got here, if properly 
worked for. The females are a rich velvety blackish brown, correspond¬ 
ing to the dark females of icarus (August brood), which occur here, 
and also argiolus (second brood), with very deep black banded females 
—deeper and richer in colour than any I have seen. The ground here 
is similar to Dover, falling back in sheltered hollows, and seems better 
adapted for corydon, producing fine specimens, both in colour and size. 
Lewes ground is much more exposed and does not aftord the larvae 
such snug shelter as do the hollows, therefore we get a smaller race. 
Corydon from Hastings, Eastbourne, and Beachy Head, are similar to 
those from Lewes, and are all found in exposed positions ; they swarm 
at these places but aberrations are rare. At Ventnor matters change 
considerably, the ground is very much the same as at Dover, and we 
find similar varieties and aberrations, although the type is slightly 
smaller. Obsoleta occurs freely and should be taken every year. 
