52 
Ab. Obsolete— With spots on underside tending strongly to obso¬ 
lescence. 
In my experience this is the commonest of all these aberrations, 
perhaps because I was fortunate in discovering the exact spots for 
them, nearly all my specimens being taken within a radius of 1,000 
yards. They are not taken everywhere however; indeed, if you did 
a hard week’s collecting in August, at Worthing, Lewes, Brighton, 
Eastbourne, Hastings, Beachy Head, or Clandon, you would think 
yourself very fortunate if you got half-a-dozen aberrations. I ha\e 
taken males and females of obsoleta in copula, but am never able to get 
any ova, although 1 have placed them in the sun in a large breeding 
cage with plenty of the favourite flowers and foodplant. It would be 
very interesting to know if the progeny of these aberrations in nature 
would throw obsoleta forms. Of course the obsolescence varies from 
perfectly spotless forms (which are rare) to almost the typical underside, 
with only two or three spots absent. Some have one wing entirely 
spotless, whilst the other three are normal, many have lower wings 
spotless with upper wings normal, and vice versa ; in nearly every case 
these aberrations are asymmetrical. It is a rare occurrence to get an 
absolutely symetrical specimen. The deformity that this form suffers 
is very bad, some having a wing entirely gone, while others have only 
a small stump showing. I have taken them also with the wings 
fully developed, but with a large piece taken out of the forewing, as if 
a bird had pecked at it; three-fourths have the lower wings crumpled 
up with a small hole in the centre, but it is very curious that the 
forewing is rarely attacked. 
I took a most remarkable specimen in August, 1898. At the time 
I took little notice of it, but since I have been working these forms 
up, I find I have got a very interesting specimen. The ground¬ 
colour is neither corydon or adonis, but the two washed into one and 
the shape of the wings is more like adonis ; it was taken towards 
the end of the month, but adonis was not out. I have heard that 
hybrids have been taken in nature, Mr. J. W. Tutt s book also records 
one capture, and I wonder if I am fortunate enough to have secured 
this hybrid. I have on more than one occasion taken corydon and 
adonis in copulation on this very spot, but could never get any ova. 
