104 THE LEPIDOPTERA OF ESSEX.
Lycaena bellargus. Rott. Clifden Blue.
Geographical Distribution—Central and South Europe, extending northward
to Scandinavia, West Asia, North Africa. In Britain absent from Scotland and
Ireland.
Larva—Deep full green covered with black specks bearing black bristles, two
yellow stripes on back and yellow stripe at sides ; head dark brown. Food—
Hippocrepis, bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus), &c. Imago— May and June ; hibernates as
larva.
Mr. Joseph Clarke informs me that this species has certainly
been caught once or twice in the Saffron Walden district. I can find
no published record.
Lycaena corydon, F. Chalk-hill Blue.
Geographical Distribution—Central and South Europe, West Asia. England,
not Scotland or Ireland.
Larva—Light bright green covered with black specks bearing light brown
bristles, two yellow stripes on back and yellow stripe at sides ; head dark brown.
Food—Various papilionaceae, especially Hippocrepis, bird's-foot trefoil, kidney
vetch and trefoil. Imago—June to August ; hibernates as larva.
Almost exclusively confined to chalky soils, consequently rare and
very local in Essex.
Also recently observed by Mr. Dale near the town of Newport in
Essex (Ray ; H.I. 131). Saffron Walden (Jeffrey ; B.B. 132 ; Cat.
S.W.M. 50). Six, Saffron Walden (Clarke). I have never taken
this myself, but was told that a pair had been caught in a garden at
Sudbury (W. D. King ? ; F.S.J., Dec., 1838). Colchester, 1859
(Harwood ; E.W.I. vii. 28). Very rare, Colchester, one or two on
the railway banks only. About a dozen in High Woods, Colchester
[1870] ; not seen before or since (Harwood ; B.B. 132). Several,
Epping Forest, 1859 and previously (J. W. Downing ; E.W.I. vii.
51). About 1859 it appeared in an open part of Epping Forest and
a year or two afterwards was common in several localities in the
neighbourhood—some of them five or six miles apart. It was
plentiful near Loughton and in clover-fields at Epping (H. Doubleday ;
E.M.M. iii. 91). Observed here and there through the Forest, 1866
(E. Newman ; B.B. 132). One, Loughton, July 29th, 1885 (E. B.
Bishop ; Ent. xviii. 242). One male, between Leigh and Southend ;
"It was probably a railway excursionist from Purfleet" (Vaughan;
E.N. iii. 126). I have no record of it from the Grays district, but
it doubtless occurs there. Rev. G. H. Raynor writes : "Stray
specimens have been taken at Childerditch, probably stragglers from
Grays where the species occurs regularly."