1886. J 251 



two or three dozen (^ . All my Lambessa specimens are small and 

 dark, whicli can probably be accounted for by being taken high up in 

 the mountains. 



Donzel's name Charlonia should take priority to that of Lucas, as the species 

 described by him, and discovered near Msila (about 75 miles west of Lambessa, and 

 rather nearer the Mediterranean), cannot be the same as Penia, Frr., which Dr. 

 Staudinger catalogues as Charlonia. Oberthiir is, without doubt, correct in saying, 

 see "Faune des Lepidopteres d'Algerie," p. 17, that Penia is a variety of Charlonia, 

 i. e., Levaillantii, of Lucas : Penia being white, only just tinged with yellow, 

 whereas Charlonia is of a decided and rather bright yellow colour, the fringes of 

 Charlonia are also rosy, but are almost white in Penia. 



Another interesting variety was discovered last year in Mesopotamia, and 

 named by Staudinger mesopoiamica, a pair of which that gentleman kindly sent me, 

 and as they are very similar to Levaillantii, it may be interesting to describe them. 



Fore-wings sulphur-yellow, rather brighter than in Levaillantii, discoidal spot 

 dark brown, larger than in Donzel's species, apical patch also brown, extending 

 further down the posterior margin than in that species, and having scarcely a trace 

 of the transverse spotted stripe. In Levaillantii both the discoidal spot and the 

 apical patch are almost black. Hind-wings sulphur-yellow, slightly greenish on 

 account of the dark under-side appearing through. 



Beneath, the fore-wings are yellowish-white, with the dark markings of the 

 upper surface appearing through, but the discoidal spot is not a distinct black spot 

 as in Levaillantii. Hind-wings dark grey, densely irrorated with greenish, with 

 three distinct whitish spots and one or two very indistinct ones. The irrorations 

 are not so dark and are browner than in Levaillantii. 



The ? is much larger than the c? > measuring about 41 mm. to about 36 mm., it 

 also has the discoidal and apical patches of the anterior- wings larger and blacker, 

 and the latter has a distinct yellow spot in front of the apex, which is the com- 

 mencement of a lees indistinct transverse band. The small spots on the under-side 

 of the hind-wings are also larger and more distinct. 



The only ? Levaillantii I have is scarcely larger than the (^ , but 

 it will be seen that the two species are extremely nearly allied. 



Anthocharis EupJieno^ L., common at Lambessa in April : I have 

 also one remarkably small variety taken at Guelma in May. 



Colias Edusa, E., common during February around Lambessa, and 

 in June v. Selice was plentiful at Guelma. 



RJiodocera farinosa, L., Guelma, June, rare. 



Thecla ilicis, v. oesculi, Hb., Guelma, June, and its aberration, 

 cerri, occurred not unfrequently at Souk Harras. 



Thestor Ballus appeared on the wing at Lambessa towards the 

 end of February, and was common during the following month ; 

 mauritanicus, Lucas, plentiful at Lambessa for about the first three 

 weeks of February. 



Polyommatus phlceas, L., common at Lambessa in February, as 

 was also its v. JEleus at Guelma in June. 



