PIERIN^. 5 



sexes of the Lycteuide genera T)doneura (apparently), Arrvgia, and 

 Laclinocncma ; and I understand that similar structure has been found 

 in some American Lyccenidc€. 



Many of the most familiar forms among butterflies belong to the 

 Picrincv, such as the European " Garden Whites" {Pieris), " Orange- 

 Tips" (Anihocharis), " Brimstones" {Gonepterrjx), and " Clouded Yel- 

 lows " (Colias), and throughout the globe members of this Sub-Family 

 are conspicuous by their abundance, activity, and prevalent tints of 

 white or yellow. For by far the greater part they are insects of 

 medium size, many being rather under than over it — such as the 

 genera Terias, Pontia, Leucophasia, Anthocharis, and P/odina. The 

 American genus Nathalis contains only two or three very small species, 

 and some kinds of Terias expand only i^ inches, but the dwarfs 

 of the tribe are the South-American species of Leucidia (closely allied 

 to Terias), which are less than an inch across the wings. The largest 

 known Pierina; {Helomoia in the Oriental Region and Amynthia in 

 the Neo-Tropical) do not expand above 4 inches. 



As Mr. A. R. Wallace has shown in his excellent memoir " On 

 the Pieridce of the Indian and Australian Regions," -^ this Sub-Family 

 is specially noticeable for its general and uniform distribution over 

 the earth, species of it being met with in all latitudes and at all 

 elevations, and in every kind of station, whether forest-clad or open, 

 sheltered or exposed. These butterflies are nevertheless far more 

 numerous and varied in tropical countries, and most of the large and 

 more richly-coloured forms are sylvan in their haunts. The extensive 

 Indian and Australian genus Tliyca affords a striking instance, its 

 numerous members being conspicuous for brilliant red and yellow 

 markings on a dark ground, the under side of their wings being usually 

 more highly ornamented than the upper side. 



As a rule, there is much disparity between the sexes, both as 

 regards colouring and marking. Except in the few cases where the 

 $ only directly mimics other butterflies, by far the greater diver- 

 gence from the ordinary plain type of the Sub-Family is shown by the 

 ^s; and the latter also sometimes possess special sexual badges, viz., 

 a serrated costa in the fore-wings (Prioyieris and Callidryas), and patches 

 of elevated scales and brushes of silky hair on the wings (both in 

 Callidryas, and the former to a slight extent in Colias). 



The Ethiopian Region is not rich in Picrinm ; out of a roll of some 

 forty genera and nine hundred species, it possesses but nine genera 

 and about a hundred and forty species. Of these, only two genera, 

 Mylothris and Hcrpoinia, are peculiar to the region, but the species 

 are nearly all confined to it. South Africa has yielded representatives 

 of all the genera and sixty-one species, viz., Pontia, i sp., Terias 7, 

 Mylothris 3, Pieris 14, Herpienia i, Tcracolus 29, Colias i, Eronia 4, 

 and Ccdlidryas i. 



^ Trans. Knt. Soc. Load., 3rd Series, vol. iv. p. 301 (1S67). 



