FIERI NiE. 55 



wing : basal suffusion distinct, pale orange-yellow. Hind-wing : discal 

 spots larger, but indistinct. 



Dr. Staudinger, who received six specimens from Mr. Spiller, notes 

 that, of the two females among them, one was as yellow as the males, 

 while the other was of the form just described. Mr. Spiller (loc. cit.) 

 does not mention this difference in the $ s ; but he writes : " Described 

 from twelve specimens taken in Natal, six of which are in my own 

 collection, and the remainder in the possession of Dr. Staudinger." 



I agree with Dr. Staudinger in placing this very distinct species 

 in the Gharina and Pigca group of Picris, and think it on the whole 

 nearer to Pigea ; especially in respect of the second form of $, which, 

 except for the want of discal spots in the fore-wing, is not unlike a 

 miniature $ of the latter butterfly. The bright yellow of the $ 

 (exactly that of the ^ " Brimstone" butterfly (Gonepteryx Ehamni) of 

 Europe), which also characterises one form of the $, at once dis- 

 tinguishes P. Spilleri from its near congeners. 



Through the kindness of Mr. H. Grose Smith I had, in August 

 1884, the opportunity of examining a ^ and yellow $ received by 

 him from Delagoa Bay, and almost simultaneously the South-African 

 Museum received from the same locality a $ and dull-tinted % taken 

 by Mrs. Monteiro. 



Mr. Spiller (loc. cit.) writes : " This species is evidently very rare in Natal ; 

 its flight is rapid, and cannot be confounded with the similarly-coloured species 

 of the genus Terias, these latter insects being feeble flyers." He does not 

 state in the place quoted the locality of the species ; but, in a previous com- 

 munication to the same journal {Entomologist, 1882, p. 6), he mentions "a 

 lovely canary-coloured Pieris, which I met with frequently in the woods on 

 the Zululand border," — which I presume was the insect under notice. 



Colonel Bowker, on 27th June 1888, met with this species on the coast of 

 Natal, " about half a mile from the sea, between the Tongaati and Umhloti 

 rivers." He sent me six $ s and a yellow ? , with the note that the $ s 

 were numerous and active, and flying in company with Terias Brigitta, from 

 Avliich they could be distinguished by their canary-yellow tint. In the net 

 this species was fragile in a very marked degree. It frequented tlie bush only, 

 coming out of the thickets, flying down the edge for some distance, and then 

 re-entering the cover ; the flight was low, about two or three feet from tho 

 ground. 



Colonel Bowker subsequently found a ,^ in a collection made near D'Urban 

 in 1877, and notes that two were noticed on the wing at the Umkomazi 

 by Mr. F. Barber on 7th July 1888. He is of opinion that it is a common 

 winter butterfly along the Natal coast, but has hitherto escaped notice owing 

 to its resemblance to the species of Terias. 



Localities of Pieris Spillcri. 



I. South Africa. 



E. Natal. — 1 Tugela Eiver. 



a. Coast Districts. — Between Tongaati and Umhloti (/. H. Boioker). 

 "D'Urban and Umkomazi." — J. H. Bowker. 

 H. Delagoa Bay. — Louren^o j\Iarques [Mrs. Monteiro). 



