2So SOUTU-AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES. 



conspicuously white-spotted black pattern, and belong to the European 

 group of r. Sao and F. orhifer, (Hiibn.) ; but P. Miiia, Trim, (a member 

 of the Alccce group), has the fore-wings with vitreous spots only; P. 

 Sandaster, Trim., has the white spots exceedingly small, and the under 

 side of the hind-wings dark-brown with two very sharply-defined 

 dentate white stripes ; and the more aberrant group (apparently pecu- 

 liar to Africa) which contains Mohozutza, Wallengr., Chaca, Trim., and 

 Tucusa, Trim., presents on the upper side, besides white spots on the 

 fore-wings, a common submarginal row of pale fulvous spots, and on 

 the under side a greyish-creamy ground-colour varied with fulvous and 

 spotted with black. In South Africa the most numerous and widely 

 distributed species are Vindex, Cram., Mafa, Trim., Diomus, Hopff., and 

 Elma, Trim., — Vindcx and Diomus being common about Cape Town. 

 Asterodia and Sataspes, Trim., seem next in width of range, the latter 

 occasionally occurring near Cape Town. Moliozutza, Wallengr., has an 

 extensive eastern distribution through Kaffraria Proper, Natal, Zulu- 

 land, and Transvaal ; Drom ks, Plotz, has been received from Natal and 

 Delagoa Bay, and Tiimm, Trim., from Natal and Transvaal. Nanus, 

 Trim., is not uncommon about Cape Town, and extends over the 

 Western and Central Districts of the Cape Colony and into Griqualand 

 West. Chaca, Trim., is apparently very rare, — I only know of its 

 occurrence near Grahamstown and in Kaffraria Proper ; Agylla, Trim., 

 is known from a few scattered stations in the Eastern Cape Colony 

 and Griqualand West ; and Transvaalia;, Trim., is represented by two 

 examples only from tlie Potchefstroom district. 



Three species, Diomus, Pima, and Chaca, are recorded from locali- 

 ties within the South-Tropical belt of Africa, and two, Vindcx and 

 Dromus, from the western side of the Nortli-Tropical belt in addition. 



The members of this genus are of active habits ; they have a short 

 quick flight near the ground, stopping very abruptly, and settling with 

 wings fully expanded, usually on the bare earth or on stones. They 

 mostly frequent open ground, delighting in dry hill slopes and waste 

 spots. P. Pima is the only South- African species known to me which 

 is almost confined to wooded localities. 



324. (1.) Pyrgus Vindex, (Cramer). 



Papilio Vindcx, Crain., Pap. Exot., iv. pi. cccliii. ft", o, n (1782). 

 Hesperia Vindex, Latr., Enc. Metli., ix. p. 785. n. 148 (1823). 

 1 Pyrgus Vindex, Westw., Gen. 1). Lcp., pi. Ixxix. f. 6 (1852). 



., „ Trim., Rliop. Afr. Aust., ii. p. 287, n. 177 (1866). 



1: Aherr. — Papilio Spio, Linn., Mus. Lud. Ulr. Re^,'., p. 338, 11. 156 

 (1764) ; and Syst. Kat., i. 2, p. 796, n. 271 (1767). 



Px2>. a/., 10 lin. — i in. I lin. 



Brmvnish-hlaclc, with rather large v:hite spots. Pore-wing : on costa 

 an elongate whitish spot near base, and a thin white edging as far as 



