92 SOUTH- AFRIC AX BUTTERFLIES. 



and submedian nervure ; a black linear costal edging, abruptly widen- 

 ing into a broad apical border, which again grows gradually narrower 

 along hind-margin to anal angle. Hind-wing : markings as in fore- 

 wing, but inner edge of hind-marginal border indented on nervules, 

 and spots more minute (those of transverse row being sometimes partly 

 — occasionally wholly — wanting) ; no spot in cell. Under side. — 

 Hind-wing and border of forc-ioing hroionish-grey. Fore-wing : spots 

 as above, but larger and with whitish edging ; an additional spot in 

 cell, near base ; along inner edge of hind-marginal grey a row of linear 

 blackish lunules, most distinct near inner margin. Hind-wing : spots 

 as above, but scarcely darker than ground-colour, only marked by their 

 hoary rings ; a transverse row of three minute blackish spots near 

 base, and a little beyond them a row of three larger, duller spots ; 

 submarginal row of lunules continued across this wing, tinged with 

 ferruginous. Cilia brownish tipped with white, and with brown inter- 

 ruptions on nervules. 



$ Similar, hut didler, and without violaceous lustre ; hasal suffusion 

 and Uachish borders ivider, darker {especially in hind-wing) ; spots larger, 

 all distinct in both wings. Under side. — As in ^. 



A number of specimens taken in Basiitoland by Colonel Bowkcr were 

 paler and larger than usual, and with the blue-violaceous lustre of the males 

 unusually faint. A $ captured by the same gentleman in the Biggarsberg, 

 Natal, has all the black spots of the fore-wing enlarged, those of the discal 

 row bemg all elongated and acummated inward. 



Orus seems to resemble the well-known and widely-ranging PMccas more 

 than any other ChrysopJumus, the colour and pattern of the fore -wings and 

 the tints of the under side being very similar m the two forms. But Phlceas 

 differs conspicuously in its dark-brown upper side of the hind-wings, with 

 only a hind-marginal border of orange-red, and in the absence of any viola- 

 ceous-blue lustre in the ^ ; the fore-wings also are more pointed apically, and 

 the hind wings anab angularly, than in Orus. 



This brightly-coloured little Chri/sojyhanus is distributed over the greater 

 part of South Africa, and is particularly prevalent about the vicinity of Cape 

 Town. It flies low, but is very active, frequently sitting on the ground or on 

 low plants, where it suns itself with its wings half expanded. I have taken 

 it in every month of the year except January and February, but it is more 

 numerous from September to November, and again in March and April. It 

 often appears, however, in the winter ; and Colonel Bowker found it amongst 

 the very few butterflies that seemed able to bear the severe winter of Basuto- 

 land, appearing on sunny days in such fine condition as to mduce the belief 

 that they were but just out of the pupa. 



Localities of Chrysophanus Orus. 



I. South Africa. 

 B. Cape Colony. 



a. Western Districts. — Cape Town. Stellenbosch. Robertson. 



Triangles Station, Worcester District {L. Peringuey). 

 h. Eastern Districts. — Uitenhage {S. D. Bairstoiv). Grahamstown 

 {H. J. Atherstone). " King William's Town."— W. D'Urban. 

 Murraysburg ( /. Musi-eft). Burghersdorp (D. R. Kennemeyer). 

 (1. Basutoland. — Koro-Koro and IMaseru (/. H. Boivlicr). 



