152. SOUTH-AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES. 



win^, and the small development of the adjacent hind -marginal lunulate 

 whitish streak — that it represents the species with orange- banded under 

 side ; but it must be admitted that much uncertainty attends this conclusion. 

 My A. caffer being thus sunk in Natalensis, Westw., the reputed Natal eyisis 

 (purple-banded beneath) must take Wallengren's name of MadlUiazi, pro- 

 posed in 1857. 



From the latter, the form under notice is separated on the upper side by 

 its paler, less purplish blue, by the much more constant and well- developed 

 ochreous-yellow stripes of the fore-wing, and by the brighter and wider 

 anal-angular orange of the hind- wing ; while on the under side the stripes 

 are orange or ochreous instead of dull-purple ; the fore-wing has no spot on 

 costa at base or at origin of inner submarginal streak ; and the hind- wing 

 has the base and inner margin orange-ochreous, the band beyond middle 

 inclining outward more than inward, and always joining the inner submar- 

 ginal streak, which latter is orange instead of dull-purplish. 



A. Natalensis is nearer than A. MasilUiazi to the Indian A. Etolus, Cram., 

 having the under-side stripes of the same colour ; but both the African species 

 want the hind-marginal and sub-marginal orange stripes of the fore-wing, 

 and the additional sub-basal orange stripe of the hind-wing which Etolus 

 dis2Dlays. 



Remarkably diminutive specimens of Natalensis occur ; one $ , taken in 

 Natal by Mr. T. Ayres, expands only 10 lines, and a $ from the Transvaal 

 country barely i r lines. 



I found this butterfly not uncommon in the iipland gi-assy hills in the 

 interior of Natal, i It was swift and active in flight, but settled very fre- 

 quently on the leaves and flowers of low plants. I captured the paired sexes 

 in the Noodsberg on the i6th March 1867. ^^^ Basutoland the slight variety 

 found abundantly by Colonel Bowker was described by him as usually sitting 

 on the ground or on stones, keeping much in paii's, and only flying for a veiy 

 few yards at a time, so as to be easily captured. 



Localities of Aphnccus Natalensis. 



I. South Africa. 

 B. Cape Colony. 



c. Griqualand Wes-t. — Kimberley. 



d. Basutoland. — Maseru (/. //. BawJcer). 

 E. Natal. 



b. Upper Districts. — Great Noodsberg. Udland's Mission Station. 

 K. Transvaal. — Potchefsti'oom District {T. Ayres). 



195. (3.) AphnsBus Masilikazi, (Wallengi-en). 



$ 9 Spindasis Masilikazi, Wallengr., K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1S57, 



Lep. Rhop. Caffr., p. 45. 

 AvibIi/2)odia Natalensis, Hopff., Peters' Reise n. Mossamb., — Ins., p. 399 



(1862). 

 3 2,, f, Trim., Rhop. Afr. Aust., ii. p. 227, n. 131 (1S66). 



Uxp. al., I in. 2-7 lin. 



^ Dull violaceous-Uuc shot with rich pur2)lc, ivith broad hroionish- 

 Hack borders. Forc-wiwj : blue forms a semicircle on inner margin 



1 Colonel Bowker has this UKJuth (August 1885) scut sijecimens taken at Malvern, ten 

 miles from D'Urb:ui. 



