LYaENiDj-:. 169 



oclireous-browu, ferruginous, or vinaceous, variucl witli sub-metallic 

 white or greyish, spots. 



This is au eminently South-African genus, only three of the 

 twenty-eight species known being peculiar to other parts of Africa. 

 The two North-African species {Syphax, Lucas, and Zohra, Donzel) 

 belong to the Zcuxo group, which includes eight South-African species. 

 The Tliysbe, group contains three, the Tlicro group four, and the Tliyra 

 group nine natives of South Africa. It is very noteworthy that out of 

 the twenty-five recorded South- African species only two (Ta'ikosama, 

 Wallengr., and OrtJirns, Trim.) have been found within the Southern 

 Tropic, and not one elsewhere in the Ethiopian Region. Z. Leronia 

 and the Zeuxo and Thysbe groups have much the same habits as 

 Chrysoplianus, actively flitting about bushes and flowering shrubs, but 

 several of them are at the same time fond of settling on the ground, 

 a practice which prevails also in the Thero group (though not in the 

 case of Thero itself), and becomes quite constant in the Thyra group. 

 Many inhabit the most arid and desolate tracts of country, and seem to 

 delight in the intense heat of the parched sandy soil under the noon- 

 day sunshine, seldom visiting flowers or seeming to need liquid nourish- 

 ment of any kind. The under surface colouring of the Thyra group is 

 generally highly protective, closely resembling the tints of the ground 

 frequented by these butterflies. The flight of the ground-frequenting 

 species is rapid but very short ; and I have noticed a great difference 

 among them in wariness and alacrity in evading attack. Thus, while 

 it is easy to capture Wallcngrcnii and Aglaspis with finger and thumb, 

 Thyra and Barklyi are extremely shy of the collector's advances, — the 

 latter (except when settled on flowei's) being on this account by no 

 means easily taken. 



Zeritis is very generally distributed over South Africa, fourteen 

 species being found alike in the Western and Eastern districts ; four 

 others appearing to be limited to the former, and seven to the latter, 

 but mostly possessing a considerable range towards the Interior. 



202. (1.) Zeritis Leroma, (Wallengren). 



$ Arhopala? Lemma, Wallengr., K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. 1857, Lop. 



Khop. Caffr., p. 42. 

 Amhhjpodia? Leroma, Trim., Rhop. Afr. Aust., ii. p. 231, n. 134 



(1886). 

 S ? Zi'ritis Lemma, Trim., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1S70, p. 375, pi. vi. 



f. io(c?). 

 $ Zeritis Zorites, Hewits., Trans. Eut. Soc. Lond., 1874, p. 354. 



Uxp. al., {$) 9j lin. — i in. ji lin. ; (^) i in. 1-4 lin. 



$ Pale hrotvnish-grcy, ivith a silky or suh-metallic lustre ; a linear 

 hind-marginal ftiscous edging ; cilia, whitish with a shining-greyish gloss. 

 Hind-wing : a short black linear tail, slightly tipped with whitish, on 

 submedian nervure ; just below it, an anal-angular small indistinct 



