232 SOUTH- AFEIC AN BUTTERFLIES. 



Fore-ioing : immediately beyond terminal disco-cellular spot a whitish 

 spot, and outwardly edging discal row of blackish spots a series of six 

 or seven more or less developed dull-whitish spots ; blackish spot in cell 

 and another below its outside cell larger than in Frotttmnus, but 

 suffused. Hind-wing : almost spotless, the paler and darker markings 

 of the disc being extremely indistinct ; in some specimens a broad 

 deeper-fuscous shade over costal area from base to beyond middle. 

 Under side. — Ahiiost uniform ivhitish-grey, with a very faint yellowish 

 tinge over disc of fore-wing ; all the markings of hind-wing very thin 

 and faint ; a common suhmarginal rota of very small hlackish spots, not 

 sagittate. Fore-vnng : all the blackish spots distinct, but separate and 

 very small, except the spot below discoidal cell, which is enlarged, 

 and confluent with a fuscous mark extending to base ; a small ad- 

 ditional spot in discoidal cell near base. Hind-ioing : spots arranged 

 as in Frotumnus, but separate, very much smaller, and extremely 

 indistinct ; the discal row sharply interrupted on second subcostal 

 nervule. Cilia greyish or greyish-white, very indistinctly varied with 

 fuscous on nervules. 



$ Da.rker, without yellow -ochr eons tinge ; all the black and lohitish 

 markings much enlarged. Fore-wing : black spots strongly marked and 

 more or less confluent, as in typical Frotumnus; the ivhite spots very 

 consjncuous, and those of discal row occasionally confluent ; usually 

 a whitish spot between the terminal and interior disco-cellular black 

 spots. Hind-wing : disco-cellular terminal spot and discal row of spots 

 better marked than in ^, sometimes quite distinct, and relieved by 

 whitish suffused markings corresponding to the much more conspicuous 

 white ones of fore-wing. Under side. — Hind-wing and border of fore- 

 wing pale ashy-grey ; disc of fore-wing much lohiter. Fore-ioing : spots 

 larger than in $, but still separate. Hind-iving : all the spots larger 

 and much more distinct, being of a light-brownish tint (but smaller 

 than in FrotiLmnus). Cilia greyish mixed, but not regularly interrupted 

 with fuscous. 



The characters italicised afford ready distinctions between this 

 species and its congeners. In its dingy colouring the $ is nearer to 

 the ^ Brachycera ; but the $, though nearer to the $ Frotumnus in the 

 size and confluence of the black markings of the fore-wing, differs 

 strikingly from both that species and the $ Brachycera in the conspi- 

 cuous white spots of the same wing. The paleness and faint small 

 spotting of the under side distinguish both sexes of Basuta from the 

 other species ; and the greater development of the thorax (which in 

 the ^ is most remarkable, and gives that sex the look of a Hesperide) 

 is also a singular distinction. 



I have not met with this interesting species in Hfe. Colonel Bowker wrote 

 to me that it frequented grassy spots at Fort Bowker, near the Bashee River ; 

 and Mr. W. Morant noted that he liad found the species in the Orange Free 

 State on stony hillsides during the month of December, and in the Transvaal 



