40 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



spotted Geometer, which no doubt mimics it, I have had no 

 experience of its transformations. 



Lyccena Bostica and L. Lysimon occur in Natal, Boetica in 

 abundance. 



I am afraid that this notice renders scant justice to the really 

 large group of insects which are included in the LyccenidcE, but 

 they vary in such small particulars that it is dijSicult to deal with, 

 except when the cabinet lies open before one. 



Hesperid^. 

 The last family, the Hesperida, is, although last, not least ; it 

 is well demonstrated, and includes some very handsome and 

 special insects. The genera Leucocliitonea and Gaprona are both 

 handsome and rare. L. Paradisea and L. hicolor are very local, 

 strongly-coloured insects, and are probably crepuscular. I have 

 noticed that the Hesperida; are mostly of crepuscular habit. I 

 took two rare insects, viz., Proteides Fiara and Pamphila Dysme- 

 phila, male and female, in the evening, on the wing amongst 

 Sphingidce, feeding, and in each case thought I had either Lophura 

 Nana or some small hawk in my net, only finding out my " pot " 

 when I got to the light. All the species — Ismene KeWdoa, I. Ratek, 

 and I. Valmaran — i;re equally fond of sunset, and, although they 

 may be seen during the day, they seem much more alive later. 

 Caprona Canopus is a somewhat rare and also conspicuous 

 insect ; it is pearly white, with darker cloudings and edgings of 

 brown. It always settles on the under sides of the leaves with its 

 wings open, which is a feature of many of these butterflies. 

 Niso)iiades Ophion also does the same ; it is an insect of allied 

 habits, and has a trick of flying to the light, like a moth at night; 

 I have taken it in that way several times. 



Pyrgus is represented pretty freely. P. vindex, with its little 

 black and sulphur checkers, is one of the most common of the 

 Natal butterflies. I assisted at the transformations of Ismene 

 Valmaran and I. Ratek; also of Pyrgus vindex. The former 

 have very similar brightly-coloured larvae, feeding on indigo and 

 a yellow-flowered Papilionaceous tree. They struck me as 

 mimicing D. Chrysippus in colour and markings, the tentacles 

 wanting. Pyrgus vindex rejoices in a powdery- white little cater- 

 pillar with a big black head ; it feeds on a Lamium, on the white 

 under side of whose leaf it is difficult to jDerceive it. 



December, 1680. 



