NOTES ON THE RHOPALOCERA OF NATAL. 81 
which is A. Natalensis, which I generally take resting on flowers. 
A. Erylus and Leroma are two species tolerably common that 
possess the habits of the English Thecle, as they may be easily 
shaken from trees and bushes. A. Hirundo is a singular species, 
of a dark ash-grey colour, with long twisted tails to hind wings. 
It is found hovering over bushes, and has a rapid but jerking 
flight, its wings during that operation being partially closed and 
tails protruded. | 
Of the genus Lycena twenty-four species inhabit South 
Africa according to Trimen, but the number must be very incom- 
plete, as here, at Verulam, I have taken twenty-one distinct 
species, some six or eight of which I am quite-unable to deter- 
mine. Talking to a Natal entomologist a few days ago, I asked 
him why it was the small butterflies were so little known. In 
reply he told me that owing to the difficulty of getting proper 
entomological pins many collectors simply ignored the small 
butterflies. It would indeed be a waste of time to catch, say, the 
little L. Lysimon, measuring about eight lines, and then try to 
impale it on one of those pins known to entomologists as 
“yokers.” The Lycene are most abundant in January, February, 
and March; during winter only some half-dozen species may be 
met with. The largest of Natal Blues is L. Celeus, an insect . 
not unlike LZ. Arion in shape and habits; the colouring of the 
male is bright violet-blue ; of the female there are two types, one 
being tinged with blue, the other quite brown. Celeus is plentiful 
in January. Some eight or nine species of Blues frequent 
bushes, more especially in January, and a couple of blows to a 
tree, with corresponding sweeps of the net, should take at least a 
dozen specimens. During winter a black Lycena, spotted with 
white, is met with on bushes locally near Verulam; the species 
may be new, as it is unknown to all entomologists in Natal with 
whom I have conversed. Several species of the digon type, but 
a little smaller, are found in grassy places; another, almost 
exactly like Alsus, is found sparingly, whilst two or three species, 
only not much more than half the size of Alsus, are found in 
December and January. LL. Betica is common, but has never, 
to my knowledge, occurred in swarms. On the wing it resembles 
L. Alexis, and is found principally in the neighbourhood of 
papilonaceous plants. It is a quick flyer. 
Chrysophanus Orus I have once seen flying on a piece of waste 
M 
