( 69 ) 



II. On some undescribed Species of South- African Btd- 

 terflies, including a New Genus of LycEenidee. 

 By Roland Trimen. 



[Eead 2nd December, 1867.] 



Since the completion of ray published Catalogaie of South- 

 African Buttei'flies, many species have been added to the 

 list of those kno\\Ti to inhabit the Southern extra-tropical 

 regions of the African continent ; and among these I have 

 been, so fortunate as to meet with examples of eighteen 

 species which appear to be undescribed. Half of the 

 entire number is composed of species belonging to the 

 family Lyccenidce^ and one of these is a butterfly presenting 

 such remarkable characters, that I am led to regard it as 

 the type of a new genus, and have so described it, under 

 the name oi Beloneura imiuacidata. 



The other nine novelties consist of two species oiPapilio 

 of great interest, an Acrcea, a species of Panopea (family 

 Nyinphalidai) , and five Hesperiidce belonging to the genera 

 Pyrgiis, Cydopides, and Pampliila. 



In treating of these hitherto undescribed insects, I have 

 not confined myself to descriptions only, but have given 

 all the particulars which I have been able to collect, con- 

 cerning their habits and haunts, a kind of information 

 with which we are in general very scantily supplied, but 

 of which the Entomological Society will recognize the 

 importance. 



It is gradually becoming acknowledged that the accurate 

 description of genera and species, highly important and 

 indeed indispensable as it is, is not the sole end and object 

 of Entomology, any more than of other kindred branches 

 of Natui-al Science. The scieutific definition of the pe- 

 culiar characters of a species is, in fact, only the starting- 

 point from which we can safely and surely proceed to 

 investigate its relations, not only to its own near allies 

 and immediate conditions of life, but also to other groups 

 of organic beings, actors like itself in that great drama of 

 Nature which, with not unfrequent shifting of scenes and 

 change of performers, has been enacting from the remote 

 dawn of life, and is yet in progress. 



TRANS. ENT. see. 18G8. PART I. (APRIL) . 



