88 Mr. R. Trimen on 



Genus Aphn^us^ Hiibn. 



Aphnceus Gaffer. 



Aphna9us Natalensis, He^vits. Ulustr. Diurn. Lep., II, 

 pi. XXV. fig. 1, 2, (nee Douhl.). 



Exp. 1 in. — 1 in. 4 lin. 



Closely allied to A. Natalensis, Doubl. 



$ . Blue, paler, not so violaceous as in Natalensis. 

 Fore-iving : three conspicuous, transverse oclireous-yelloiv 

 stripes, all commencing a little below costa, — the 1st 

 short, crossing cell, — the other two long, beyond middle, 

 usually narrowly confluent on second median nervule. 

 Hincl-'wing : anal-angular orange brighter and wider, the 

 metallic central dot marking it smaller. Underside. — 

 All the golden-striped, black-edged transverse bands, 

 filled with orange-ochreous, instead of dull-purple. Fore- 

 wing : no spot on costa at base, or at origin of inner sub- 

 marginal streak. Hind-ioing : base and inner margin 

 rather widely orange-ochreous ; transverse band beyond 

 middle inclining out^vard rather than inward, its extremity 

 always joining inner sub-marginal streak, which is orange 

 throughout, instead of dull-purplish. 



? . Similar to $ ; cellular band of fore-wing obscured 

 with blue ; the outer bands broader, more widely confluent 

 at lower extremity. Underside. — Quite like that of ^ . 



Cilia in both sexes pale orange-ochreous instead of 

 dull-grayish. 



The difierences above noted are so constant in a long 

 series of specimens, that I consider it impossible any 

 longer to regard the two forms as specifically identical, 

 although, when I had seen but one example (from Sierra 

 Leone) of A. Gaffer, I regarded it as a variety of Natalen- 

 sis.^ A. Gaffer is smaller than Natalensis, and approaches 

 nearer to A. Vulcanus, Fab., particularly in the underside 

 markings of the hind-wings. 



Accompanying the distinction of colours and markings 

 is a diSerence of Jtahitat and haunts. The true Natalensis 

 is a forest butterfly, and I never met with it away from 

 the low coast region of Natal ; while Gaffer inhabits the 

 upland grassy hills of the interior of the Colony. Both 

 species are swift and active flyers, but settle frequently, 

 Natalensis preferring the leaves and flowers of tall shrubs, 

 and Gaffer those of low plants among the grass. 



In the Collections of the British Museum, the South- 

 African Museum, W. C. Hewitson, and R. Trimen. 



* See " Rhopalocera Africas Australis," ii. p. 228. 



