254 



RHOPALOCERA AFRICJE AUSTRALIS. 



Knysna. Bashee River, Kaffraria (J. H. Bowker). 

 Coll. Tri. et Coll. S. A. Mus. 



155. LycsBna Messapus. 



Polyommatus Messapus, Godt., Enc. Meth., IX, p. 682. 

 $ . Lycaena Acca, Westw., Doubl., Westw., Hewits., Gen. 



[Diurn. Lep., pi. 76, f. 1. 



Lycama Messapus, Wallgr., Lep. Rhop. Caffr., p. 41. 

 Exp. 8 lin. 1 in. 



$ . Slue-violaceous , with a narrow blackish hind-marginal 

 border : cilia greyish, whitish externally. Hind-wing : a 

 hind-marginal spot between second and third median nervules 

 (sometimes nearly obsolete), usually inwardly edged by an 

 orange lunule. UNDER-SIDE. Pale brownish-grey : in each 

 wing, a streak closing cell (in fore-wing blackish, in hind- 

 wing of the ground-colour) whitish-edged on both sides, a 

 row of white-ringed spots beyond middle (in fore-wing 

 blackish, in hind-wing of the ground-colour and confluent 

 except the first and rarely the second spot), and two rows 

 of faint-whitish lunules (separated by darker marks) of which 

 the outer forms annulets with a whitish hind-marginal line. 

 Hind-wing: four white-ringed dark spots before middle, one 

 (usually the most conspicuous) between costal and subcostal 

 nervures, one in cell and two on inner-margin ; hind-marginal 

 black spot usually whitish-ringed and often orange-lunuled, 

 sometimes obsolete ; row beyond middle angulated. 



? . Glistening greyish-brown : very rarely with a few blue 

 scales near bases. Hind-wing : besides hind-marginal spot 

 (which is very rarely indistinct) a row of indistinct pale 

 annulets is usually visible. UNDER-SIDE. As in $ , markings 

 more distinct. 



la some specimens, of both sexes, the markings are very faint beneath, 

 and the ground-colour duller and slightly darker than usual. 



Very common. Open ground, rough fields, &c., in grassy spots. 

 " Throughout the year. 



This elegant little " Blue " is abundant about Cape Town, and will be 

 one of the first taken by the collector. On fine winter days it is one of the 

 few butterflies that enliven the scene. The ? is not unlike the European 

 L. Alsus, W. V. Mr. D'Urban found it " rare " at King William's Town, 

 but it does not seem to be uncommon in Kaffraria Proper. 



Cape Town. Caledon (J. X. Merriman). Knysna. 

 Plettenberg Bay. Coll. Tri. 



King William's Town. W. D'Urban. 



Butterworth and Bashee River, Kaffraria (J. H. Bowker). 

 Coll. S. A. Mus. 



South Africa. Coll. Brit. Mus. 



