HESPERID^E. 289 



Cape Town. Muizenberg. Knysna. Plettenberg Bay. 

 Coll. Tri. 



Pluto's Valley, near Graham's Town. King William's 

 Town. Coll. W. D'Urban. 



Bashee River, Kaffraria (J. H. Bowker). Coll. S. A. 

 Mus. 



" Cape. Guinea. Querimba." Hpfr., loc. cit. (var. 

 Diomus). 



178. Pyrgus Asterodia. 



Pyrgus Asterodia, mihi. N. Sp. 



Exp. 910 liu. 



Nearly allied to P. Vindex, Cram., but ground-colour 

 paler, more glossy, and spots smaller, not so white. Fore-wing : 

 three spots in cell, the central largest and nearer to outer 

 than inner spot (the reverse being the case in Vindex) ; above 

 central spot is one on costa composed of three short lineolse, 

 no trace of which exists in any example of Vindex ; row of 

 spots beyond middle including an additional dot (the fourth 

 from costa), and more curved inwardly, so that the two lowest 

 spots come in line with central cellular spot and that above 

 it, the lowest spot largest, while in Vindex the last but one 

 is invariably the largest in the row ; an interrupted submar- 

 ginal row of dots, but no vestige of the row immediately 

 within fringe; spot beneath first cellular one wholly wanting. 

 Hind-wing : transverse stripe commencing on costa, very 

 much attenuated interiorly ; dot near base small, indistinct ; 

 row of dots as in fore-wing. UNDER-SIDE. Fore-wing : 

 apical colour warmer, less inclining to greyish. Hind-wing : 

 ground-colour more inclining to fulvous, especially in one 

 specimen ; first stripe nearer base, second not interrupted, as 

 in Vindex, continuous from costa to inner-marginal stripe, 

 which is greyish rather than white ; some fuscous variegation 

 of ground-colour, especially on edges of stripes, and dots of 

 submarginal row, which are somewhat enlarged, though 

 ill-defined. 



The differences of marking above-noted, smaller size, and more slender 

 structure, warrant, the separation of this insect as a distinct species. It 

 bears more resemblance to the European P. Alveolus, Linn., than is found 

 in the other South African Pyrgi. I only took two specimens of this 

 butterfly, in February, 1859, at Plttlenberg Bay. It frequented marshy 

 land on the banks of the Eilouw River, delighting to settle on low flowers. 

 It was not rare, but I thought it at the time only a variety of Vindex, and 

 so passed over manv specimens. Mr. Taats has forwarded me au example 

 from the Swellendam district. 



Plettenberg Bay. Breede River (L. Taats). Coll, Tri, 



