PREFACE. ix 



Natal, my opportunities for personally collecting and observing 

 have only extended to the unproductive Western Districts within 

 150 miles of Cape Town. This unfavourable limitation of my 

 own field-work has, however, been very largely counterbalanced 

 by the abundant material which bas always been placed at my 

 disposal by the activity and liberality of my numerous corre- 

 spondents in different parts of South Africa. 



At the head of these generous helpers in my work stands 

 my friend Colonel James Henry Bowker, to whose energy and 

 observant powers as a naturalist I owe the greater part of my 

 acquaintance with the rarer Lepidoptera of the country. As 

 long ago as 1866 I had the pleasure of recording how largely 

 he bad contributed to my former work ; and my indebtedness 

 to his generous aid has, I am happy to say, steadily increased 

 ever since. 



Colonel Bowker's debut as a votary of entomology took 

 place in Kafi"raria twenty-seven years ago, and the great suc- 

 cess which attended his researches in that productive region 

 was only the prelude to his fruitful labours in Basutoland, 

 Griqualand West, Natal, and Zululand. The fine collection of 

 native butterflies in the South-African Museum owes the greater 

 part of its treasures to his exertions, — no less than forty new 

 species, and one most remarkable new genus {Deloneura), in 

 addition to very many rarities, being his own discoveries and 

 donations. The gift of specimens has been immeasurably en- 

 hanced in value by his copious notes on the haunts and habits 

 of the insects, their distribution in South Africa, and their 

 earlier stages. It is in very inadequate but most grateful 

 acknowledgment of his co-operation that I have, with his per- 

 mission, associated his name with my own on the title-page of 

 the work to which he has so extensively and ably contributed. 



To Mrs. F. W. Barber, the sister of Colonel Bowker, I am 

 also greatly indebted. Long known to European botanists for 

 her attainments and discoveries in regard to the Flora of the 



