194 SOUTH-AFEICAN BUTTEEFLIES. 



unmarked upper-side basal field of the hind-wing, and tlie frequent 

 failure of the lower spots of the elbowed row of the fore-wing, are 

 also characters not presented by Fhalantha. A strict examination 

 of Cramer's figures A and B on his Plate ccxxxviii. will show the 

 lepidopterist that they represent the form now under notice ; while 

 those marked D and E on his Plate cccxxxvii. tlioroughly agree with 

 the Fhalantha of Drury. 



A. Columbina (as here restricted) is a purely African species, 

 attaining its greatest size and distinctness on the North-Tropical West 

 Coast. I have examined the specimen marked " Eurytis D." in the 

 British Museum, which is ticketed " West Africa," and appears to 

 have been the type figured in the Genera of Diurnal Lcpidoptera, and 

 found that it agreed with Natalian examples, except in the diminution 

 of the cellular and discal markings, and in the absence of all but the 

 uppermost of the spots of the lower part of the elbowed row in the 

 fore-wings. 



? Larva. — Greenish-black, varied yellowish-green and light-green 

 subdorsally ; a yellowish-white line above legs, slightly angulated 

 upward on each segment. Top of head and of second segment yel- 

 lowish-green ; face with black markings on each side. Spines long, 

 shining, set with alternating hairs ; the second, third, and last segments 

 having 4 (2 subdorsal and 2 lateral), and the remaining segments 6 

 (the additional 2 being infra-spiracular) spines each. Length about 

 1 1 lin. 



? Pupa. — Bright-green, with crimson streaks and spines and bur- 

 nished golden spots. Inner- and hind-margin of wing-covers edged 

 with raised golden streak, outwardly bounded by a crimson one. Five 

 pairs of curved, thin, divergent, crimson spines on the back, springing 

 from golden spots, viz., one pair on the head, one (shorter) on thorax, 

 and three on abdomen. Also two pairs of dorsal small pointed crimson 

 tubercles, one at hinder part of thorax, the other at base of abdomen. 



Pupal stage lasted eight days in the month of November. 



I give the above description of the larva and pupa with some little doubt, 

 as Mr. Gooch refers the pencil outline and notes from which (with two pupa 

 skins) they are drawn up to A. Fhalantha. He, however, was not at the time 

 aware of the existence of two species of Atella in Xatal, and would naturally 

 inckide Columbina under Phalantha. I subsequently saw both species 

 together in liis collection. The differences presented by this caterpillar and 

 chrysalis from those of Plialantha are considerable, especially as respects the 

 pupa ; and it may almost be assumed that they are the eaiiy stages of 

 Columhina. 



I did not take or notice this butterfly in Natal ; but Colonel Bowker early 

 in April 1881 took several examples in the park at D'Urban, where they 

 frequented a species of tree then in flower. In sending me the sj^ecimens, he 

 wrote that while pursuing each other these butterflies did not have anytliiug 

 to do with A. Fhalantha, which was common at the same spot, but did not 

 visit the particular tree. I examined three individuals ( S and two $ s) 

 ticketed "Port Natal " in the collection of the British Museum, and found 

 them to present no differences from those received from Colonel BoAvker. 



