346 SOUTH-AFEICAN BUTTERFLIES. 



liead, interrupted on the line of the antennae. Anal segment pro- 

 duced, and bearing three pairs of small pointed tubercles. 



The above description of the larva and pupa are made from notes and 

 drawings of Natalian specimens communicated to me by Captain H. C. Har- 

 ford and Mr. W. D. Gooch. The former gentleman wrote that he found 

 several of the larvae almost full-grown in the month of April, and that 

 shortly before becoming pupae they changed to a very light-green. The but- 

 terflies were disclosed after thirteen days' pupation. 



This close ally of C. Xipliares (Cram.) is readily recognised by the charac- 

 ters given above, which appear to be quite constant. It seems also to be 

 quite a local form, as I have seen no examples except from the coast of 

 Natal, and have found no record of its occurrence elsewhere. 



At D'Ui'ban, Port Natal, Cithceron is of very frequent occurrence. From 

 the middle of February to the beginning of April 1867 I observed many 

 specimens of both sexes, frequenting chiefly the " sucking-places " on the 

 stems and branches of Zygia fastigiata (the Flat-crown Acacia), on which 

 tree, as above noted, the larva lives, and of Acacia Lehheck. Another 

 favourite resort of this butterfly was an exudation on the stem of Oncoha 

 spinosa in the Botanic Garden. In habits and flight it entirely resembles 

 its close congener. I observed a specimen on the wing on 23d June 1865; 

 and Colonel Bowker has taken examples in the month of Avigust j but they 

 are only numerous in the summer months. When within reach, specimens 

 engaged in feeding are easily captured. 



The paired sexes were taken by Colonel Bowker, and sent to me in August 

 1881. 



Localities of Charaxes Cithceron. 



I. South Africa. 

 E. Natal. 



a. Coast Districts. — D' Urban. "Lower Umkomazi" — J. H. 

 Bowker. 



117. (15.) Charaxes Xiphares, (Cramer). 



$ Papilio Xiphares, Cram., Pap. Exot., iv. t. ccclxxvii. ff. A, B (1782). 

 (j Papilio Thyestes, Stoll, Suppl. Cram. Pap. Exot., t. xxxii. £f, 2, 2B 



$ Nymphalis Thurius, Godt., Enc. Meth., ix. p. 354, n, 15 (18 19). 



5 Nymphalis Xiphares, Godt., op. cit, p. 357, n. 25. 



(J 5 ,, ,, Trim., Rhop. Afr. Aust., i. p. 167, n. 97 (1862). 



Exp. al, (^) 3 in. 7-10 lin. ; ($) 3 in. 10 lin.— 4 in. 5 lin. 



^ Black, glossed tvith violaceous-blue, and with violaceous-hlue hands 

 and spots. Fore-iving : strongly glossed with blue from base ; a median, 

 transverse row of blue spots commencing immediately beyond extremity 

 of discoidal cell, and extending to inner margin beyond middle, where 

 it is joined by the last two or three spots of another, straighter row of 

 smaller blue spots, commencing on costa, not very far from apex, with 

 two conspicuous white spots ; along hind-marginal edge are observable 

 some faint, small, pale-ochreous spots, one between each two nervules, 

 except between first median nervule and submedian nervure, where there 

 are two such spots. Hind-wing : a broad, median, violaceous-blue 



