1865.] South African Butterflies. 169 



a British flora is in the field, and a botanist would find it no easy 

 matter to climb the hills with such a heavy tome in his pocket. 

 Still the book may be useful to home botanists who are content with 

 easy walks in the garden. 



On a cursory glance we have noted some inaccuracies. Ranun- 

 culus sceleratus is said not to be found in Scotland, which is a 

 decided mistake ; the plant is tolerably common. Trollius europceus 

 is noted as being found in the lowlands of Scotland, whereas it extends 

 high ivp on the mountains. Also Geranium pyrenaicum is spoken of as 

 being naturalized in Britain and Ireland. The plant is undoubtedly 

 wild in many parts of Scotland. Erica ciliaris should have been men- 

 tioned as being found in Ireland as well as England. Sagina nivalis 

 is not recorded as a British plant. It is found abundantly on Ben 

 Lawers, and other Scotch mountains. We cannot agree with the 

 author in thinking Alsine rubella as not distinct from A. verna. Little 

 Craigindal is said to be the only locality for Astragalus alpinus in 

 Britain, whereas the plant occurs also in Clova, where it was first 

 discovered. Saxifraga Hirculus is put doubtfully native of Scotland. 

 The plant has been found in several localities in Scotland truly wild. 

 Orobanclie rubra is not confined to the Western shores of Scotland ; it 

 is also found on the Eastern shores. (Enanth-e crocata cannot be called 

 uncommon in Scotland. Grithmum. maritimum is not noticed as oc- 

 curring plentifully at the Mull of Galloway and other parts of the 

 South-west of Scotland. Scirpus Savii also is not mentioned as being 

 a Scotch plant found also in Galloway. There are many other mis- 

 takes and omissions of a similar character which call for careful 

 revision. There is a deficiency of woodcuts, and those which are 

 given are not well printed. Indeed the general typography of the 

 book is not first-rate. 



SOUTH AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES.* 



One of the chief discouragements attending the pursuit of natural 

 history in many parts of the world is the great difficulty which col- 

 lectors find in identifying their specimens, or in obtaining any reliable 

 information respecting them. Many a settler in a remote colony 

 with a sufficiency of leisure, and not without inclination for the study 

 of natural objects, has been deterred by the want of books of reference, 

 such as those which assist the zoologist or the botanist in our own 

 country. This deficiency, so far as it affected the butterflies of South 

 Africa, has been very admirably supplied by Mr. Roland Trimen, the 

 first part of whose work, containing five of the ten families of Rho- 

 palocera found in South Africa, is now before us. 



* ' Rhopalocera Africae Australia : a Catalogue of South African Butterflies, 

 comprising Descriptions of all the known Species, with Notices of their Larva-, Pupa?, 

 Localities, Habits, Seasons of Appearance, and Geographical Distribution.' By 

 Roland Trimen, Member of the Entomological Society of London. Part I. — 

 ' Papilionidas, Pkridte, Danaidfe, Acrseidse, and Nymphalidc-e." Cape Town : W. F. 

 •Mathew, Steam Printing Office, St. George Street. 1862. 



