PIERIN^. 
55 
wi7ig : basal suffusion distinct, pale orange-yellow. Hind-wing : discal 
spots larger, but indistinct. 
Dr. Staudinger, who received six specimens from Mr. Spiller, notes 
that, of the two females among them, one was as yellow as the males, 
while the other was of the form just described. Mr. Spiller (loc. cit.) 
does not mention this difference in the ^ s ; but he writes : ' ' Described 
from twelve specimens taken in Natal, six of which are in my own 
collection, and the remainder in the possession of Dr. Staudinger." 
I agree with Dr. Staudinger in placing this very distinct species 
in the Charina and Pigea group of Fieris, and think it on the whole 
nearer to Pigea ; especially in respect of the second form of which, 
except for the want of discal spots in the fore-wing, is not unlike a 
miniature $ of the latter butterfly. The bright yellow of the $ 
(exactly that of the $ ' ' Brimstone " butterfly {G-onepteryx Ehamni) of 
Europe), which also characterises one form of the at once dis- 
tinguishes P. /Sjnlleri from its near congeners. 
Through the kindness of Mr. H. Grose Smith I had, in August 
1884, the opportunity of examining a $ and yellow $ received by 
him from Delagoa Bay, and almost simultaneously the South-African 
Museum received from the same locality a $ and dull-tinted ^ taken 
by Mrs. Monteiro. 
Mr. Spiller {loc. cit.) writes : This species is evidently very rare in Natal ; 
its flight is rapid, and cannot be confounded with the similarly-coloured species 
of the genus Terias, these latter insects being feeble flyers." He does not 
state in the place quoted the locality of the species ; but, in a previous com- 
munication to the same journal {Entomologist, 1882, p. 6), he mentions "a 
lovely canary-coloured Fieris, which I met with frequently in the woods on 
the Zululand border," — which I presume was the insect under notice. 
Colonel Bowker, on 27th June 1888, met with this species on the coast of 
Katal, " about half a mile from the sea, between the Tongaati and Umhloti 
rivers." He sent me six ^ s and a yellow 9 , with the note that the ^ s 
were numerous and active, and flying in company with Terias Brigitta^ from 
which they could be distinguished by their canary-yellow tint. In the net 
this species was fragile in a very marked degree. It frequented the bush only, 
coming out of the thickets, flying down the edge for some distance, and then 
re-entering the cover ; the flight was low, about two or three feet from the 
ground. 
Colonel Bowker subsequently found a in a collection made near D' Urban 
in 1877, and notes that two were noticed on the wing at the Umkomazi 
by Mr. F. Barber on 7th July 1888. He is of opinion that it is a common 
winter butterfly along the Natal coast, but has hitherto escaped notice owing 
to its resemblance to the species of Terias, 
Localities of Fieris Spilkri. 
I. South Africa. 
E. Natal.—? Tugela River. 
a. Coast Districts. — Between Tongaati and Umhloti (J. H. Boivker). 
"D'Urban and Umkomazi." — J. H. Bowker. 
H. Delagoa Bay. — Lourengo Marques {Mrs. Monteiro). 
