NYMPHALIN^. 
235 
of spots common to botli wings smaller tlian on upper side, luitlioiU 
bluish tinge, whitish, in brown rings ; hind-margins varied irregularly 
with whitish-grey, particularly at apices and anal angles ; two dark- 
brown, lunulate streaks, more or less distinct and continuous, border 
hind-margins, the streaks in hind-wing occupying the same position as 
on upper side ; fringes duller than on upper side. 
The % in colouring and pattern is like the but a little duller 
and paler ; while her hind-wing is considerably broader and more 
rounded, being less acuminate at the anal angle. 
Var. a. {$ and 
Rather smaller. Common rufous band considerably paler, inclin- 
ing to ochreous-yellow along its inner portion ; the stripe from costa 
of fore-wing which forms part of the band not, or but very slightly, 
violaceous. Fore-wing: the cellular bluish strise and the hind-mar- 
ginal lunulate blue streaks less developed and sometimes indistinct. 
Under side. — Basal areas more uniform in colour, being less varied 
with paler stria3 ; common discal band much paler and more developed, 
approaching in character towards the same feature in P. Pclasgis 
(Godt.) 
It seems not improbable that this variety, which occurs near Grahamstown, 
in KafFraria, and in Natal, in company with the typical form, is the result of 
unions between Archesia and Pelasgis,^ all the points in which it differs leading 
towards the distinctive characters of the latter. 
The under side in true Archesia presents much variation, some examples 
exhibiting slight bronzy reflections, and others inclining to a reddish tinge in 
parts. A S taken by me at Greytown, in ITatal, in March 1867, has all tlie 
under side of a warm ochreous-brown varied with ferruginous ; and a similar 
but rather darker ^ has reached me from the Lydenburg District of the Trans- 
vaal, where it was taken by Mr. T. Ayres. 
I am inclined to include as a further variety of Archesia the Precis Sfand- 
ingerii of DcAvitz ^ from Angola, which differs chiefly in the larger development 
of all the blue markings of the fore-wing and smooth unstreaked pale- 
brownish colouring of the under side. I have not, however, seen any Angolan 
examples; but I note that Mr. Druce {Proc. Zool. Soc. Lo7id., 1875, p. 408) 
includes, without comment, Archesia amongst the late Mr. Monteiro's collec- 
tions in Angola. 
There are few handsomer or more conspicuous South-African butterflies 
than P. Archesia. It is fond of elevated situations, and, more than any of 
its congeners that I have observed, delights to bask or repose on rocks or 
large stones. Colonel Bowker has noted that it sometimes congregates under 
rocks, and is often met with in small rocky caverns in deep forest kloofs. It 
visits flowers pretty frequently nevertheless, and, though Avary, is a bold insect, 
and not difficult to capture. Commoner in the summer, it yet is to be found 
in the winter months, and I recently met with good specimens at Grahams- 
town as late as the end of June. As far as known, the species does not come 
farther westward and southward than Knysna, where a single specimen was 
taken by Miss Wentworth (now Mrs. Muskett) in the year 1861. 
^ Mr. A. G. Spiller has noted in the Entomologist for January 1SS2, that he had taken 
these two species in copuld. 
^ Nov. Act. Acad. Leap.- Carol.- Deutsch., xli. pars ii. n, 2, p. 193, tab. xxv. n. 15. 
