2 
SOUTH-AFKICA^^ BUTTERFLIES. 
Their flight is of short duration, but in some is very slow and lazy, 
while in others it is excessively rapid. A large number of the genera 
have the custom (found also in many Hesperidce) of settling with 
expanded wings on the under side of leaves near the ground ; while 
many others hold the wings vertically in repose, and a few perch on 
the upper surface of leaves with the wings only half elevated. Very 
few species were noticed to frequent flowers. 
The Family is essentially Neo-Tropical, and especially abundant in 
the Equatorial zone. With the exception of the Lihytheince — a small 
but cosmopolitan Sub-Family — the only members found in the Old 
World belong to the Nemeohiince, and it is remarkable that one of 
these, the well-known Ncmeohms Lucina, prevails widely in Europe, 
and is not uncommon in England. More than two-thirds of the known 
species belong to the Erycininm, a Sub-Family which, unlike the Eury- 
gonmce, has a few representatives to the north of Mexico. 
Very few species of Erycinidcc have been found in the Ethiopian 
Region, viz., three LibytlmincB and three JVemcohiince. The former are 
Lihythca Lahdaca, Westw., of Western Africa ; L. Laius, Trim., of the 
Eastern and South-Eastern Coast ; and L. Cinyras, Trim., of Madagascar 
and Mauritius ; the latter, all of a single genus likewise, are Ahisara 
Gerontes (Fab.), and A. Tantalus^ Hewits., of Western Africa, and 
A. Tcpalii (Boisd.), of Madagascar. No representative of the latter 
group has hitherto been met with in South Africa, and the solitary 
Erycinide known to inhabit this wide territory is the Lihythea Laius 
just mentioned. 
Sub-Family— LIBYTHiEINiE. 
Libythides, Boisd., Sp. Gen. Lep., i. p. 167 (1836). 
Libytheidce, Westw., Gen. Diurn. Lep., ii. p. 412 (185 1). 
Lihythmnce, Bates, Journ. Ent., 1861, p. 220; 1864, p. 176. 
Imago. — Head rather wide, densely hairy above and frontally ; 
eyes smooth ; palpi extremely long, deep at base, closely approximated, 
projecting horizontally, very densely clothed with scales and hair 
throughout, but especially on middle joint, — basal joint very small, — 
middle joint of moderate length, rather swollen and rounded, — terminal 
joint very much elongated, slender ; antennce short and thick, with a 
gradually or very gradually formed subcylindrical club, blunt at the tip. 
Thorax rather robust, clothed superiorly with scales and hairs — 
the latter long posteriorly, — inferiorly with short dense hair ; pterygodes 
longer than usual, hairy. Fore-iuings : with costa slightly arched ; 
apex squarely acute ; hind-margin slightly dentated, more or less 
strongly angulated on lower radial nervule, below which it is deeply 
emarginate, but is usually prominent again about extremity of first 
median nervule ; inner margin nearly straight ; costal nervure short, 
ending about middle of costa; first subcostal nervule originating at 
DSI 
