LYCJEmBJE, 
89 
blackisli ; close to hind-margin a row of very distinct sub-lunulate 
black spots. Fore-vAng : a longitudinal brown stripe from base (where 
it is almost black) along subcostal nervure to a little before and above 
extremity of discoidal cell ; three pale ochreous-brown spots near base, 
viz., a small one on costa almost confluent with terminal disco-cellular 
lunule, a reniform one in the cell, and an irregularly-shaped one just 
below the second but outside the cell ; irregular discal row of spots 
abruptly interrupted on second median nervule, between fifth and sixth of 
its seven spots ; costa from before middle to apex edged with blackish. 
Hind-wing : curve of costal edge close to base black ; an irregular 
ochreous-brown basal marking formed of three or four contiguous small 
spots ; three spots near base arranged much as in fore-wing, but the 
uppermost one much larger ; an additional spot on inner margin near 
base ; irregular discal row of spots abruptly interrupted between second 
and third of its eight spots on lower subcostal nervule, and thence 
sharply angulated in almost a direct line to about middle of inner mar- 
gin ; the seventh (and very slightly the eighth) black spot of the hind- 
marginal row dotted with silvery-blue. 
^ Only the basal and inner-marginal region of both wings and the 
hind-marginal region of hind-wing lilacine-blue, the disc being white ; 
the terminal disco-cellular spot and the transverse irregular discal row 
as described on under side of but black and more strongly marked ; 
row of violaceous-whitish lunules internally edging hind-marginal black- 
ish spots more conspicuous than in $ in hind-wing, and also indis- 
tinctly marked in fore-wing. Under side. — As in ^, but all the spots 
somewhat sharper and clearer in outline. 
This species is a near ally of L. Thespis (Linn.), a butterfly hitherto 
much isolated in its genus by the singular chequered pattern of the 
under surface of the wings, which is not unlike that of several species 
of the Hesperide genus Pyrgus. In L. Bowkeri the under side, owing 
to its purer white ground, smaller and more neatly-defined markings, 
and very distinct hind-marginal row of black spots, indicates a depar- 
ture from that of Thespis in the direction of such congeners as Syharis, 
Hopfif., and Hintza^ Trim., but retains the peculiar pattern of Thespis 
as well as the pale ochreous-brown of the spots generally. On the 
upper surface the $ Bowkeri is readily distinguished from the $ 
Thespis by its much less vivid, more lilacine blue, and much wider 
hind-marginal blackish submacular border ; while the $ may be recog- 
nised by the much more developed discal white (especially in the 
hind-wing and hind-marginal lunulate markings. The tail of the 
hind-wing is in both sexes longer than in Thespis. 
Colonel Bowker discovered this interesting butterfly in the earlier part of 
the year 188 1, on the summit of a high table-topped hill overlooking the 
Inchanga Valley in Natal. He met with four specimens only, two of each 
sex, and at the time took them to belong to a local variety of Thespis. They 
were flitting about the flowers of a small leguminous shrub growing on rocks 
at the edge of a high precipice. 
