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Show 1868.] MR. A. G. BUTLER ON NEW OR RARE LEPIDOPTERA. 223 that its truest position will be next to Euryphene scemis of Hewitson. The specimen is kindly lent to me for description by Mr. Andrew Swanzy, of Lee, after w h o m I have named the species. Genus ZERITIS, Westwood (1852). ZERITIS THYSBE, Linn., aberration. (Pl. XVII. fig. 5.) Alis supra fundo basali cceruleo nitidissimo et post alarum medium extenso, colorem discalem aurantiacum expungente; margine externo late nigro, cceruleo partim tincto, et a lunulis aurantiacis lilacino tinctis intus limitato : alis subtus velut in Thysbe (formee communis). Hab. Platteklip, Table Mountain (Coll. Trimen). This singular and very beautiful variety of Z. thysbe is in the Collection of Mr. Roland Trimen, who in the Appendix to the second volume of his ' Rhopalocera Africa? Australis' makes the following observations respecting it:-" Herr Gross has shown m e an extraordinary variety or ' sport' of the cf of that form (thysbe), which he captured near Platteklip, on the ascent of Table Mountain. In the last-named specimen the blue suffusion is of unusual brilliancy and extent, completely obliterating all the orange of fore wing as well as the spots, but leaving a very broad apical and narrow hind-marginal black border, edged outwardly by the usual small orange lunules; while in the hind wing the blue extends to beyond middle, but leaves a broad orange border of even width along hind margin: the markings of the under surface, however, remain as usual, but are strongly defined; the fore wings are acutely angulated, and the projections of hind wings unusually long. " The beauty of Herr Gross's specimen is most striking, far exceeding that of the most perfect of ordinary examples." Mr. Trimen afterwards obtained this specimen at a sale, and has kindly lent it to m e to figure. H e informs m e that there is another, similar but somewhat larger, specimen of this aberration in the Burchell Collection (Hope Museum), taken, however, at Gena-dendal (Cape Colony) in the year 1815. Genus MESSAGA, Walker (1854). In his ' Lepidoptera Heterocera,' pt. 2. p. 358, Mr. Walker has characterized a genus under the above name, the type of which is the Hesparia of Cramer (Pap. Exot. vol. i. pl. 56. fig. C ) . Mr. Swanzy having lent m e a second species, I referred to the specimens in the National Collection, and found three species representing Hesparia : the specimens, however, representing two of the above species want the abdomen, which appears to be a strong character for at once distinguishing them ; so that it was natural that they should have been looked upon as merely varieties of one type. |