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Show 1897.] BUTTERFLIES COLLECTED IN NATAL. 847 " In this neighbourhood L. durbani is a very common insect, frequenting open stony kopjes, where the males may be seen (sometimes three and four together) chasing each other round and round at a great pace, about a foot or so above the ground, and resting occasionally on stones or grass-stems. L. bibulus, however, is distinctly an arboreal ' bush'-loving insect, and is consequently scarce here. It is always to be found flying round trees in company with various species of Lyccenesthes or Azanus, and is never seen in company with L. durbani. It is not nearly so active an insect as the latter and does not fly much unless disturbed, but prefers sitting quietly on the smaller twigs, where its colouring affords it excellent protection. Down at the Tugela, Burn tells me it is a very common insect everywhere, but though he has collected there for four years he has never taken L. durbani. However, I turned it up while I was down there, finding it only among long grass on the tops of the highest hills. If, after this, you still maintain them to be conspecific, the onus prohandl will remain with you." Mr. Marshall seems to think that I am very hard to convince of error, and yet I have always frankly admitted myself wrong when any published opinion of mine has been shown to be incorrect. M y view of the specific identity of L. bibulus and L. durbani was based upon the fact that the specimens of the former received from Nyasaland showed considerable variation in size, in the colouring of the females on the upper surface and the pattern of the under surface. There is, however, a wonderful uniformity of character in all the examples of L. durbani sent to us by Mr. Marshall, and I am bound to admit that, although some of the females of L. bibulus received from Nyasa greatly resemble those of L. durbani in the colouring of the upper surface, none of them correspond with the latter on tbe under surface. If it could be shown that L. durbani was a dry form of L. bibulus, I do not think the difference of habit would be unique; but, unless tbe species is subject to alternating generation (in which case the dry phase of one brood might appear only shortly before tbe wet phase of the other), I see no way of explaining the simultaneous perfect condition of both insects. Of course the same argument applies to other species which have been accepted as seasonal forms, but which have also been taken in perfect condition in the middle of the rains. 67. THESTOR BASUTA, Wallgr. 2 , Estcourt, 4000 feet, 25th November; o*, Frere, 3800 feet, 5th December, 1896. 68. ALOZIDES ORTHUS, Trimen. Estcourt, 30th September, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 10th, and 19th October ; Tugela Biver, 22nd and 23rd October, 1896. " At one time I thought this species would prove identical with the brown form of A. trlkosama, but I am now sure they are distinct." |