( 69 ) II. On some undescribed Species of South-African Btd-terflies, including a New Genus of LycEenidee. By Roland Trimen. [Eead 2nd December, 1867.] Since the completion of ray published Catalogaie of South-African Buttei'flies, many species have been added to the list of those kno\\Ti to inhabit the Southern extra-tropical regions of the African continent ; and among these I have been, so fortunate as to meet with examples of eighteen species which appear to be undescribed. Half of the entire number is composed of species belonging to the family Lyccenidce^ and one of these is a butterfly presenting such remarkable characters, that I am led to regard it as the type of a new genus, and have so described it, under the name oi Beloneura imiuacidata. The other nine novelties consist of two species oiPapilio of great interest, an Acrcea, a species of Panopea (family Nyinphalidai) , and five Hesperiidce belonging to the genera Pyrgiis, Cydopides, and Pampliila. In treating of these hitherto undescribed insects, I have not confined myself to descriptions only, but have given all the particulars which I have been able to collect, con-cerning their habits and haunts, a kind of information with which we are in general very scantily supplied, but of which the Entomological Society will recognize the importance. It is gradually becoming acknowledged that the accurate description of genera and species, highly important and indeed indispensable as it is, is not the sole end and object of Entomology, any more than of other kindred branches of Natui-al Science. The scieutific definition of the pe-culiar characters of a species is, in fact, only the starting-point from which we can safely and surely proceed to investigate its relations, not only to its own near allies and immediate conditions of life, but also to other groups of organic beings, actors like itself in that great drama of Nature which, with not unfrequent shifting of scenes and change of performers, has been enacting from the remote dawn of life, and is yet in progress. TRANS. ENT. see. 18G8. PART I. (APRIL) .
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