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4. Descriptions of some South African Heterocera (L&pidoptera). By 



CHB. AURIVILLITJS. 



The species described iu this paper were sent to me some years ago 

 by the Director of the South African Museum, Dr. L. Peringuey. 

 The types are all iu that Museum, and some co-types in the State 

 Museum, Stockholm. 



The existence in South Africa of the palaearctic genus Chondrostega 

 and of a genus Trichhirana, very nearly allied to Trlclmira, is of great 

 geographical interest. 



ARCTIIDAB. 



GEN. POECILARCTIA, nov. gen. 



Proboscis short and weak. Palpi porrect, short, not extending 

 beyond frons ; last joint minute, obliquely pointed. Head and thorax 

 clothed with hair. Antennae of male bipectinate with moderate 

 branches. Eyes smooth. Frons without prominence. Fore tibiae 

 normal, unarmed, hind tibiae with short apical spurs, medial spurs 

 absent. Fore wing with vein 3 from close to angle of cell ; 4, 5 from 

 angle or very briefly stalked ; 6 from upper angle ; 7, 8, 9 stalked, 

 10, 11 on a long stalk from cell. Hind wing with 3, 4, 5 from angle 

 of cell, 6, 7 from upper angle, 8 from middle of cell. 



Differs in venation from all African genera of Arctiiclae. 



POECILARCTIA VENATA, 11. Sp. 



Head yellowish with a large black patch between the antennae ; 

 palpi black, scarlet below ; thorax white with black mesial stripe, 

 patagia edged with black ; tegulae laterally edged with black ; femora 

 scarlet, white below, tips black ; tibiae and tarsi black ; abdomen pale 

 yellow above, whitish below, with dorsal, lateral and sublateral series 

 of black spots ; fore wing above white with all the veins broadly lined 

 with black, costal edge scarlet towards base ; hind wing above and 

 below yellow with the veins 6-8 narrowly black at termen ; fore wing 

 below nearly as above but the ground-colour yellowish. Expans. 42 mm. 



Mashoualaud : Salisbury (Dr. J. M. Melle). S. African Museum. 



