J'lEKlN.^. 67 



costa brig-lit-orange ; ncuration clouded much as in Gidica, but itself 

 with a pale-reddish tinge. 



^ Slightly tinged luitli i)alc-ycUou\ or sometimes nearly white; based 

 clouding much more restricted than in Gidica ^. Fore-ivlng : apical 

 hind-mai'ginal border as in the more lightly marked specimens of 

 Gidica ; no blackish spot on lower discal area beyond middle. Ilind- 

 tci/ig : hiud-marginal nervular spots separate from each other, or only 

 very imperfectly united by indistinct arched streaks ; inner row of 

 arched streaks represented by separated cuneiform fragments only. 

 Under side. — As in ^, but darker in ground-colour, and with the 

 whitish markings of hind-wing more prominent. 



As a rule, the fore- wings (especially in the ^) are more produced, 

 sometimes even inclining to bo subfalcate ; the size of this butterfly 

 is also on the whole smaller than that of Gidica. A dwarf $ from 

 Estcourt, Natal, expands only i in. 10 lin. A ^ from Zumbo, on 

 the Zambesi River, is remarkable for having only very faint traces of 

 the usually well-mai-ked hind-marginal spots on the hind-wings. 



Though widelj' distributed in Soutli Africa, Ahyssinic.a is very scarce; and 

 I have seen only ten authenticated specimens from the sub-region. If it were 

 restricted to a particular territory, one would be disposed to regard it as a local 

 variety of Gidica ; and if it were not so rare, it might be taken for possibly 

 a seasonal form of that species.^ I captured a single example at Knysna 

 early in May 1859; two have been sent by Mrs. Barber from near Grahams- 

 town, and two Avere taken at D'Urban, Natal, by the late Mr. M'Ken. In 

 Swaziland the late Mr. E. C. Buxton (who sent me photographs of this and 

 many other butterflies of his capturing) seems to have met with tlie insect 

 pretty frequently. 



Localities of Picris Abyssinica. 



I. South Africa. 

 B. Cape Colony. 



a. AVestern Districts. — Knysna. 

 h. Eastern Districts. — Grahamstown {Mrs. Barber). 

 E. Natal. 



a. Coast Districts. — D'Urban (the late M. J. APKen). 

 h. Upper Districts. — Estcourt {J. 31. Hutchinson). 



G. " Swaziland."— The late K C. Buxton. 



11. Other African Regions. 



A. South Tropical. 



b. Eastern Coast. — Monibas : " EnJara (Kcrsten)." — Gersliicker. 

 bi. Eastern Interior. — Zambesi River : Zumbo {F. G. Selous). 



B. North Tropical. 



bi. Eastern Interior. — Abyssinia: "Lake Tsana (Raffray)." — Ober- 

 thiir. Soudan : '■ Atbara River." — Butler ; " Khartoum." — 

 Gerstacker. 



^ Six specimens (five Ss and a 9 ), with dates of capture — from 3d to 17th September 

 1887 — have been kindly forwarded to me from D'Urban, Natal, by Mr. A. D. Millar, who 

 inclines to think this form the dry-season brood of Gidica. The latter certainly seems 

 restricted in appearance to the summer and autumn months. 



