NYMPHALID^. 113 



Thorax large, more or less ovate, robust, more or less pilose. 

 Wivgs large, of thick texture, supported by strong nervures. 

 Fore-io'mgs variable in outline ; costa more or less arched, 

 sometimes very strongly so ; hind-margin sometimes concave, 

 being produced in apical portion, — sometimes with a more or 

 less elongate projection a little below apex — or nearly straight, 

 with a slight concavity in centime — always more or less den- 

 tate ; inner-margin usually more or less emarginate in centre ; 

 first discoidal nervule joined to sub-costal nervure ; discoidal 

 cell either open, or closed by a very thin nervule (only per- 

 ceptible on close inspection). Hind-wings likewise variable 

 in outline ; costa always markedly convex next base, beyond 

 which its arched chai'acter is very marked in some Genera, 

 in others very slight ; hind-margin more or less dentate or 

 escalloped, sometimes with a tail or sharp projection on first 

 median nervule (in one Genus with a second tail on third 

 median nervule) ; — occasionally with the anal angle produced 

 into a sharp projection ; inner margins strongly convex from 

 base to beyond middle, and completely enclosing the under- 

 side of the abdomen in a more or less deep groove, by their 

 edges meeting below it ; discoidal cell generally open, some- 

 times closed by a thin nervule. Legs rather long and stout; 

 except the first pair, which are short, appressed to the thorax, 

 often densely hairy, and entirely useless for walking. Ab- 

 domen rather small and short, especially in the males ; some- 

 times not half the length of the inner-margins. 



Larva. — Elongate, cylindrical ; often with stron'g spines 

 (more or less branched) ; the segments generally well-marked 5 

 sometimes smooth, thickened in the middle, with a pair of 

 horns on the head. 



Pupa. — Moderately stout, more or less angulated , abdomi- 

 nal portion generally much curved ; suspended by the tail 



only- 



The Butterflies of this extensive Family are remarkable for 

 swiftness of flight, and, as a rule, for brilliant colouring and 

 intricate marking. They are tolerably well represented in 

 South Africa ; thirty-four species, comprised in thirteen 

 Genera, having already been recorded from this region. The 

 !^amily, as characterised above, contains the Sub-families 

 Argynnidi, Vanessidi, and Nyynphalidi, of some authors ; but 

 not the Satyridi, which, in the arrangement I have followed, 

 are considered as a distinct Family named Satyridce. Most of 

 the Nymphalidce found in South Africa are Butterflies of 

 moderate size, but several species take rank among the largest 

 found in the country. Among the latter is the lovely mother- 

 of-pearl-like Junonia Anacardii of Linne ; as well as the 

 I 



