44 SOUTH-AFKICAX BUTTEKFLIES. 



139. (21.) Lycaena Mahallokoaena, (Wallengren). 



^ , 9 Lyccena Mahallokoccna, Wallgrn., K. Sv. Yet.-Akad. Handl., 1857 ; 



Lep. Rliop. Caffr., p. 41, n. 16. 

 ,, „ Trim., Rhop. Afr. Aiist., ii. p. 257, n. 159 



(1866); and Ti-ans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1870, p. 366, pi. vi. ff. ''], 8 

 (c?,?). 



Exp. ciL, ((^) 8^-1 1|- lin. ; ($) lO-ii lin. Closely allied to 

 Z. Messapus, Godt. 



^ Blue-violaceous ; fore-wing always, hind-icing rarely {(ind then very 

 slightly), suffused with fulvous-yellow ; narrow fuscous hind-marginal 

 border and greyish white-tipped cilia, as in 3fessapus ; no tail on 

 hind-wing. Forc-toing : yellow suffusion extremely variable in extent 

 and development, from a mere costal streak to a broad field occupying 

 all the area except a narrow basal space and broad hind-marginal 

 border of blue, — intermediate examples presenting a broad bar along 

 costa, and strong or moderate suffusion on the median nervure and its 

 branches and on submedian nervure. Hind-wing : yellow suffusion 

 never more than a slight tinge about middle of costa and on disc 

 beyond extremity of discoidal cell ; hind-marginal black spot between 

 first and second median nervules very distinct, the orange lunule 

 bounding it internally large and conspicuous ; a smaller fainter orange 

 lunule between second and third median nervules, and sometimes a 

 still smaller and fainter one immediately below first median nervule. 

 Under side. — Whitish-grey ; markings quite as in Messajpiis, except 

 that in hind-wing the hind-marginal black spot is conspicuous and 

 considerably larger, and there are two well-developed bright-orange 

 lunules instead of a single indistinct or obsolete one. 



^ DarJc-hroum, usucdly rather tinged with greyish; orange-yellow 

 hind-marginal lunules (ahvays ttoo, and usually three) of hind-iving 

 more or less enlarged, so as to form a small consjncuous patch,^ and each 

 externcdly hounded hy a. dark spot. Under side. — Quite as in ^, but 

 markings generally usually rather better defined. 



The characters above given easily distinguish this very curious and beauti- 

 ful form from Messainis, but the instability of the fulvovis-yellovv suffusion on 

 the fore-wings of the $ is very noticeable, and seems to indicate that the 

 character, highly peculiar and apparently imique as it is in the genus, is one 

 of comparatively recent acquirement. The accompanying large development 

 of the orange-yellow lunules of the hind-wings (especially marked in the 

 $ ) is to all appearance a feature of much more constancy. 



This Lyccena was originally discovered by Wahlberg, bvit no specimens 

 were known to me until Colonel Bowker in 1869 sent several from Basuto- 

 land. In the same year a pair taken m the Free State reached me from 

 Mr. W. Morant, who subsequently forwarded examples from the Transvaal, 

 noting the species as plentiful near Potchefstroom on 25th February 1872, 

 and occurring m low, stony ground at Pretoria on the i6th March. Mr T. 



^ This character is most largely developed in a specimen talien by Colonel Bowker 

 between the Tugela and Mooi Rivers in Natal. In this, as in a few other examples, there 

 is an incomplete /owrtA lunule. 



