LYCiENID.E. 6 1 



148. (30.) Lycsena Sichela, Wallengren. 



(J Lyccena Sichela, Wallgrn., K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Ilandl, 1857 ; Lep. Rhop. 



Caffr., p. 37, n. 4. 

 Lyccena Emohis, 1$ , Trim., Rhop. Afr. Aust., ii. p. 234, n. 136 (1866). 



Exp. al, ($) 9 lin. — i in. i^ lin. ; (?) 9 lin. — i in. 2^ lin. 



^ Silky dark-violaceous ; a fuscous line along Mud-mar (jinal edge ; 

 cilia dull-greyish, inclining to ivhitish in hi7id-ivi7ig. Hiiid-wing : an 

 indistinct fuscous spot (often obsolete) near Lind-margin, between first 

 and second median nervules. Under side. — Pale Irownish-grcy , ivith 

 the following very finely on hoth sides white-edged faseicc, jMler mcsially 

 and otherwise very slightly darker than the ground-colour in both ivi7igs, 

 viz., one across middle of discoidal cell, another at its extremity, and 

 the third much longer, discal, irregular, submacular ; also two hind- 

 marginal rows of very thin white lunules (those of the inner row much 

 more acute — especially in hind-wing), followed by whitish and very 

 slender black lines along hind-marginal edge. Fore-wing : first fascia 

 very short from costa to median nervure, interrupted on costal nervure ; 

 second of about the same length ; discal fascia strongly curved, from 

 costa to first median nervale. Hind-wivg : an incomplete basal fascia ; 

 the sub-basal fascia from costa to inner-margin interrupted on sub- 

 costal and median nervures ; discal fascia highly irregular, interrupted 

 on first subcostal and on second and first median nervules ; the two 

 lunules of inner row at anal angle and between first and second 

 median nervules respectively each enclose a small but very distinct 

 black spot. 



$ Greyish-hrowii with a smcdl rather bright violaceous sjjace in each 

 wing. Fore-vying : violaceous extends from base along inner-margin to 

 about middle, rises a little above median nervure into discoidal cell, 

 and extends over about basal half only of median nervules. Hind- 

 wing : violaceous much more limited than in fore-wing, extending from 

 base only over discoidal cell and for a little way above and below it. 

 Under side. — As in ^ ; but discal fascia in fore-wing prolonged almost 

 to submedian nervure, not far from posterior angle. 



I had not seen any examples of this scarce species when, in Part II. of my 

 Ilhopalocera African Australis, p. 235, I suggested that it might be the same 

 tmnxij Lycoina Eniolus (= Lyccenesthes Liodes, Hew its.). In 1875 two worn 

 $ s were sent to me in a small collection made by Mr. H. Barber in the 

 NW. Ti-ansvaal, but I did not identify them with Wallengren's species until, 

 in 1879, Colonel Bowker sent a series of specimens from the coast of Natal. 

 In order, however, to make sure of what the Sichela of Wallengren really 

 was, I obtained in 1881, through the kind assistance of Mr. Chr. Aurivillius, 

 of the Stockholm Museum, a careful drawing of the type specimen (a (J ), and 

 found that I had correctly made out the species. 



It requires close examination to detect the actual pattern and arrange- 

 ment of the under-side mai kings ; as, owing to the fasciie being paler in their 

 middle and laterally but very little darker than the ground-coloiu-, the whole 

 surface (but especially that of the hind-wing) has the aspect of being simply 



