LYCMmBM 95 



(^ $ Lyccena Amarah, Trim., Rhop. Afr. Aust., ii. p. 235, n. 137 (1866). 

 5 Lamiyides Olijmjnisa, Walk., Entomologi.st, v. p. 53, n. 49 (1870). 



Uxj). al., ($) 11^ lin. — i in. 2 lin. ; (?) i I lin. — I in. 2 lin. 



^ Palc-grcy, loith a metallic sitb-hrassy lustre ; a hroivn hind-mar- 

 ginal houndinrj line; cilia greyisli-wliite. Hind-wing: traces of two 

 rows of dull-wliitisli Innules, — those of outer row combining with a 

 whitish inner edging of hind-marginal line to form imperfect rings, and 

 the two last enlarged and orange (the upper with an adjacent black 

 spot) on either side of first median nervule ; a slender tail-like tuft of 

 wJiite hairs at end of first median nervule, and a similar tuft at end 

 of submedian nervure. Under side. — Brownish-grey, loith white and 

 brownish fasciae, and roivs of lunules ; in each wing, beyond middle, an 

 irregular, submacular fascia (composed of a broad white central streak, 

 on both sides bordered with brownish and edged with a white line), — 

 a similar short fascia, closing cell, touching edge of long fascia on third 

 median, and two rows of thin white lunules succeeded by a white line. 

 Fore-wing : between median and submedian, a short, wide, abruptly 

 truncate, longitudinal black striiK. Hind-ioing : seven conspicuous, 

 black, white-ringed spots, viz., one at base, four in a transverse row 

 near base, and two on costa (respectively immediately before origin of 

 fascia and double row of lunules) ; orange-lunuled hind-marginal spot 

 bluish-silvery-dusted ; a smaller similar spot at anal angle. 



$ Darker, not so metallic ; a coating of bluish-grey shining hair over 

 basal area of hind-iving. Fore-wing : a disco-cellular fuscous line ; a 

 faint submacular streak just before hind-marginal line. Hind-iving : 

 row of lunules and rings usually conspicuous ; orange lunules and spot 

 larger ; occasionally a third orange lunule and black spot just above 

 second median. Underside. — As in ^ ; ground-colour darker. 



The peculiar hue of the upper surface at once distinguishes this species 

 from the other South- African Lyccenegthes, which present a more or less purple 

 or violaceous colouring in both sexes. The strongly-marked black basal stripe 

 on the under side of the fore-wing is also peculiar to Amarah. 



Mr. W. D'Urban found this butterfly commonly about King William's 

 Town, frequenting bushy spots, from October to April. Near Grahamstown 

 I saw it but rarely, and it was not common on the coast of Natal from the 

 end of January to the beginning of April 1867. It is a brisk and active 

 insect, and all the specimens that I noticed settled frequently on the leaves 

 of various shrubs. In neither sex does there appear to be any noticeable 

 variation except as regards size. The specimens from the Red Sea Coast, 

 described by Walker {loc. cit.) as L. Olympusa, which I examined in Mr. R. 

 Meldola's collection, are undoubtedly oi'dinary Amarah. 



Localities of Lyca:nesthcs Amarah. 



I. South Africa. 



B. Cape Colony. — Grahamstown, New Year's River, and Mitford Park, 

 Albany District. King William's Town (IF. UUrhan and J. 

 H. Bowker). East London. 



