142 SOUTH- AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES. 



coidal cell, but is ratlier widely bordered with black costally (most 

 widely beyond extremity of discoidal cell), and outwardly from third 

 median nervule to anal angle ; ferruginous patch occupying hind- 

 margin from apex to submedian nervure, irregularly convex inwardly, 

 very broad on discoidal nervules, narrowing abruptly at apex, but more 

 gradually to its lower extremity. Hind-wing : blue fills entire disc 

 and discoidal cell, and is bordered to a moderate width with black along 

 costa and hind-margin (the apical portion being broadest, and the 

 hind-marginal narrowest) ; inner-marginal border broadly fuscous up 

 to third median nervule, but blue-scaled along submedian nervure ; 

 anal-angular lobe and tail ferruginous, densely grey-scaled ; edging 

 base of lobe superiorly, and sometimes extending for a little distance 

 along hind-margin, a fine streak of blue scales ; on lobe a spot of 

 unirrorated ferruginous. Under side. — Fcrruginous-lroivn, in most 

 parts very finely and densely irrorated with yellowish and grey scales ; 

 in both wings (better defined in hind-wing) an ochreous-yellow line 

 closing discoidal cell, and a transverse streak of the same colour beyond 

 middle. Fore-wing : the streak only extends from near costal edge to 

 between third and second median nervules ; costa thinly edged with 

 yellow ; a conspicuous cloud of yellow scales occupies costa between 

 streak and apex ; inner margin pale-grey, gradually fading into ground- 

 colour superiorly ; hind-marginal border darker ferruginous, not (or 

 very thinly) irrorated. Hind-icing: darker ferruginous before trans- 

 verse streak ; the streak itself w^ell defined, continuous from costa to 

 below first median nervule, where it is slightly broken and abruptly 

 angulated, and is thence wJiite to inner margin and along its edge to 

 base ; between this portion of the streak and anal angle, dense greyish- 

 white irroration ; a thin greyish line along hind-margin, indistinct 

 superiorly ; spot on lobe conspicuous, tinged with crimson. 



$ Blue much less hrilliant ; its area invch smaller, so that its black- 

 bordering is broader, especially in hind-wing, where, in apical region, 

 this is wider than inner-marginal fuscous. Hind-wing : hind-marginal 

 streak of blue scales more marked, extending to third median nervule 

 or a little farther. Under side.— Quite as in $. 



This Mgriyia is recognised at once from its congener, the West- 

 African M. Silemis, Fab. {Alcides, Cram.), by (i) the greatly-enlarged 

 field of blue, and (2) the ferruginous har along hind-margin of fore- 

 wings from apex. Judging from Cramer's figure (Pa}). Fxot. i. t. 96, 

 D, e), if, Silenus has only a slightly paler fascia near the hind-margin 

 of the fore-wings, with no trace of ferruginous ; and the under side is 

 generally much darker than in 31. ficedula, and without yellowish 

 clouding. Boisduval's figure purports to represent Loxura Aleides 

 from " Guinee ; " it is evidently that of rather a small $. In pattern 

 and colouring (only the upper side being depicted) it agrees fairly with 

 the Southern form, except that along hind-margin the ferruginous 

 border has a narrow black-edging, and that the outline of the hind- 



