Forms of South- African Butterflies. 73 



at Delagoa Bay. I give here (PI. IV, fig. 7) a figure of 

 the example of this moth received from Mr. Millar, in 

 order to show how completely the butterfly accords with 

 the moth in prevalent ochreous-yellow colouring, though 

 differing considerably as regards the upper-side of the 

 fore-wing and the under-side of part of the fore-wing and 

 the entire hind-wing. The case is instructive as indicating 

 how effective in flight for mimetic purposes can prove 

 even an inexact likeness, provided that the general colour- 

 ing and the action on the wing are the same. As far as 

 human observation is concerned, it certainly would appear 

 that Deloneura has successfully evaded notice — even in so 

 long known and well "worked" a locality as Durban — 

 mainly by simulating the colour and motion of certain 

 common more or less gregarious day-flying moths with 

 which it associates, and which are most probably protected 

 species rejected or avoided by insectivorous animals. 



Genus Lyc^NA, Fab. 

 LYCiENA PATEICIA, Trim. (Plate V, figs. 8, 8a.) 



Lycoina patricia, Trim., S.-Afr. Butt., ii, p. 20 (1887). 



I indicated (/. c.) the close affinity of this species with 

 L. parsimon, Fab., notwithstanding the great disparity in 

 the colouring of the males on the upper-side of the wings, 

 and mentioned how the exceedingly similar females could 

 be distinguished by the longer tail and one fewer sub-basal 

 under-side spot in the hind-wing characteristic of L. 

 patricia. 



Since my description was pubhshed the extended South- 

 African range of this form has been considerably enhirged, 

 Mr. G. A. K. Marshall having taken it at Gadzima in 

 Mashonaland, in 1895.* The Transvaal variation which 

 I noted {I.e., p. 21)— and which presents in both sexes a 

 darker under-side with all the sub-marginal markings very 

 much fainter — has been taken ("1st to 3rd January, 1904") 

 by Mr. Feltham at Venter's Kroou, on the Vaal River. _ 



In view of the unmistakably close alliance existing 

 between L. p)arsimon, L. p)atricia, and L. glauca, Trim., 

 much interest attaches to Mr. Feltham's note that he took 

 all three forms, as well as the dark variation oi patricia, at 

 the same time and at the same spot, " on flat low-lying 

 srrass-land dotted with mimosa trees." 



* Mr. A. G. Butler, in Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond , 1898, p. 192. 



