216 Mr. S. A. Neave ; some hionomic 



common, and formosa does not seem to occur. There is, 

 strange to say, not a single ^ amongst all the specimens 

 of mercedonia and only four oi formosa. 



The specimens of Papilio rex^ eight ^ $ and two ^ $, 

 in the Wiggins and Harrison collections all come from 

 Nyangori, and are very remarkable. Only two $ $ are 

 fairly typical rex ; the other specimens especially the ^ $ 

 are markedly intermediate between P. rex and P. 

 mimcticus, Rothsch. The latter species, it will be remem- 

 bered, bears a strong resemblance to M. mercedonia. The 

 intermediate characters are shown in the reduction in size 

 of the spots, and in the extension of red-brown colour over 

 the hind wings. 



This fact becomes of great importance when we recollect 

 that normal specimens of P. rex occur on the Kikuyu 

 escarpment to the east, while the only specimen of 

 mimeticus at present known comes from Msaromsaro north- 

 west of the Lake. It is therefore of very great interest 

 that, at the place where both species of Danaincs do occur 

 the Papilio should be intermediate in appearance between 

 them ; further, that where mercedonia exists apparently 

 alone to the west of the Lake the mimeticus form should 

 only be found ; to the east, where formosa only occurs, 

 rex should be the only form. All three species were 

 captured at the same time of the year. 



Millleria7i Association of Danaines cmd Papilios. 



In studying the last two groups one cannot fail to be 

 struck with the fact that the mimicry has not all been on 

 the side of the Paiyilios. 



In the first place the widely distributed Tirumala 

 petiverana, Dbl. and Hew., may safely be regarded as the 

 ancestral form of the three Danaine members of the 

 group. It extends nearly all over tropical Africa in the 

 more wooded districts, and can only be considered a 

 geographical race of 7\ limniace, so common in the 

 Oriental region. Ethiopian specimens are of interest in 

 exhibiting among-st other differences a distinct shade of 

 reddish-brown on the under-side toward the base of the 

 fore wing. Melinda mercedonia, Karsch., and M. formosa, 

 Godm., on the other hand, are specialized forms with a 

 comparatively small and local distribution. In addition to 

 their striking red and reddish-brown colour, they differ 



