TliC Bionomics of South African Insects. 493 



removed from the average appearance of the group, while 

 caldarcnct is an outlyinof member in one respect only, viz. 

 the pronounced apical black patch on the fore-wing. The 

 brightly-coloured males and the brightest of the females 

 of all these species would closely resemble each other on 

 the wing, including the male of violarum, which was not 

 captured on that particular day; and similarly a uniform 

 effect would be produced by the darker females. The 

 under-sides of all species except rahira are superficially 

 alike. The strong superficial resemblance is well shown 

 in Figs. 1 to 9 on Plate XVI. 



A second group was captured at Salisbury on Jan. 7, 

 1899, and contains the two following species: — 



2 Acr/&a anemosct $ % {%\n Plate XVI, fig. 10). 

 2 „ natalica $ (Plate XVI, fig. 11). 



These large Acrseas are obviously very different in 

 the details of coloration, but the positions in which the 

 black marking of the upper surface are massed on the 

 fulvous ground-colour are almost exactly the same, the 

 only marked difference being the presence of numerous 

 black spots in the first-named species which are almost 

 absent in the second, Mr. Trimen speaks of anemosct as 

 " in habit and general colouring very near natalica " (Joe. 

 city vol. i, p. 156). The under-sides are far less alike, but 

 there can be no doubt about synaposematic convergence 

 having occurred. It is probable that the approach has 

 been chiefly, perhaps entirely, on the side of natalica, 

 which has adjusted markings of a type usual among 

 Ethiopian Acnvintv in such a manner as to produce super- 

 ficial similarity to cmemosa, an Acnva in which a very 

 remarkable and unusual appearance is the warning sign 

 of exceptional defence against insect-eating animals (see 

 p. 413). 



Mr. Marshall informs me that the two species are very 

 similar upon the wing, and that the resemblance is much 

 closer in the case of the female natalica than the male, 

 thus following the rule in mimicry, and confirming still 

 further the opinion expressed above that the approach 

 has been from the side of natalica. 



I. Mimetic Species of South African Lycainidx, and Hesperidai 

 captured with their Models. 



Exclusive of Mimacnea marshalli and its form dohertyi 



