506 Mr. G. A. K. Marshall on 



agathina was fairly abundant, and I was interested to 

 notice the very close resemblance between it and Belenois 

 t/i/jsa, though, as is tlie case with most mimics, the latter 

 has a much quicker flight when disturbed. B thi/sa, so 

 far as my experience goes, is confined to the warm coiist 

 belt, whereas M. agathina is common everywhere through- 

 out South-cast Africa." 



"Malvern, ]\[arch 12, 1897. — It is curious to note that 

 although Nc'phcronia argia was common at the Karkloof, 

 I never saw a single specimen of Mylothris agatJuna. Mr. 

 Ball has in his collection a very fine variety of the female 

 of the former, which clearly mimics Mylothris trimcnia, the 

 upper-side of the hind-wings being lemon-yellow, and the 

 red mark on the under-side of the fore-wings absent. This 

 is the only one I have seen, although I took one or two 

 females sliowiug an approach towards it, one of which I 

 send you." 



" Umlcomaas Mouth, Natal ; Sept. 3, 1897. — I am afraid 

 I can hardly bring m3'self yet to believe in Dixey's theory 

 that the FierinfB are for the most part protected. As 

 regards our South African species, the only ones Avhich I 

 feel confident are protected are Mylotliris agathina, 

 riqypellii, and trimcnia, and Pontia hellica. For the 

 remainder I think we must find some other cause to 

 account for their numbers and wide range. In Tcrias the 

 larva possesses wonderfully assimilative colouring, and is ex- 

 tremely difficult to detect on the food-plant, and so far as the 

 experience of Hutchinson and myself goes Avith T. hrigitta 

 we have never yet observed a single case of parasitism. 

 The protective coloration and comparative freedom from 

 parasites of the larva, and the protective seasonal colouring 

 of the imago, would no doubt go a long way to explairi 

 their number, though I fancy there must be some other 

 factor." 



" Salishiiry, May 1, 1809. — Query : are the black bands 

 in the females of I'eracolus acquired in mimicry of the 

 common and widespread species, Herpainia eriphia I " * 



y. Papilioninx. 



"Salisbury, Dec. 26, 1897. — Papilio hrasidas I consider 



* Dr. F. A. Dixey informs nie tluit Professor Westwood probably 

 .suspected a reUitionship between the markings of II. eriphiit and 

 T. erti, for he had removed a specimen of the former species from 

 the others, and phiced it next to a dry form uf the Teracohis. 



