558 Mr. Guy A. K. MarshalPs 



For convenience the species may be divided into two 

 groups : (1) Those in which the seasonal forms do not 

 vary on upperside and very little on underside. (2) Those 

 in which a marked variation occurs. An interesting fact 

 about these groups is that the first, comprising P. natalica, 

 P. tugela, and P. elgiva, is confined to the warmer, low- 

 lying, or heavily-timbered districts (especially along the 

 East Coast), whereas the remaining more variable species 

 occur more abundantly, or even exclusively, in the uplands 

 and in open country. Moreover, in the former, bush- 

 loving group, the underside of the wet season form 

 exhibits almost as great a resemblance to a leaf as does 

 that of the dry season one. The following notes on some 

 of the species may be of interest : — 



Precis tugela, Trim. The underside of the summer 

 form changes from its somewhat variegated colouring to 

 an almost uniform dark brown or grey brown ; the mid- 

 rib stripe being very clearly defined, and the apex of the 

 forewing still more strongly produced. The only differ- 

 ence on the upper side is the presence, in the winter form, 

 of an ochre-yellow line along costa of forewing. The 

 summer form was first taken by Messrs. J. M. Hutchin- 

 son and C. W. Barker, at Karkloof, Natal, in the end 

 of February, 1894 ; but by the middle of March it had 

 almost been superseded by the winter form. Mr. Hutchin- 

 son informs me that there is a marked difference in the 

 habits of the two forms. The smaller summer form is a 

 bolder insect, sailing around and settling on trees at a 

 fair height, almost after the manner of Gharaxes, whereas 

 the other is much more retiringf, keepinof arnono- the 



1*111 • r^o o 



thick bush and settling low down, or on the ground 

 among dead leaves, etc. This fact will be of interest 

 when we come to discuss the species in which the 

 seasonal forms are not so universally acknowledged. 



Precis elgiva, Hew. This species changes but little. 

 The upperside remains unaltered. The winter form is 

 darker and duller than the summer one below, the mark- 

 ings being more indistinct, and the ocelli reduced to mere 

 dots. The apex of forewing is slightly more falcate, as 

 usual. 



Precis natalica, Feld. Varies on the same lines as 

 the preceding species, the white markings on the under- 

 side of the wet season form becoming much reduced or 

 even obsolete. 



