soriu British East African BvMerJlies. 505 



ship between the markings does not support the con- 

 clusion tljat the feature is primitive in the Euralias. In 

 fact E. dahkcs has itself been so strongly modified by 

 mimicry of western species of Aviaicris, that the marking 

 under consideration usually exhibits only a slight although 

 recognisable resemblance to that of E. dece'ptor and E. 

 kirhyi. 



The peculiar curve in the chief band of white spots 

 crossing the wing of the female Euxanthe tiherms (shown on 

 Plate XXVII, fig. 3) has also probably been produced by 

 secondary mimicry either of the Pseudacrma or the Euralias 

 which occur in the same locality. The case of the wide- 

 spread Nymphaline Aterica galenc with its variable female 

 is more puzzling. But here also we find in both sexes 

 and in all forms of the female the same peculiar curve in 

 the chief band of pale spots crossing the fore-wing. If 

 this marking has been affected by secondary mimicry the 

 species has at any rate carried it far away from the area 

 where the most characteristic development is reached by 

 the model. This however would not be the only example 

 cf A. fjalcne ranging beyond its model. Thus it is shown 

 on p. 512 that the Ama^iris echeria-and-aMnmaculata-like 

 form of the female — and in this case the mimetic resem- 

 blance cannot be doubted — occurs in localities near Mom- 

 basa, where its Danaine model is unknown. The two 

 dark spots (generally fused in male, often in female, occa- 

 sionally very minute or perhaps altogether wanting) in the 

 cell of the hind-wing under side may possibly indicate 

 resemblance to the well-known group of spots occupying 

 this position in the PsevAacriBa. E. B. P. 



c. Outlying mevihers of the Blach- and- White Eastern 

 Ariiauris-centred Combinations. 



NymphaliniB. Mr. G. A. K. Marshall has shown that 

 the African species of the genus Neptis have certain 

 features which indicate that they should be regarded as 

 outlying members of this large and complex combination. 

 He has also brought forward evidence which points to the 

 conclusion that they are themselves distasteful. There are 

 three species of this genus which I have taken commonly : 

 — N. agatha, Stoll. ; N. marpessa, Hoppf., and N. melicerta, 

 Drury. All these have a wide distribution and are com- 

 monly met with. The most abundant species is N. agatha, 

 and there is no doubt that, in the distribution of its black 



