( 78 ) 



it was re-discovered by Mr. August Busck. Five species of 

 Marmara are now known from the United States. It was in- 

 teresting to find a similar habit in the same family in Ceylon. 



Thk West African Agaristid moth Messaga monteironis, 

 Butler, a mimic of the Hesperid Pyrrhochalcia iphis, 

 Drury. — Mr. J. A. de Gaye, who was present as a visitor, 

 showed examples of the above-named model and mimic cap- 

 tured by him under the following circumstances. One speci- 

 men of Messaya montpironis, Butl., from the Ikoyi Plain, Lagos, 

 S. Nigeria, was caught at 6.20 p.m. on Jan. 30th, 1911, 

 hovering over the flowers of Anacardium occidentale. On the 

 same day and on the flowers of the Bame plant were caught 

 two males of Pyrrhocludcia i/>his, Drury, whose larvae feed 

 ex] 



on the leaves of Anacardium occidental?.. The moth is a far 

 better mimic of the female than the male Hesperid, the 

 increased perfection of the likeness to the female being 

 brought about by the white fringe at the apex of the fore- 

 wing and the pale streaks which mark a sub-marginal section 

 of all the nervures of both wings. The latter colouring pro- 

 bably produces on the wing a superficial likeness to the pale 

 iridescent radiate streaks by which both wings of the female 

 Hesperid are characterised. It is also noteworthy thai the 

 ends of the palpi of the Messaga stand out in front of the 

 red head in a manner which strongly suggests the very 

 characteristic appearance of the Hesperid. A similar differ- 

 ence in size between model and mimic is well known in many 

 examples of mimicry. 



The Pikrine Genus Pinacopteryx. — Dr. F. A. Dixky 



[cxi 

 made some remarks on the Pierine genus Pinacopteryx, 

 illustrating them by exhibiting male and female specimens of 

 most of the species, side by side with which were shown drawings 

 made to scale of the plumules characteristic of each form. 



I [e said : Pinacopteryx may be regarded either as a separate 

 genus, or as a section of Pieris, the latter being the course 

 adopted by Mr. Trimen in his work on South African 

 Butterflies. It is a perfectly natural and circumscribed 

 group, of which all the members are confined to the African 



