- African Species of the Genus Neptis. 573 
contrary, seems to have had some doubt in the matter, 
since in Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. pl. 8, 1920, he publishes 
another figure of “ biafra’’ which agrees neither with his 
own previous illustration nor with that of Ward. It 
approaches more nearly to the latter in having the secondary 
white band on the h.-w., though this is much narrower than 
in Ward’s figure. This 1920 figure rather supports the 
view that biafra is yet another form of the polymorphic 
nysiades, since I have before me examples of the latter 
which are very close to the figure in question. 
Since the above was written, M. Ch. Oberthiir has most 
kindly sent me three specimens which it was hoped might 
elucidate the mystery. One of these agrees so closely 
with Ward’s original figure that I have illustrated it at 
fig. 2, Pl. XXII. Practically the only difference between 
it and Ward’s specimen is that in the latter the secondary 
submarginal white band in h.-w. is rather broader than in 
M. Oberthiir’s example. The second of M. Oberthiir’s 
examples differs in having a still narrower secondary 
h.-w. band, indeed it is reduced to a mere line, whilst the 
third example has the h.-w. white markings so reduced 
that this secondary band is a mere pale suffusion. 
Now it is most unfortunate that this third example, 
least like Ward’s species, is the only male, the other two 
being females: hence the structure of the armature in an 
example almost exactly like Ward’s figure remains unknown. 
I have made a preparation of the armature in this one male, 
and it is of a very simple character, somewhat inter- 
mediate between that of a form of nysiades and paula. 
Now whilst the two specimens, one male and one 
female, which are less like true biafra, certainly belong to 
the same species, the female example which comes so close 
to Ward’s figure is probably specifically different. If the 
figure on Pl. XXII be carefully examined, it will be noted 
that in f.-w. just beyond the discal white marks there is a 
distinct but delicate white line (most easily seen in the 
left wing). This line is deeply arched in 2, 3, and 4. The 
corresponding line in the other two specimens is scarcely 
arched.at all; indeed, in one of them it is perfectly straight 
in area 2. Before we can be sure of the true affinities of 
these forms much more material is necessary. In the 
meantime it would appear that Ward’s brafra is probably 
a good species, and that forms belonging to the nysiades 
association resemble it very closely. 
TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1921.—PaRTS III, IV. (JAN. 22) PP 
