African Species of the Genus Acraea. 3 



Natural History Museum, where Dr. Brauer, Professor 

 Karsch, Dr. Strand, and Dr. Griinberg gave me much 

 useful help. Herr Wichgraf permitted me to examine his 

 extensive collection ; Herr Ertl of Munich has sent me 

 many interesting examples, including some types, whilst 

 Professor Aurivillius at Stockholm, and M. Charles Ober- 

 thiir at Rennes, have rendered constant and ungrudging 

 assistance. To all I would tender my heartfelt thanks 

 for having thus rendered my work a pleasure rather than 

 a labour. 



The genus Acraea was founded by Fabricius in Illiger's 

 Magazine (1807). His definition is, " Taser zwei, lang, 

 gefranzt, dreigliedrig ; drittes Glied klein, nackt. Fiihler 

 geknopft, (Putzflisse.) " 



He gives as types Fap. horta, terpsichore, and hrassolis, 

 and states that there are 34 species. The P. hrassolis here 

 referred to appears in Kirby's catalogue as a synonym of 

 the Pierine butterfly Archonias heUona, Cram. 



Latreille in the " Encyclopedic Methodique " defines the 

 genus as follows : — " Borde interne des ailes inferieures 

 n'embrassant presque le dessous de I'abdomen ; palpes 

 inferieurs greles et presque cylindriques ; antennes peil 

 allongees et terminees brusquement en bouton." 



Doubleday, Hewitson, and Westwood in the "Genera of 

 Diurnal Lepidoptera" having given a preliminary descrip- 

 tion, divide the species into six groups or subgenera, 

 viz. Hyalites, Planema, Gnesia, Telchinia, Actinote, and 

 Pareha. The definitions of these subgenera are quite 

 useless, as may be gathered from the fact that A. lycia 

 is included under Hyalites, whilst A. sganzini is included 

 in Telchinia, although both forms belong to the same 

 species, A. encedon. The definition of Telclmiia differs 

 only from that of Hyalites in the statement that the latter 

 has the second joint of tlie labial palpi " considerably 

 swollen and but little scaly," whilst in the former the same 

 structure is " considerably swollen and clothed in front 

 with scales," much being thus left to the imagination of the 

 observer. Moreover the distinctive features of the genus 

 Planema are not recognised, since it is divided into two sub- 

 sections, one of which contains A. Jycoa, and A. jodntta. 



Mabille, in his article on the genus in the " Histoire 

 Naturelle de Madagascar," states that the Acraeas are well 

 divided into groups, perhaps genera, by the male and 

 female genital organs, but his conclusions seem to be 



B 2 



