14 Mr. H. Eltringham's Monograjjh of the 



yellow of various shades. In Abyssinia both sexes are 

 alike, the fore-wing spots being yellow. Polymorphism 

 in Acraea is, as in other genera, frequently associated 

 with obvious mimetic resemblance in the forms produced. 

 A. alciope presents a remarkable case in point. Another 

 instance almost comparable to that of Papilio dardanus, 

 except that the mimicry is found in both sexes, is 

 exhibited by A. johnstoni which produces forms which 

 closely resemble two different Planemas and three 

 Danaines. An isolated but no less interesting case is the 

 acritoides form of A. 'periphanes, which is so modified as 

 to be easily mistaken for that form of A. acrita which 

 occurs in its locality. A. jodutta has two different females 

 resembling two Planemas, whilst A. althojji has several 

 female forms, one of which is like the male, the others 

 resembling and habitually flying with the above-named 

 females oi jodutta and their models. 



Island forms of Acraea include several interesting 

 species and races. In the Island of Sao Thome three 

 species occur which have not so far been found on the 

 mainland, viz. insidaris, niohe, and newtoni. Of these the 

 latter may well be a local race of A. yenclope, but the 

 others are quite peculiar and unlike any other known 

 species. From the Ilha do Principe comes the medea form 

 of A. egina, characterised by its greatly enlarged and con- 

 fluent spots. Figures of the female of this form occur in 

 several of the older publications, though all seem to be 

 copies of an original figure and not of separate examples. 

 The older works usually give Senegal as the habitat, but 

 if it ever occurred on the mainland, it appears no longer 

 to do so. The peculiar lactimaculata form of pienclcos ^ 

 seems to occur only on Fernando Po. The masaris form 

 of A. csehria occurs in the Comoro Islands. Two islands 

 in L. Bangweolo, Chirui and Chishi, have furnished ex- 

 amples of A. oncea which are more brilliantly coloured 

 than any others I have seen, whilst from Chishi Island 

 we have received a form of A. zetes acara which is of 

 special interest in having the hind-wing spots so greatly 

 reduced as to make it at the first glance almost indis- 

 tinguishable from A. astrigera, with which it is doubtless 

 very nearly allied. 



Indications of a general correspondence of colour with 

 geographical distribution seem to be afforded by the dark 

 fore-winged forms of zetes, egina, and iiatalica from the 



