African Species of the Genus Acraea. 65 



^. Expanse 40-50 mm. (very variable). F.-w. like that of 

 ^ but red siaflfusion replaced by yellowish. H.-w. usually 

 powdered with white scales, having the dusky marginal border 

 bearing half black and half red spots as in (J, though the 

 border extends a little further towards the inner margin and 

 has a well-developed black and red spot in area Ic. The discal 

 black spots are well separated leaving an extra det at base of 

 nervure 5 (this dot is occasionally recognisable in ^ examples). 

 The basal spots and those of the cell are in various degrees of 

 obsolescence, some of those nearest the base being altogether 

 wanting. 



From this normal appearance of the ? a long series shows 

 practically every degree of red suffusion to a form which has as 

 much red as the ^. Ward's manandaza is a $ presenting the 

 minimum amount of red. 



A. ranavalona f. maransetra. 



In this form the basal and discal spots are confluent. It 

 would appear to be if anything commoner than the typical 

 form. 



Boisduval describes the species as generally found in 

 the forest in Ste. Marie and on the mainland of Madagas- 

 car in April and May, reappearing in July and August. 

 Fond of settling on grasses. 



Mabille states that it is common all over Madagascar, 

 flying during a large part of the year in woods and 

 cultivated places, and having several broods. 



The male armature is of very peculiar form and re- 

 sembles that of no other Acraea except its near ally 

 .viachequena. 



It is a matter of some difficulty to unravel the confusion 

 vwhich has arisen in the synonymy of this species, owing to 

 Ward's description of liis Acraea manandaza. Boisduval's 

 original description of the ^ states that the base and 'ner- 

 vules of the £-w, are rufous and the h,-w. white or very 

 rarely flushed with a reddish tinge. Ward received two 

 alleged pairs of the species, stated to have been taken in 

 ■coitu. Of the first pair both i^ and $ were of the red type 

 of coloration and this red ^ is now known to be a some- 

 what rare variety, a figure of which will be found on Plate 

 .9a, in Mabille's volume (Hist. Nat. Mad.). To this pair 

 Ward assigned the original name ranavalona. His second 

 " pair " (subsequently proved to be two ^ ^) he describes 

 :as having the " f.-w. transparent suftused with carmine," 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1912. — PART I. (JULY) F 



