African Species of the Genus Acraea. 181 



large spot in cell above origin of 2, a spot on upper part of 

 discocellulars. A discal row of five, the first four (in 10, 6, 5, 

 and 4) nearly in a straight line and confluent, the fifth smaller 

 and separate. A spot in 2 near median, beneath it and rather 

 nearer margin a spot in lb, and a second in the same area near 

 the base. H.-w. with a slight blackish brown suffusion, and a 

 black sharply defined marginal border with faint indications of 

 paler internervular markings. Spots small and as on underside. 

 Fringes rather conspicuously whitish. 



Underside, f.-w. with one or two subbasal costal spots. 

 Ground-colour paler than above. Apical area ochreous with 

 orange internervular marks. Other markings as on upper- 

 side but marginal black narrower. H.-w. pale ochreous with 

 rose pink internervular marks. Hind margin border formed by 

 moderately heavy black arches and a very narrow black 

 marginal line enclosing greenish ochreous internervular spots. 

 Black spots as follows : — A discal row of eight, the first three in 

 7, 6, and 5 each nearer margin than the last (the third often 

 absent in dry season specimens), the fourth in a line with the 

 second at right angles to the costa, the fifth in 3, about midway 

 between end of cell and marginal border, the sixth in 2 near 

 median, the seventh and eighth in Ic and lb. Of the last three 

 that in Ic is rather nearer margin than the others. A spot in 8 

 near precostal, a subbasal in 7, one spot (very rarely two) in 

 cell, one on middle discocellular, one in Ic, lb, and la all in a 

 straight line, and a basal spot in la. 



Head black with brown tufts between eyes and on collar, 

 thorax black with a few brown hairs, basal half of abdomen 

 black with orange lateral spots, remainder orange. 



"Wet season form. Ground-colour more yellowish, spots larger, 

 basal suffusion broader, apical and marginal black broader in 

 both wings. F.-w. internervular rays blacker. 



$. Expanse 48-52 mm. Dry season form very like ^ but 

 ground-colour of f.-w. more dusky. Abdomen black above with 

 yellowish lateral spots. Wet senson form, also like ^ but ground- 

 colour dull ochreous to pale sepia. Just beyond f.-w. discal 

 spots is an indication of a whitish subapical patch. 



Though quite a distinct species, A. axina closely 

 resembles a small specimen of A. oncaea. It may be 

 distinguished from the latter by the absence of sub- 

 marginal spots in lb and 2 in f-w., by its consistently 

 much smaller size, and by the usually sharply defiued 

 black border in the h.-w. 



