498 Mr. G. A. K. Marshall 07i 



Acrseas. Although unlike any single species of Acrma, the 

 likeness to this group and unlikeness to the Lycxnidiv- was 

 sufficient to deceive Boisduval and at first Roland Trimen 

 (Rhop. Afr. Austr, 1862-66, p. 111). In the Hope Col- 

 lection also I found it had been placed among the Acrseas 

 by Professor Westwood. Its undoubted Lycainid affinities 

 were finally established by Roland Trimen ("South African 

 Butterflies," vol. ii, 1887, p. 222). 



The above-mentioned errors as to the affinity of this 

 aberrant Lyc^nid certainly support the opinion that it 

 bears a general resemblance to the Acnvime. It would bo 

 interestiuix to know its resting: habits. With the under- 

 side exposed and the long narrow wings it would probably 

 bear some general likeness to a very small Acrma. Mr. 

 Marshall wrote concerning it as follows : — 



" fJmliomaas Moutli, Natal ; Sept. 8, 1897. — Ahvna ama- 

 zoida is certainly a protected species, but I do not think it 

 is in any way convergent towards the Acrgeas, for it is in no 

 way suggestive of them on the wing, being by no means 

 conspicuous, but ra.ther difficult to follow. Its length of 

 wing has been attributed to relationship with Acraia, but 

 this seems open to doubt. I should prefer to consider it 

 as a parallel development to Ac/wa, though it is worth 

 notinoj that the allied oenus Lachnocncma has also some- 

 what elongate wings." 



" Malvern, Oct. 7, 1897. — The day-flying moths [Fetovia 

 dichroaria] captured on the same day as Alsena amazotda 

 can, I think, be well regarded as convergent in coloration." 



J. Mimicry m Lycs&nidsn and to a less extent in Heqjcridc'B 

 a Character of the Ethiopian Region. Possible Inter- 

 pretation. 



The instances of mimicry in South African LycBsnidas 

 recorded here, and the much larger number known in 

 other parts of the region, especially the tropical West 

 Coast, led me to inquire how the total number of species 

 of this family compared with that of other parts of the 

 world. My friend Mr. Hamilton Druce kindly made an 

 ajDproximate calculation of the number of described species 

 in the two other great tropical south-extending land 

 masses. From Australia, the J\Ialay Archipelago, and the 

 continental portion of the Oriental Region, over 1000 

 species have been described. From the Neotropical Region 



