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XL On Certain Forms of the Genus Acraea. A reply to 

 M. Ch. Oberthiir. By H. Eltringham, M.A., D.Sc, 

 F.Z.S. 



[Read June 7th, 1916.] 



Plate LXXIV. 



In M. Charles Oberthiir's Etudes de Lepidopterologie 

 Comparee," Fasc. xi, 1916, appears a study of Madagascan 

 Lepidoptera, largely dealing with species of the genus 

 Acraea. M. Oberthiir states that after reading with great 

 pleasure my monograph of the African species of the 

 genus Acraea he has been moved to endeavour to complete 

 some of the details and dispute some of my conclusions. 



I would say at the outset that any criticism of my work 

 is welcomed by no one more than by myself. M. Oberthiir 

 (p. 133, I.e.) says, " Un meme sentiment nous anime, M. 

 le Professeur Houlbert et moi meme ; la recherche de la 

 verite." All true scientific workers are animated by this 

 sentiment, and if I feel it necessary to criticise to some 

 extent Professor Houlbert's conclusions, he will, I am sure, 

 consider my remarks in the same friendly spirit in which 

 they are made, and as our countries are allied in the sup- 

 pression of a barbarous race, so, in a more peaceful sphere, 

 our scientists are allied in the search after truth. 



First, then, as to the structure of the male armature in 

 Acraea, Professor Houlbert suggests that in this genus occur 

 the most complicated organs to be found in the Lepido- 

 ptera. The point is not of great importance, but I would 

 ask him to examine, merely as a relaxation, the armatures 

 of, say, Hypolimnas monteironis, some of the Lycaenidae, 

 and Plate I in " The Genitalia of the Noctuidae" (F. N. 

 Pierce, Liverpool, 1909). 



Professor Houlbert next questions my contention that 

 Mabille's effort to classify the genus Acraea on the structure 

 of the armature is of little value. I stated at the time that 

 Mabille's view seemed " based on an inadequate study of 

 these structures." I see no reason to modify that state- 

 ment now, and would only add that had Professor Houlbert 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1916. — PART II. (DEC.) 



