146 Mr. H. H. Diuce 07i some African Butterflies 



He-witson states that the type is a male, but his figure has 

 much the appearanee of a female, and a specimen in the 

 Hewitson Collection labelled moesa is almost certainly a 

 female, and seems allied to that sex of A. iulus. The speci- 

 men in the British Museum is in very poor condition. 



Argiolaus alcibiades. 



lolaus alcibiades, Kii-by, Syn. Cat. p. 409 (1871). 



Papilio Union, Don. (nee Fabr.), Nat. Eep. iii. t. xcvii. (1825). 



llab. Sierra Leone : Mus. Druce. Lagos (^Sir A. Mo- 

 loney) . West Coast : Mus. G. & S. 



It is with considerable doubt that I refer the specimens 

 before me to this species. Two females, one labelled \Yest 

 Coast of Africa, in Messrs. Godman and Salvin's collection, 

 and one lately brought home by Sir Alfred Moloney from 

 Lagos, which undoubtedly represent the same species, agree 

 well with Donovan's figure on the underside, but on the 

 upperside the blue is much paler, and they have the usual 

 orange spot on the lobe, which is not shown in the figure ; 

 the blue also on the hind wing does not reach below the 

 black spots as shown in the figure. In two males which are 

 undoubtedly referable to the females noted above the lobe 

 only is orange-red, the shiny patches are greenish brown and 

 large, and on the underside the red bands on both wings have 

 alm.ost entirely disappeared, leaving only the faint black line 

 and the prominent orange spots near the anal angle of hind 

 wing. 



It will be noted that no trace of any shining patch is 

 shown in Donovan's figure. 



The hairs attached to underside of inner margin of primaries 

 are black. 



Argiolaus paiieperata. 



lolaus paneperata, H. II. Uiuco, Ann. & Ma<r. Nat. Hist. ser. G, vol. v. 

 p. 30 (1890). 



Hah. Lagos [Sir A. Moloney) : Mus. Druce. 



A distinct species^ somewhat like A. silas, Hew., on the 

 upperside, but very different beneath. The patch of hairs on 

 fore wing below is black in this species, yellow in A. silas. 



Argiolaus laon. 

 Diuru. Lep., Supp. 



Ilab. Sierra Leuue : Mus. Druce. Gold Coast. 



lolaus Umi, How. 111. Diuru. Lep., Supp. p. 28, pi. iv. a. figs. 46, 4" 

 (1878). 



