114 DR. A. G. BUTLER ON BUTTERFLIES [Jan. 14, 



No two examples of this species are absolutely alike, and thus 

 the unfortunate creature has received the following names since 

 Mr. Godman first made it known : M. Oberthiir calls it A. pro- 

 teina, flavescens, semifulvescens, fulvescens, and semialbescens ; Herr 

 Eogeuhofer calls it A. telekiana, confusa, and fallax ; and Herr 

 Karsch denominates it A. octobalia \ the species thus has ten 

 names ; it divides itself very vaguely into four varieties, as 

 follows : 



1. A.johnstoni, in which the sexes differ greatly; the typical 

 male is described by M. Oberthiir as A. semifulvescens, and the 

 typical female as A. proteina. 



2. A. fulvescens, Oberth. =-4. telekiana, Eghfr. 



3. A. semialbescens, Oberth. 



4. A.flavescens (if a male)= A Jcilimandjara, Oberth. = A. confusa 

 and A. fallax, Eghfr., and A. octobalia, Karsch. 



In the last-mentioned form both sexes have adopted the female 

 dress ; but the male sometimes has the spots on the primaries 

 yellowish. 



Acrcea is a very variable genus, and it has been the custom of 

 lepidopterists to regard all the different phases of each species as 

 distinct ; the genus, when properly studied, reduces itself to about 

 a third of its supposed magnitude. The triangular black apical 

 patch, which has been made to serve as a specific character in 

 several instances, is of no value whatever, being a purely indi- 

 vidual characteristic dependent on presence or absence of moisture. 



28. ACRCEA CABIRA. 



Acrcea cabira, Hopffer, Ber. Yerh. Akad. Berlin, 1855, p. 640 ; 

 Peters' Eeise n. Mossamb. p. 378, pi. 23. figs. 14, 15 (1862). 



3 <$ , Chifumya, Lower Nyika, 20th April ; $ , Munchewi E., 

 Lower Nyika, April 8th, 1895. 



" Yellow and black Fritillary. $> full of orange-coloured ova " 

 (R. O.}. 



29. ACR^lA. YINIDIA. 



Acrcea vinidia, Hewitson, Eut. Month. Mag. xi. p. 130 (1874) ; 

 Exot. Butt. v. Acr. pi. 7. figs. 45, 46 (1875). 



Yar. Acrcea acerata, Hewitson, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, 

 vol.xiii. p. 381 (1874) ; Exot. Butt. v. Acr. pi. 7. fig. 44 (1875). 



Albino: Acrcea tenella, Eogenhofer, Ann. Hof. Mus. Wien 

 (1891). 



Acrcea abbotii, Holland, Entomologist, Suppl. xxv. (1892). 

 $ , Ngerenge, W. coast of Lake Nyasa, Feb. 27th, 1895. 



" Pale orange and black Eritillary " (E. <?.). 



This species, like most of the Acrcece, is very variable, and 

 especially in the female sex ; the present example is straw-yellow, 

 with the normal black border, subapical bar, and basal marking ; 

 it may therefore stand as the female of the albino form A. tentlla, 

 a male example of which we have from Kilima-njaro. 

 [8] 



