480 Mr. A. G. Butler on a Collection of 



XL VIII. — On a Collection of Lepidoptera recently received 

 from Ahyssinia. By ARTHUR G. BuTLER, F.L.S., F.Z.S., 

 &c. 



I HAVE recently had the pleasure of examining a large collec- 

 tion of insects (chiefly Lepidoptera) from Atbara (Abyssinia), 

 and have been interested to see how many of the species are 

 identical with those of Natal. 



There seems to be no Papilio at Atbara ; but the two species 

 of Charaxes, C. epijasius and C. jocaste^ appear to be ex- 

 tremely common. 



The following are among the butterflies which have been 

 examined. 



NjrmplialidaB. 

 Danain^j Bates. 

 Danais dorippns^ Klug. 

 There were several examples of this interesting species and 

 of its mimic, Diadema misippus, in the collection. 



Satybin^j Bates. 

 Melanitis ismene, Cramer. 



This species occurs in three gradational varieties, but all of 

 them with the same coloration above. 



Mycalesis desolata^ n. sp. 



Wings above olive-brown, with a narrow pale margin inter- 

 sected by a black line ; two blind blackish spots on the disk, 

 the lower one largest and situated on the first median inter- 

 space. Wings below greyish, tinted with pink ; external half 

 slightly paler; two central slightly irregular dark brown trans- 

 verse lines, the inner one arcuate, the outer one with a narrow 

 whitish external border ; outer border lilacine greyish 5 two 

 submarginal sinuated dark brown lines ; two dark brown lines 

 close to the margin ; fringe dark brown : primaries with three 

 dark brown abbreviated lines across the cell ; with five 

 inconspicuous ocelli upon a dusky nebula, the second and 

 fifth largest, black, with testaceous irides, white pupils, and 

 broad lilacine grey zones : secondaries with seven incon- 

 spicuous ocelli, the first and fifth largest, the first separated 

 from the series, all black, with white pupils, testaceous irides, 

 and broad lilacine grey zones : body below grey. Expanse 

 ot wings 2 inches 1-3 lines. 



