DANAIIT^. 



59 



them. Its flight is remarkably graceful and. leisurely, and on calm days higher 

 than that of Danais Ch7->jstp2^us, though not nearly so extensive in range. It 

 is fond of floating across open spots in the woods, flapping its wings twice or 

 thrice in its course, and then of settling on some projecting twig and remaining 

 for some time motionless, iisually with the wings closed and hanging down- 

 wards. "When in pursuit of a companion, or when itself pursued by the 

 collector, Eclieria displays the power of much more rapid motion. I have 

 noted its appearance throughout the warmer months, viz., from the beginning 

 of October to about the middle of April. 



The typical form figured by Stoll is that which prevails in the Cape 

 Colony and in that part of Kaff'raria Proper which is near the eastern border of 

 the Colony; but I took one specimen at Port Natal in the summer of 1867. 

 The Variety A., with white spots in the fore-wings (first noticed by Boisduval), 

 is, on the contrary, very scarce in the Colony — I only met with one at Knysna — 

 but becomes more frequent on the Bashee River in KafFraria, and is the prevalent 

 form at Natal. Colonel Bowker also met with this variety at Delagoa Bay 

 in 1878.1 



The Variety B. above noted is in colouring much nearer to the type-form, 

 and is remarkable as the only West-African (and indeed the only Tropical) 

 example of Echeria that is known to me. I examined the fine collection made 

 on the West Coast by Lieutenant Bourke of H.M.S. Druid in 1873, ^^*i ^^^ 

 distinctly recollected the capture of this solitary specimen at Fernando Po. 

 Without further material it is impossible to determine whether this specimen 

 represents a characteristic West-African form or is a mere aberration. 



Amauris Echeria is of special interest in relation to the mimicry by other 

 butterflies of which it is the object. It may be said more than even Danais 

 Chrysippus to set the fashion in South Africa. The most accurate imitator 

 is the 5 Papilio Cenea, Stoll, small examples of which it is almost impossible 

 on the wing to distinguish from her model. Almost as good a mimic is Diadema 

 mima, Trim., both sexes very closely resembling the white-spotted variety of 

 Eclieria. The $ Papilio Echerioides, Trim., is also an excellent copy ; while 

 P. Brasidas, Feld. — an unstable species closely allied to P. Leonidas, Fab. — 

 presents some variations which very fairly imitate the favourite pattern. Some 

 examples of the Nymphaline Pseudacnea Tarquiiiia (Trim.), especially the 

 females, also indicate a decided leaning towards the prevalent livery. 



Localities of A. Eclieria. 



I. South Africa. 



B. Cape Colony. 



a. Western Districts. — Knysna. 



h. Eastern Districts. — Grahamstown (Highlands : M. E. Barber). 



D. Kafi"raria Proper — Bashee River (/. H. Bowker). 



E. Natal. 



a. Coast Districts. — D'Urban. Avoca (/. H, Boioker). 

 h. Upper Districts. — Pietermaritzburg {Miss Colenso). 



F. Zululand. — St. Lucia Bay (H. Tower). 



H. Delagoa Bay (/. J. Monteiro, and /. H. Boioker). 



II. Other African Regions. 



A. North Tropical. 



a. Western Coast. — Fernando Po {E. Bourke). 



^ It should be noted that intermediate specimens, viz., with only the spots near costa of 

 fore-wings white, are occasionally captured. 



