136 SOUTH-AFEICAN BUTTEEFLIES. 



thorax not ridged, rather blunt and rounded ; abdomen considerably 

 elongate, curved inwardly towards its extremity. Pale-creamy, with a 

 tinge of ochrcoits : wing-covers streaked with black alo7ig the positions 

 of the nervurcs ; two curved black streaks from eyes to angles at bases 

 of wings ; two black, short, longitudinal streaks on back of thorax ; a 

 transverse black streak at junction of thorax and abdomen ; on each 

 side of the back, a row of large, united, black, ochre-yellow-centred 

 spots ; each row united by thin, black lines to a row of similar spots 

 below it, on side of abdomen ; a shorter row of similar, more contiguous 

 spots along middle of under side of abdomen. 



Attached to stems and leaves of plants, palings, walls, &c. The silk to 

 which the tail is attached often covers an area of an inch in diameter. The 

 butterfly emerged, in most instances, eight or nine days after the disclosure of 

 the pupa. 



A common and abundant species throughout South Africa. In fields and 

 gardens in and about Cape Town these butterflies are particularly plentiful ; 

 they can be taken all the year round, but are less numerous in May and June 

 than at other times. Throughout the summer they are quite a feature of the 

 locaHty, their deep-red colour and slow flight rendering them very conspicuous 

 objects ; while their spiny larvee and remarkably handsome pendant pupae are 

 everywhere noticeable on gates, truuks of trees, and walls. The larvae often 

 occasion much damage to passion-flowers in gardens, as I have seen both in 

 Cape Town and Grahamstown. In the latter locality, Mrs. Atherstone was 

 much concerned to find that the fowls would not eat these destructive cater- 

 pillars Avhen collected for them by the gardener; but this was not to be 

 wondered at, as the larvee^ in addition to their prickly skins, have a strong and 

 disagreeable odour, more perceptible than in the pupa, or even in the butterfly. 

 The pupa, however, is probably a distasteful morsel, as it is peculiarly con- 

 spicuous wherever attached. 



It is rather surprising that so prevalent and widely-ranging an Acrcea as this 

 should, as far as is known, be attended by no mimicker.^ 



I have frequently captured the paired sexes of A. Horta. In one instance, 

 which I carefully noted at the time, the ^ rested on the ground with expanded 

 wings, and the $ rested on the 9 with his wings also flatly extended. In this 

 position (which was maintained) the heads of the two were held in the same 

 direction, and the extremity of the $ abdomen was twisted sideways, as in the 

 union of the saltatorial Orthoptera. 



Localities of Acrxa. Horta. 



I. South Africa. 

 B. Cape Colony. 



a. Western Districts. — Cape Town. Caledon (Genadendal : G. 

 Hettarsch). Robertson. Swellendam [L. Taats). Oudtslioorn 

 ( — Adams). Knysna {Miss Rex), 

 h. Eastern Districts. — -Uitenhage (aS^. D. Bairstoiv). Grahamstown. 

 King William's Town {W. S. M. U Urban). Queenstown, 

 Windvogelberg {Dr. Bathu). 

 d. Basutoland (/. H. Boivker). 



^ Mr. A. G. Butler has recently (August 1884) suggested that the variety of Pseudacrcea 

 Trimenii, Butl., which he has named P. Colvillei, is probably modified in imitation of A. 

 Horta, to which it bears considerable resemblance. 



