ACRzEIN/E, i5i 



A. Horta and A. seretia, but more continuous ; the spots rose-pink in 

 wide black contiguous rings. Median line of under side of abdomen 

 tinged with rose-pink ; two spots of the same colour on median line of 

 back of thorax, and one at base of wings. Head ochreous-yellow. 



Plate I. fig. la. 



This pupa appears to be rounder and blunter anteriorly than that 

 of A. Horta, and is so much more curved that the dorsal outline is 

 strongly convex in a lateral view. 



The above descriptions are made from a coloured drawing executed 

 by the late Dr, Seaman in 1 869, exhibiting a lateral view both of 

 larva and pupa. 



This very handsome and conspicuous Acrma is the Southern and 

 Eastern representative of the abundant and widely-spread A. Zetes 

 (Linn.) of Western Africa, and is readily distinguished by the warm 

 red and ochreous colouring of the fore-wings, which are suffused 

 fuscous-grey in Zetes. 



I only once took this species on the coast of Natal, in the summer of 1867; 

 but it is usvially pretty common there, numerous specimens having been taken 

 near D'Urban by the late Mr. M. J. M'Ken, Colonel Bowker, and others. At 

 Pietermaritzburg, however, at the end of March and beginning of April, I 

 found the butterfly abundant, frequenting flowers in most gardens, and as easy 

 of capture as A. Horta. 



The late Dr. Seaman and Colonel Bowker alike reported the larvae as doing 

 much damage to passion-floAvers in I^atal ; but I have not heard what is their 

 native food-plant. 



As I have recorded in the Transadioiis of the Linnean Society (vol. xxvi. 

 pp. 517 and 518), A. Acara is the subject of close mimicry by a member of 

 the NymphaliiKe, described by Mr. A. G. Butler as Pseudacraa Trwienii. In 

 this very interesting case each sex of the Acrcea is distinctly copied by the 

 corresponding sex of the Pseudacrcea, The latter haunts the same localities as 

 A. Acara, but is a rare insect. 



Localities of Acrcea Acara. 



I. South Africa, 

 E. Natal, 



a. Coast Districts. — D'Urban. 



h. Upper Districts. — Pietermaritzburg. 

 H. Delagoa Bay. — Lorenzo Marques [J. J. Monteiro). 

 K. Transvaal. — Potchefstroom and Lydenburg Districts {T, Ayres), 



II. Other African Eegions. 



A. South Tropical. 



hi. Interior. — "Victoria Nyanza {Rev. J. Hannington)." — A. G. 

 Butler. 



B. North Tropical. 



b. Eastern Coast.—" Tongu (^1. i^a/ray)."— Oberthiir. 

 1)1. Interior. — "White Nile." — Hewitson. 



VOL. 1. L 



