2 20 SOUTH- AFEICAN BUTTEEFLIES. 



(These characters of larva and pupa are given from the skins 

 of those of P. Odavia, Oram. ; and Oaptain Harford's description of 

 the larva of P. Sesamus, Trim., agrees with what is noted of that 

 state.) 



It is very doubtful whether Precis is really separable from Junonia, 

 some of the few distinctive characters of the imago above given being 

 rather inconstant. The species referred to it have, however, a common 

 and very characteristic fades, the usual pattern of the upper side con- 

 sisting of a rufous or fulvous common discal band, marked with a continu- 

 ous series of more or less incomplete ocellated spots, on a dark-brown 

 field, while on the under side the basal half is varied with transverse 

 irregular streaks, and the line of the inner edge of the common discal 

 band prominently defined by a strong dark streak, bounded internally 

 or externally by one lighter than the ground-colour. In P. Octavia 

 (Oram.) and P. Cloantha (Oram.) the red and fulvous-ochreous respec- 

 tively occupy nearly all the field of the upper side ; while in P. Sesamus 

 (Trim.) pale-blue occupies as large an area, leaving only a narrow 

 irregular bi'ick-red discal band. In the Indian P. Hcdonia (Linn.) 

 and allies the discal band is very inconspicuous, but the ocellated spots 

 are very well developed. The latter character is also prominent in 

 the African P. Cloantha, a species whose robust body and thick hairy 

 wings remind one of Vanessa, and, with its thick, short, and very 

 gradually clavate antennae, make it rather an aberrant member of 

 the genus. 



Precis is a specially African group, twenty-five of the thirty-four 

 recorded species being peculiar to the Ethiopian region. The remainder 

 consist of six Oriental and three Austro-Malayan and Australian species. 

 Of the twelve species known to inhabit South Africa, only two appear 

 to be peculiar to the country, viz., P. Simia, Wallengr., and P. Tugela, 

 Trim. ; four are not known to occur north of the Equator, and the re- 

 maining six range through the greater part of the region. 



All the South- African species occur in Natal, where the only rarities 

 are P. Sophia (Fab.), P. Simia, Wallengr., and P. Tugela, Trim. Six 

 of them inhabit Kaffraria Proper, and of these four — Cloantha, Sesamns, 

 Archcsia, and Pelasgis — extend into the eastern districts of the Oape 

 Oolony. The George and Knysna districts seem to be the south- 

 western limit of the genus, only Cloantha and Archcsia being known to 

 me to range so far. 



I have seen all the South- African forms on the wing except Sophia 

 and Simia. They are bold and active butterflies, with the habits of 

 Vanessa and Pyra^ncis, and, with the exception of Elgiva and Tugela, 

 seem to prefer open ground, especially the summits and ridges of rocky 

 hills, about which they hover, chasing each other, and frequently settling 

 on stones or on the ground. 



