NYMPHALIXyE. 229 



71. (6.) Precis Octavia, (Cramer). 



Papilio Octavia, Cram., Pap. Exot., ii. t. cxxxv. flf. B, c (1779). 

 Vanessa Octavia, Godt., Enc. Meth., ix. p. 322, n. 60 (1819). 

 ,, ,, Angas, Kafirs. Illustr., pi. xxx. f. 8 (1849). 



Precis Octavia, Hiibn., Verz. Bek. Schmett., p. 33, n. 274 (1826). 

 Junonia Octavia, Trim., Ehop. Afr. Aust., i. p. 130, n. 77 (1862). 



Hxp. al., 2 in. 2 lin. — 2 in. 8 lin. 



Sahaon-redj inclining to hrick-red, ivitli Hack hordcrs and spots. 

 Fore-wing : base rather broadly blackish, especially on inner margin, 

 where it extends as far as middle ; costa bordered with black, nar- 

 rowest about middle, becoming broad and suffused before apex ; a 

 broad, black, transverse stria in discoidal cell unites costal and inner- 

 marginal black, leaving a spot of ground-colour between it and base ; 

 a similar, more waved, rather narrower streak occupies extremity of 

 discoidal cell ; a moderately- broad black border along hind-margin, 

 containing two rows of small bluish lunules, the outer row generally 

 ill defined, the inner almost always distinct ; immediately beneath, and 

 united to, apical black is the first of a discal row of six round black 

 spots, between nervules, from fifth subcostal nervule to submedian ner- 

 vure ; fringe black, conspicuously spotted with white. Mind-wing : 

 disc with a pink gloss ; base broadly blackish, extending in a broad 

 band to middle of costa, where it ends abruptly, immediately below the 

 termination of the inner-marginal black in fore-iving, occupying inner 

 half of discoidal cell, and extending, rather suffusedly, to about middle, 

 between first median nervule and submedian nervure ; a black streak, 

 sometimes united to costal black, at extremity of cell ; along hind- 

 margin, a black border similar to that in fore- wing, but broader, — its 

 two rows of bluish lunules usually more distinct than in fore-wing ; 

 an irregular transverse discal row of six round black spots, continuous 

 of that in fore-wing, extending from costa to first median nervule ; 

 towards inner margin is a clothing of silky ochreous hairs ; fringe as 

 in fore-wing. Under side. — Much paler, more creamy in tint, shot 

 with glistening pink ; black markings very similar to those of upper 

 side. Fore-iving : a tinge of pale-yellow on costa, particularly near 

 apex, where there is no broad blackish suffusion, but sometimes a faint 

 fuscous cloud; the row of spots parallel to hind-margin commencing 

 distinctly from costa, the first spot increasing the number to seven ; 

 double row of bluish lunules more conspicuous than on itpper side, 

 whiter. Hind-wing : basal black containing four rather large, very con- 

 spicuous spots of the ground-colour, and dusted with blue scales, which 

 form a transverse streak between costal and subcostal nervures near 

 extremity of black; whitish-bluish lunules in hind-marginal border 

 large and very conspicuous ; row of black spots as on upper side ; 

 inner-marginal region stained with oclire-yelloio. 



The sexes do not differ except in the larger size and broader, more 

 rounded hind- wing of the ^. 



