304 SOUTH- AFEIC AN" BUTTEEFLTES. 



of the tliorax above referred to, has the colouring more diversified, 

 with a good deal of red on the upper side, and the body most con- 

 spicuously spotted with large white or whitish spots. Two of these, 

 ^. Euspina (Hewits.), and (in a less degree) the allied E. Mens (Drury), 

 are indeed distinctly imitative of the slow-flying conspicuous Lithosiid 

 Moth, Aletis Helcita (Linn.), in which the wings are brick-red with broad 

 black white-spotted borders. 



The genus is essentially Tropical African, and does not seem to 

 have any representatives in Madagascar. About thirty-three species 

 are recorded, many of which are so closely allied as to be very difficult 

 to distinguish satisfactorily. I have not seen any recent mention of the 

 habits of these butterflies ; but a century ago Smeathman (as recorded 

 by Drury, op. cit.) noted that they frequented the gloomiest shades of the 

 West- African woods, often congregating about a puddle or moist spot. 

 Only one species, the East-African E. Neophron (Hopffer), enters South 

 Africa proper, occurring at Delagoa Bay ; it is easily recognised by its 

 general bluish-green upper side, and by the width and brightness of the 

 oblique yellow bar crossing the apical black of the fore-wings. 



99. (1.) EupliEedra Neophron, (Hopffer). 



RomaUosoma Neophron, Hopff., Monatsb. K. Akad. Wiss. Berl., 1855, 

 p. 640, n. 9 ; and Peters' Reise n. Mossamb., Ins., p. 386, t. xxii. 

 If. I, 2 [?], (1862). 



$ liomalceosoma Zamhesia, Eekl, Reise d. Novara, Lep., iii. p. 430, n. 687 

 (1867). 



Exp. al, 2 in. 6-1 i Hn. 



^ Dull Uuish-grcen ; apical half of fore-wing hlaclc, crossed hy a 

 hroad har of ochre-yellow. Fore-ioing : two small round black spots 

 about middle of discoidal cell, of which the lower spot is a little 

 beyond the upper one ; subapical oblique ochre-yellow bar extending 

 from costa to hind-margin, its outer edge ainuated, its inner edge 

 irregularly dentated ; at apex a good-sized ochre-yellow spot. Hind- 

 wing : all dull bluish-green, except near margins, which are rather 

 narrowly bordered with brownish-grey, ill-defined on the inner edge. 

 Under side. — Pale dull greyish-green, with a, slight violaceous gloss, and a 

 tinge of ochrc-ydlow over areas beyond middle. Fore-wing : two spots in 

 cell not so distinct ; subapical bar and apical spot represented only 

 by ill-defined dingy ochrey- whitish ; traces of a submarginal row of 

 imperfect whitish rings. Hind-wing : a small round black spot in 

 discoidal cell, close to bifiurcation of subcostal nervure ; an indistinct 

 central paler fascia ; traces of a submarginal row of imperfect whitish 

 rings, as in fore-wing. 



^ Similar to ^. Under side. — Darker, violaceous gloss more 

 apparent ; all the marJcings much more distinct, tvhitish, viz., in fore- 



