274 Mr. J. P. M. Weale on the variation of 



of C. Keiskamma. The larva, when first hatched, is of 

 a bright-orange colour, and penetrates the bud, where it 

 passes its first stage. It afterwards assumes a dull bluish- 

 green colour with lateral stripes of a paler colour, these 

 assimilate it to the pellucid margins of the small leaves of 

 the plant, Avhose general colour it resembles. The younger 

 caterpillars of Eronia Cleodora closely resemble the 

 mature larva of C KeisTiamma, but are more brightly 

 coloured in harmony with the foliage of Cap-paris Zeyheri, 

 one of its food plants. Most of my larvas of Keiskamma 

 were procured by beating, as it was most difficult to detect 

 them on the shrub. In raising chrysalids I was particu- 

 larly struck by the variations of their colour under different 

 conditions. These variations were not, however, followed 

 by any marked differences in the colour and form of the 

 imagines. 



About this time I regret to say that I gave away most 

 of my specimens of this species to a Mr. Bailey, of Port 

 Elizabeth, un^er the impression that I could at any time 

 replace them, and being engaged in some other work I 

 neglected to collect this species until the end of 1876. 

 To my great surprise I found every insect captured on the 

 bush proved to be not C. Keiskamma but C. Evarne^ 

 which I had also not noted in the neighbourhood before. 

 Owing to the dryness of the season, these, however, were 

 scarce, and it was some time before I had an opportunity 

 of watching the ? s laying their eggs or of collecting the 

 larvEe. By daily watching the bush, I had before leaving 

 in April last succeeded in collecting several, which were 

 exactly similar to the larvse obtained in the previous 

 autumn. I also saw the ? Evarne laying her eggs in pre- 

 cisely the same manner as did the $ Keiskamma. The 

 eggs in like manner did not differ ; and not merely were 

 the pupEe the same in shape and markings, but they pre- 

 sented the same liability to vary in colour as did those of 

 C. Keiskamma. 



Up to the end of April last I never saw another specimen 

 of C. Keiskamma, although the specimens of Evarne 

 round the bush in question were numerous. I think this 

 a most curious case, because, although the two insects 

 closely resemble each other, the difierences relate not 

 merely to the colour of both wings on both surfaces and in 

 both sexes, but also to form. 



Considering how closely many of the so-called species 

 of this group resemble each other, and how e3!,tremely 



