294 LIEUT.-COL. J. M. EAWCETT ON THE 



proceeded to devour the pupae, although there was plenty of the food-plant in the box. 

 This is the only species in which I have noticed this carnivorous habit. I have not 

 obtained this species in the coast districts. 



3. Acr^ea PETR.-EA (Boisduval). (Plate XLVI. fig. 1, larva; figs. 2, 3, pupa.) 



Larva. Ground-colour pale golden brown, with a dorsal and lateral black lines, and 

 a black transverse line on each segment bearing two largish white spots and six long 

 branched black spines, those on 3rd, 4th, and 5th segments being longer than the 

 remainder. Head large proportionately to body, black with a white bifid mark on 

 front. Thoracic legs and claspers yellowish. The young larvae reared were all blackish 

 in colour, and fed in companies on Oncol/a kraussiana (Planch.). 



Pupa appears to be dichromatic, some being pale brown and others ferruginous ; 

 in both forms the fine black lines and spots peculiar to Acrcea pupae are much reduced. 

 The pupal stage lasted 15 days in January. 



The imago is common in the Durban and Maritzburg districts. 



4. Acrcea encedon (Linnaeus) = A. lycia (Fabricius). (Plate XLVI. figs. 4, 5, 

 larva ; fig. 6, pupa.) 



Larva. Slaty black, with a yellow lateral line above prolegs and claspers. On each 

 segment three deep black fine transverse lines enclosing two white patches dorsally and 

 two yellow patches laterally. On the centre black line of each segment are placed six 

 black spines (branched). Head, thoracic legs, and claspers black. 



Pupa waxy white, with the usual fine black lines on the wing-covers and black spots 

 with orange centres on the abdominal segments. 



The larva figured was not fully grown. It became one-fifth longer and propor- 

 tionately thicker before changing into a pupa. 



It feeds on a species of Commelina, a common weed in gardens at Maritzburg. 



The imago is one of the commonest butterflies in Durban, both on the Berea and 

 in the Back Beach Bush ; but is not so often seen in Maritzburg. 



5. Acr.ea rahira (Boisduval). (Plate XLVI. fig. 7, larva; figs. 8, 9, pupa.) 



Larva. Back and sides blackish ; thoracic legs, claspers, and a line above them 

 chrome-yellow. A dorsal white stripe, and on each segment four yellow spots from 

 which spring four branched yellow spines, the lower pair springing from the yellow 

 spiracular line. These spines are shorter than in the majority of Acriea larvae. Head 

 yellow. 



Feeds on a species of groundsel, Eriqeron canadense (Linnaeus). 



