562 New Forms of African Lepidoptera 



Brahmeidae. 

 35. Brahmaea barnsi sp. nov. 



Figured in Barns' " Across the Great Craterland to the Congo," 

 pi. lxxx, fig. 5, 1923. 



Allied to metadata Conte, from Usambara, " Lab. d'Etude de la 

 Soie," fasc. vii, p. 80, pi. xiii, fig. 3 (1911). 



$ . Differs chiefly in the absence of any white markings, in the 

 outer discal line of fore wing not touching the first postdiscal line, and 

 the unmarked black basal half of hind wing. 



Upperside of fore wing with the lines in the basal half less strongly 

 rounded outwards than in maculata, the outer one at its farthest distant 

 point below vein 2, leaving a space of about 5 mm. between it and the 

 outer line of the distal area. A russet streak along the submedian fold, 

 more strongly marked between the inner basal line and the outer discal 

 line. Three large black spots defined by a russet edging at the bases of 

 cellules 4-6, the one in 4 not so large as in maculata, with a rounded 

 inner edge and distally pointed, the one in 5 larger than in maculata 

 but shaped as the preceding, the one in 6 larger than the others and 

 oval-shaped, a small and elongate spot is placed at the base of 7. Black 

 apical spot as in maculata and similar submarginal spots, though they 

 are much more rounded than in maculata. 



Hind wing with four narrow postdiscal bands pale russet, and 

 divided by thin waved lines of ground-colour, succeeded by the usual 

 pale waved lines filling the distal area. Submarginal somewhat ovate 

 spots, their inner edges pale-brown, outer edges dark-olive and separated 

 from the narrow dark-olive margin by a thin black line incurved at 

 the veins. 



Underside as above, but the markings on the basal half of fore wing 

 less distinct. Inner margin of fore wing pale-brown along its basal 

 half. Hind wing with inner margin edged with greyish-white for a 

 short distance near the base. 



Head, thorax and abdomen black. Head with vertex pale-ochreous, 

 tegulae and patagia more or less edged with brown. Antennae ochreous, 

 palpi dark chocolate-brown, fore and mid legs paler brown, hind legs 

 darker brown, fringe of the mid and hind tibiae pale-ochreous. Pectus 

 black. Abdomen with a pale-brown dorsal line, and a pale-ochreous or 

 brown lateral line, and a similar subventral line, a small rufous anal tuft. 



Length of fore wing : 71 mm. 



Habitat. — Ruanda district, Lake Kivu, Eugege Forest, 7,000- 

 8,000 feet, December, 1921, three $ $ ,T. A. Barns. 



