1900.] from british east africa. 921 



30. Neptis marpessa. 



Neptis marpessa, Hopffer, Mon. k. Ak. Wiss. Berl. 1855, p. 640; 

 Reise n. Mossamb., Ins. p. 383, pi. xxiv. figs. 9, 10 (1862). 



3 3 , Nairobi forest, March 20 ; Euarka River, 5500 feet, 

 April 15 & 27, 1900. 



The first specimen obtained was much faded, and Mr. Crawshay 

 thought he detected embryo ova in the abdomen ; it, however, 

 possesses the front legs and prehensores of a male, together with 

 the curved inner margin of primaries and pale sericeous costa of 

 secondaries characteristic of this sex. 



31. Neptidopsis ophione. 



Papilio ophione, Cramer, Pap. Exot. ii. p. 27, pi. cxiv. E, E 

 (1777). 



Euarka Elver, April 25, 1900. 



" By no means common ; perhaps I have seen altogether three 

 to-day." (i2. C.) 



32. EURTTELA HIARBAS. 



Papilio hiarbas, Drury, 111. Exot. Ent. hi. p. 17, pi. 14. tigs. 1, 2 

 (1782). 



2 , Nairobi forest, Kikuyu Escarpment, March 9, 3 18 & 20 ; 

 6 $ , Euarka Eiver, April" 25 & 27, 1900. 



" This is an insect I recollect seeing when accompanying the 

 expedition to recover poor Capt. Harland's remains in May 189S. 

 On the wing the combination of black and white lead one to 

 think the specimen is blue, not white. 



" An insect calculated to wear out the patience of anyone : it 

 will dart round and over a clump of bush for twenty minutes or 

 half an hour without restiug, and then go off, as a rule, without 

 having given one a chance to effect its capture after waiting and 

 watching its gyrations in fear and trembling all that time." 

 (i*. C) 



Of the third example taken Mr. Crawshay writes : — " At last 

 a perfect specimen of this lovely but difficult butterfly to take. 

 By great good luck netted on the wing when skimming along 

 past me so fast that I could hardly follow it with my eyes." 



In six of the eight specimens captured by Mr. Crawshay the 

 band on the primaries is narrower than in any of our Southern 

 examples ; but one damaged example (the first taken) has the 

 white band of both wings nearly as wide as in Western examples; 

 E. angustata, therefore, can only be regarded as a variety, not 

 a strictly local form. 



33. ECRTTELA DRYOPE. 



Papilio dryope, Cramer, Pap. Exot. i. p. 125, pi. lxxviii. E, F 

 (1775). 



d (J, Nairobi forest, March 20, 19U0. 

 " Fairly common, but always gyrating and skimming closely 



