Aspects of Butterfly Life 



in the excrement of animals. The life and feeding habits of many of 

 these beautiful butterflies is quite contrary to the popular idea which 

 associates them with flowers and bright sunlight. 



The different types of country traversed by the expedition exhibit 

 different types of butterfly fauna. The Lufira Valley is very rich in 

 species. Here one finds ail types of butterflies ranging from the west 

 coast, the Caraeroons, Angola, the Congo Forest, East and South 

 Africa. Though many of these remain unchanged, others are to be 

 distinguished as races or as species whose further distribution is not 

 fully known. Four butterflies and ten moths were new to science 

 from this district. These include a very fine species of Agaristid moth 

 which we have named Mitophrys barnsi. 



The district around AlbertviUe produces dry country forms of 

 East and South African types. Four butterflies are described as new 

 from here. 



The Ujiji, Ruanda, and Ruindi districts are mostly grassy 

 steppes supporting South and East African elements. Two butterflies 

 and thirteen moths are described as new from this region. The grassy 

 steppes were found to be the habitat of a form of the English " Small 

 Copper " (Chrysophanus phlaeas pseudophlaeas Luc), scarcely dis- 

 tinguishable from our own. There also occurred more commonly 

 the " Short-tailed Blue " [Polyomtnatus boetica L.), formerly found in 

 England but occuring in Jersey and distributed to Polynesia. It 

 occurs in suitable localities throughout Africa. 



The volcanic region of Lake Kivu exhibits a type composed of 

 modifications of East African and Ruwenzori forms, some species 

 being identical even with those met with on Ruwenzori. Eight 

 butterflies and eleven moths are described as new. These include two 

 distinct Acraeids one of which, quite unlike any previously known, 

 we have called bettiana in honour of Mrs. Barns. It was taken flying 

 over the hot and dry lava plains. A remarkable Lycaenid {Harpen- 

 dyreus reginaldi Heron) only previously known by one specimen from 

 Ruwenzori, was observed visiting the flowers of giant heather around 

 the Niragongo Volcano. A species of Fritillary {Argynnis excelsior 

 Butl.) only known before from Ruwenzori, Lake Tanganyika and the 

 Cameroons was found around the volcanoes visiting the flowers of 

 thistles and similar plants. Four African species are known of this 

 genus and a race of an Indian form occurs in Abyssinia. 



The mountains of Ruwenzori on the west side where Mr. Barns 

 collected, show a mixture of Congo and Uganda types. A number of 

 small moths were found flying at 13,000 feet, and some of these proved 

 to be new. From Ruwenzori we have four butterflies and eight moths 

 which are new. A very pretty Noctuid moth from the Semliki was 

 named Diaphone barnsi. 



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