ENTOMOLOGY. 367 



Family Bombycid^e. 



The family BombyciDjE appears to be rich in species of the sub- 

 family Limacodides, the caterpillars of which are clothed with short 

 erect bristles, which are capable of inflicting poisonous wounds ; their 

 cocoons are very solid and egg-shaped. Notwithstanding their defen- 

 sive appendages the caterpillars are subject to the attacks of parasites, 

 and in the ' Transactions of the Entomological Society of London ' 

 (1876, p. 574, pi. 10), I have given the history of a curious dipterous 

 insect, Systropus crudelis, which destroys individuals of one of the 

 species of this group. Mr. Oates obtained a number of species, 

 the majority of which are, however, in a very mutilated condition. 

 Of one, which is a very showy insect, I give the description below : — 



LiMACODES argentifera, Westwood in Oates's Matabele Land, 

 ed. 1, App. p. 358 (1881). 



Lsete pallido-viridis, alis anticis basi macula media fasciaque sub- 

 apicali valde curvata e guttis argenteis, singulis guttis annulo brunneo 

 cinctis, fascia externa e medio marginis postici versus apicem extensa 

 at guttis sensim decrescentibus ; alis posticis abdomineque fulvis. 

 Expans. alar, antic, unc. \\. 



Pantoctenicz Gemmanti, Felder (Novara-Reise, Lep. iv. pi. 82, f. 16), 

 proxima. 



Habitat prope Gubuluwayo. 



A large species of this family was taken by Mr. Oates at Tati : — 

 Jana Mariana, White, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., xii. p. 264 (1843); 

 Westwood in Oates's Matabele Land, ed. 1, App. p. 358, pi. G, 

 f. 6 (1881). (Plate VII., fig. 6.) 

 Fawn-coloured ; the fore wings with four slender oblique undulat- 

 ing brown bands. In the hind wings the bands are rather broader 

 and more distinct, and there is a large purplish black spot at the base 

 of the latter. The fore wings measure from 4 to 4| inches in expanse. 

 The type specimen from Congo is in the British Museum. 



Mr. Oates also obtained specimens of *Deiopeia piclchella, Lin- 

 naeus ; *Phiala xanthosoma^ Wallengren ; *Antiphella crocicollis, 

 Herrich-Schaffer ; *Chilena prompta, Walker ; and *Argyris vestalis, 

 Butler. 



wings. Maassen obtained it from Natal. Specimens from South-eastern Africa, and from 

 Angola (Monteiro), are in the Hopeian collection at Oxford. 



Saturnia Hyperbius, Westwood in Oates's Matabele Land, ed. i, App. p. 357 (1881). 



Alis anticis ferruginosis, puncto minimo vitreo ad apicem cellulse ; striga recta obliqua 

 pone medium alae cinerea, area pone strigam magis aurantiaca, margine apicali plumbeo- 

 tincto, ciliis runs ; alis posticis fulvis ocello mediocri medio cinereo (medio albido) circulo 

 nigro ; striga angusta cinerea inter ocellum et marginem posticum plumbescentem, ciliis 

 runs : alis subtus saturatioribus, venis flavis, anticis macula rotunda nigra, medio vitrea ; 

 cellula in posticis fere obliterata, strigaque pone medium angustiori et minus distincta ; 

 corpore rufo, abdomine magis fulvo. Expans. alar, antic, fere unc. 5. 



Habitat in Afric. merid. (D. Buxton). In Mus. Hopeiano. 



