82 



AFRICAN MIMETIC BUTTERFLIES 



first median nervule, and two spots below the first median, the inner one much the smaller. 

 Hind-wing discal band paler than on the upperside, hind-marginal border dark ochreous 

 with dark brown internervular rays, bifurcate, and enclosing white spots. Basal patch 

 reddish-ochreous with numerous black spots. Head, thorax, and abdomen brown above 

 and paler below. Abdomen ringed and spotted with orange. 



Mr. Druce describes his specimen of the female as being very much like the male, but 

 slightly paler. The sub-apical band is yellow, but the upper portion of it is dusted with red 

 scales. The discal band of the hind- wing is considerably broader than in the male. The 

 example was taken at Entebbe. The female described by Smith and Kirby is very like 

 that figured on Plate VIII, but the ground-colour is nearly white. I have lately seen several 

 examples of this variety, which appears to be an approach towards the black and white 

 Planemas. The ochreous form of the female which I have figured is commoner than the 

 others, at least in localities where Planema tellus is abundant. 



Few better instances could be found of the influence of a dominant model on the 

 surrounding species than these varieties of other butterflies which are so obviously being 

 modified in the direction of Planema tellus. The right-hand column of figures on Plate VIII 

 forms a most striking illustration of the phenomenon. Pseudacraea terra has already arrived 

 at so close a resemblance to the model that it is quite indistinguishable from it when on the 

 wing. In ^. jodutta, A. altho-ffi, and the variety of A. encedon we can see very distinctly 

 the tendency of these species to assume the orange-tawny colour of the Planema, and the 

 case of that very adaptive species A. encedon should be specially observed in view of the 

 criticism, duly considered in a later portion of this volume, that there is no evidence that 

 the butterflies which now resemble one another were ever dissimilar. 



A. OBERTHURI AND M. NEAVEI. 



ACRAEA OBERTHURI. 



Butler, An. Nat. Hist. (6), xvi, p. 271 (1895). 

 Staudinger (bonasia), Exot. Schmet., i, p. 84 (1885) (non Fabr.). 

 Oberthiir {cynthius)} Etud. d'Ent., xvii, p. 27, pi. i, f. 5 (1893). 

 Aurivillius, Rhop. Aeth., p. 107 (1898). 



Plate VIII, Fig. 14, o^. 



Acraea oherthiiri is a West African insect, and occurs in the Cameroon region, and in 

 Angola and Gaboon. I have only had an opportunity of examining a comparatively small 

 number of examples, judging from which it does not appear to be a variable species. The 

 female is larger than the male, and has all the colours somewhat paler. 



MIMACRAEA NEAVEI. 



Eltringham, Ent. Mo. Mag., Aug., p. 172 (1909). 



Plate VIII, Fig. 15. 



So far as I am aware, the specimen figured is the only example yet received. As will 

 be seen, the resemblance to A. oberthtiri is so close that it might well be passed over if mixed 

 with a large number of the latter species. A httle paler in colour than the specimen of 

 A . oberthtiri figured, the mimicry is nevertheless extremely close. My specimen is not quite 

 perfect, and presents the appearance of being slightly worn, so that in life the butterfly is 

 probably still more like the model. The species was taken in Cameroon, where oberthilri 

 is very plentiful, and as with other comparatively rare mimics it has doubtless hitherto 

 been frequently overlooked. I am inclined to regard the example as a female, though 

 owing to the absence of the forefeet, it is diflicult to determine the sex with certainty. 



^ Oberthiir's figure certainly represents A. oherthuri. The identity of Drury's ' cynihius ' is very doubtful. 

 Butler regards it as an albino form of the bonasia of Fabricius. 



