io8 
SOUTH-AFKICAN BUTTEEFLIES. 
of ground-colour beyond an indistinct line about middle, and three ' 
parallel, hind-marginal, dark lines, of which the outermost is on the ' 
edge next to cilia. Fore-ioing : a small ocellus between radials ; a 
large one on second and first median nervules, its ring extending | 
above and below those nervules respectively. Hind-wing : two good- | 
sized ocelli between third and first median nervules ; a small one above j 
third median nervule ; occasionally a minute indistinct ocellus near ' 
anal angle. Under side. — Pale gTcyish-ochreous, closely hatched and 
irr orated with hrown ; two reddish- brown transverse lines, one before, , 
the other beyond middle ; the outer line immediately succeeded by a \ 
conspicuous pale-yelloiu stripe^ externally ill-defined ; hind-marginal 
streaks well-marked ; all the ocelli in well-marked rufus-brown rings 
encircling the yellow- ochreous rings. Fore-whig : the two ocelli || 
answer to those on upper side. Hind-wing : seven ocelli in sub- 
marginal row, of which the fourth and fifth (between third and first 
median nervules) are considerably larger than the rest, the three above " 
them small (about equal in size), and the seventh (at anal angle) much j 
the smallest, but clearly defined. i 
Both sexes, but especially the present a variation which has all ; 
the ocelli on the under side of the wings indistinctly marked, and much 
smaller than usual, or all but obsolete, — only the white pupil of the 
large fore-wing ocellus being conspicuous ; the yellow stripe beyond 
middle deeper in tint ; and the transverse line before middle immedi- 
ately preceded by some yellow clouding. 
The close brown lines or hatchings and conspicuous pale-yellow 
stripe of the under side readily distinguish this butterfly from M. Bafitza^ j ; 
Hewits., apart from its much paler colouring and three or four distinct 
hind-wing ocelli on the upper side. Its other allies are if. IlineuSj 
Linn., and M. Ostrea, Westw. ( = Otrea, Hlibn. nec Cram.) ; but it j 
differs from the former by the much broader stripe of the under side, 
and from both by the number (three) and distinctness of the ocelli on the j 
upper side of the hind- wings. The two species just named are natives 
of China and North India respectively. 
I think it very probable that M. Vidorina, Westw. (App. to Gates' ! 
Mataheleland, p. 350, n. 58, 1881), from the Zambesi (near Victoria Falls), \ 
is identical with M. perspicua ; but the diagnosis given is not sufficiently 
detailed to admit of certainty on this point. If not identical, it must be a 
very close ally.^ . j 
I discovered this Mycalesis at Port Natal, taking a single example ( $ ), ' 
on 3d August 1865, flitting about long grass in some rough ground at the 
base of the slope near D'Urban, where the Botanic Garden is situated. On i 
^ I have received from Mr. F. C. Selous two s of a Mycalesis taken on the Shashani ' 
Kiver, Makalaka Country, which only differ from Perspicua in being (i) greyer on upper 
side, with (2) ocelli in duller rings and only two in ^hind-wing ; and on under side (3) a • 
greyer ground-colour without any hatching or irroration, (4) a much narrower common pale- j 
yellow streak, — in one of the examples linear, and (5) the ocelli all encircled with neatly 
defined pale-yellowish linear wings, — especially perfect in fore-wing. This may possibly be 
the Victorina of Westwood. 
