228 
SOUTH-AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES. 
tinct parallel rows of paler lunules, of whicli tlie inner are slightly 
bluish-tinged. Hind-wing : basal fuscous very broad (especially along 
costa, where it almost reaches hind-marginal fuscous border), marked 
with a whitish-fulvous spot between costal and subcostal nervures, 
and with a large fulvous space (outwardly connected with ground- 
colour) in outer half of discoidal cell ; discal waved row of five spots, 
smaller than in fore-wing ; hind-marginal border considerably wider 
than in fore-wing, its inner edge irregularly and bluntly dentated, 
its two rows of lunules almost as indistinct as in fore-wing. Cilia 
fuscous, with inter-nervular white spots. Under side. — Paler, the 
ground-colour tinged with whitish ; hasal fuscous and its included 
markings of the ground-colour very distinctly defined ; the lunules of 
hind-marginal border much whiter and distincter than on upper side. 
Fore-wing : basal fuscous not irrorated with fulvous, its external edge 
only bluntly angulated, containing a basal and a terminal disco-cellular 
bar (the latter narrowly continued to submedian nervure), and an 
irregular thin streak beyond cell ; fuscous costal bar near apex obsolete, 
so that first and second spots of discal row are distinct. Hind-iuing : 
basal fuscous much narrower on costa, extending only slightly beyond 
middle ; disco-cellular markings corresponding with those of fore-wing, 
but smaller and whiter ; spot between costal and subcostal nervures 
near base large and conspicuous ; immediately above it a small indis- 
tinct fulvous spot ; curve of costa at base bordered with fulvous ; a 
sixth spot near costa in discal row. 
As above stated, I formerly referred Sijnia, Wallengr., with doubt to 
Octavia, Cram., judgmg from the author's description only. But in November 
1 88 1 I received a very carefully coloured drawing of Wallengren's type (most 
kindly procured for me by M. Aurivillius, of the Royal Stockholm Museum), 
and on my return to the Cape found a worn specimen of Simia, which had 
been sent to the South-African Museum by Colonel Bowker. A comparison 
of this specimen with the drawing and with Wallengren's description has 
convinced me that the latter author was justified in separating this butterfly 
from Octavia. Its small size and duller, more fulvous colour distinguish it 
widely in appearance from the southern examples of Octavia, but it is much 
more like the West- African type-form. As regards the upper side, the wider 
extension of the basal fuscous, and its fulvous irroration and singular external 
angulation in the fore-wing, together with the narrower hind-marginal border, 
are distinguishing marks of Siinia ; and, on the under side, the entire basal 
field of fuscous completely enclosing all the ground-colour markings, hut 
wanting the two conspicuous lasi-costal pale spots of Octavia, as well as any 
trace of the blue irroration, are characters by which the butterfly can well be 
recognised. 
Colonel Bowker's specimen of this apparently very rare species is a , and 
was taken in the Park at D'Urban, Natal, in June 1881. I sent a drawing 
and note of the insect to that excellent observer; but he has not again met 
with an example. 
Localities of Precis Simia. 
I. South Africa. 
E. Natal. 
a. Coast Districts. -D'Urban (/. H. Botcher). 
