SOUTH-AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES. 
Larva. — (Cast skin of final moult.) Apparently wholly black, 
except tke head, which is shining yellowish-brown, with a central 
arrow-head black mark in front and a conspicuous rounded black spot 
on each side. Spines of the body very acuminate, set with whorls of 
strong acicular bristles ; the pair on the summit of the head also black, 
very thick and long, blunt and rounded at the tips, quite erect, bearing 
short, stout, thorn-like branches throughout. 
Pupa. — (Cast skin.) Pale yellowish- brown, mottled irregularly 
with darker-brown on abdomen generally and on back of thorax; 
three darker-brown sub-quadrate spots on wing-covers near base. 
Colonel Bowker reared a specimen of Octavia at Pinetown, in Natal, 
in October 1883, and sent me the exuvice above described, with the 
note that the duration of the pupal state was twelve days. As far as 
can be judged from the shrivelled skin, the larva must closely resemble 
that of P. Sescwms, described by Captain Harford. 
The much larger size and brighter, clearer red of the Southern examples 
give them a very distinct look from the Tropical West-African type-form, 
which also in fore-wing has the discal row of black spots less curved inwardly, 
and in both wings on upper side the rows of bluish lunules almost obsolete. 
But, on a close comparison, I have not judged it advisable to separate the 
Southern form as a distinct species, though it certainly constitutes a marked 
variety. 
I found this beautiful Precis widely spread over JSTatal in the summer of 
1867, but did not notice it near D'Urban. It frequents open, grassy hills, 
especially their summit ridges or highest points, and is very conspicuous, 
whether flying or settled. Its companions on these exposed spots are usually 
its own congeners, P. Sesainus, Archesia, and Pelasgis, though the last-named 
species often prefers a station on the edge of a wood. All are active, bold 
butterflies, and their size and striking colouring give much animation to their 
favourite haunts. 
While in N'atal, I captured, near Verulam, on 25 th February 1867, a very 
fine example of Avhat I took to be a dark example of Octavia, but which, on 
examination, exhibited manifest indications of an approach towards the char- 
acters of P: Sesamus. I have had this example figured (see PL IV. fig. 4), 
and it will be observed that the basal black is much more developed than 
usual, and in the fore- wing is irrorated with blue ; that a black-edged blue stria 
crosses the discoidal cell of the fore-wing, while a triple blue and black striated 
marking occupies the extremity of the cell ; that the two upper spots of the 
discal row in the fore-wing, which in Sesamus are white-centred, are centred 
with wliitish-blue ; and that the under side presents, immediately beyond the 
ordinary basal markings, an irregular fuscous bluish-varied stripe, corresponding 
in position to the similar marking in P. Sesamus. I saw a second individual 
of apparently quite the same pattern in the Umvoti District during the follow- 
ing March, but did not succeed in capturing it. 
These two butterflies recalled to my mind two singular specimens taken by 
Colonel Bowker on the Tsomo River, Kaffraria, in December 1865, which pre- 
sented in the main the characters of Sesamus, but with a very decided inclina- 
tion in the direction of Octavia. To these latter specimens I shall revert 
under the heading of P. Sesamus. 
It was not until 1879 that I found, in the fine collection acquired from 
IMr. T. Ayres for the South-African Museum, two examples from the Lyden- 
burg District of the Transvaal which closely resembled my Natal example ; 
but in the absence of any basal blue irroration, and in having only faint traces 
