NYMPHALIN^. 
231 
of blue in tlie eellular striae, showed less divergence from Odavia. The larger 
of the two, however, had the two upper spots of the discal row of fore-wing 
as conspicuously white-centred as in Sesamus ; and also exhibited a very dark 
under side, the basal half being very completely fuscous with a sharply-defined 
and dentated outer limit, while the hind-marginal area had a distinctly bronzy 
suffusion. 
These'exceptional variations, together with those of Sesamus already referred 
to, acquired a special interest in the same year (1879), as Mr. Frank N. Streat- 
feild, C.M.G., an experienced collector and observer of Lepidoptera, wrote to 
me to announce that he had just captured at Ibeka, in the Trans-lvei Territory, 
Odavia and Amesiris {Sesamus) in copula. He wrote, " There was no mistake 
about it ; I caught, killed, and pinned them in my box (with the intention of 
sending them to you) still in copula. . . . Amestris was flying and Odavia 
passive while the two paired butterflies were on the Aving." The voracity of 
the ants frequenting Mr. Streatfeild's hut unfortunately did not spare these 
most interesting specimens, which were devoured the very night after their 
capture. This testimony from so good an authority is of special value, as I 
had not communicated my suspicions on the subject to Mr. Streatfeild, nor was 
he at the time aware of my having any specimens pointing to intercourse 
between the two species. It is only to such occasional unions, and to their 
fertility, that the origin of the intermediate examples under notice can be 
attributed. 
Localities of Precis Odavia. 
I. South Africa. 
D. KafFraria Proper. — Bashee Eiver {J. H. Bowlier). Mouth of St. 
John's Eiver {Sir H. BarUy). " Ibeka " {F. N. Streatfeild). 
E. Katal. 
a. Coast Districts. — Verulam. Umvoti. Mapumulo. 
h. Upper Districts. — Intzutze River. Little Noodsberg. Great 
Noodsberg. Udland's Mission Station. Fort Buckingham. 
Hermansburg. Greytown. Pietermaritzburg {W. Hayes). Est- 
court {J. M. Hutdiinson). Karkloof (/. H. Bowliei'). Van 
Reenen's Pass, Drakensberg {G. Hart). 
K. Transvaal. — Lydenburg District {T. Ayres). 
II. Other African Regions. 
A. South Tropical. 
a. Western Coast. — "Angola (/. /. Mo7iteiro)." — Druce. 
h. Eastern Coast. — Zambesi River {Rev. H. Rowley). — Coll. Hope, 
Oxon. [Austral form]. 
B. North Tropical. 
a. Western Coast. — Sierra Leone {A. N. Innes). 
h. Eastern Coast. — "Abyssinia: Shoa {Antiiiori).^'' — Oberthtir. 
72. (7.) Precis Sesamus Trimen. 
Plate IV. fig. 3 ( ? ). 
Vanessa Amestris, Boisd., App. Voy. de Deleg., p. 592 (1847). 
„ „ AVallgrn., K. Sv. Vct.-Ak. Ilandl, 1857; Lep. Rhop. 
Cafi'r., p. 26 (1857). 
Junonia Amestris, Dru. [parf], Trim., Rhop. Afr. Aust., i. p. 132, n. 79(1862). 
Exp. al., 2 in. 5 lin. — 2 in. 1 1 lin. 
Black, chested ivith violaccous-hhte, and with Uue transverse hands; 
a transverse hand of red spots near liind-mcmjin. Fore-wing : thickly 
