NYMPHALIIs"^, 
295 
having been mistaken for Planema Aganice, Hewits. ; and two $ s and tliree 
9 s from Pinetown in 1883. The $ s quite agree with the foregoing descrip- 
tion, except that in the finest and freshest of them the bands of both wings 
are pure white. The two $ s are considerably smaller than the $ s, the 
expanse of wings being respectively 2 in. 6J lin. and 2 in. 8 lin. In pattern 
they do not differ from the 9 > except in the narrower oblique band of fore- 
wing beyond middle. The fresher of the two has, however, the hands of both 
loings of a decidedly pale ochrey-yelloivish throughout, while the other has only 
a tinge of that colour at the superior extremity of the band of hind-wing. On 
the under side the sexes present no difference. 
The ^ P. imitator is very unlike the ^ P. Hirce, which has rufous bands 
(including a large patch or short band on inner margin), in imitation of the 
^ Planema Gea (Fab.) of Western Africa. 
From P. Tarquinia (Trim.), which inhabits the same districts, P. imitator 
may at once be distinguished by possessing — (i) only one oblique even bar in 
the fore-wing, instead of two submacular ones, and (2) the black spots in the 
basal area of both wings. The apical area is very much blunter in outline, 
especially in the $ . The palpi are ochre-yellow laterally and beneath, instead 
of white with a black edging ; and the sides of the abdomen are of the same 
yellow, without any white spots. 
Captain H. C. Harford, of H.M. 99th Eegiment, took a single specimen, on 
the 2ist January 1868, in a narrow bush-path near the Little Umhlanga, 
and describes it as settled on the ground with the wings expanded, sucking 
moisture from the damp sand. Another example was captured by Mr. Walter 
Morant, on the 8th June 1869, near Pinetown: it is noted by him as flying 
near the ground on a hillside in the vicinity of thick bush. ]\Ir. Harford 
observes that these two individuals were the only ones ever seen by him. 
P. imitator is a close mimicker of Planema Aganice (Hewitson), the 9 dif- 
fering principally in the fore-wings in the minor features of possessing some 
black spots near the base and a slight inner-marginal whitish suffusion, and of 
wanting a separate white or yellow spot at the extremity of the subapical bar. 
The spots at the base of the hind-wings are not so numerous as in the Acroea ; 
and the palpi are yellow, instead of black spotted wdtli white. The spotting 
of the head, thorax, and base of abdomen is almost identical in the two 
insects; and in both the abdomen is ochreous on the under side, while the 
ochreous abdominal spots and rings of Aganice are roughly represented by the 
general ochreous lateral colouring in the Psendacrcea. 
Colonel Bowker, when forwarding ^ and $ in very fine condition from 
Pinetown in April 1883, wrote: "It is quite impossible to distinguish the 
difference between this butterfly and Aganice, either when settled or on the 
wing ; and the first notice you get is the brittle crunch between finger and 
thumb of Imitator, or the soft leathery feel of Aganice. Death is, moreover, 
instantaneous with the former, while you may squeeze Aganice as long and as 
hard as you like without effect ; nothing but the poison-bottle will settle 
him ! " This very exact mimicry leads to the conjecture that possibly P. imi- 
tator may not actually be so rare as it would appear; for undoubtedly the 
ordinary collector would overlook it among specimens of its model, Aganice. 
At present (April 1884) the eight specimens above mentioned are the only 
ones known to me as having been met with. Colonel Bowker's examples were 
taken on 31st March (one), in April (two), and in June (two). 
Localities of Pscudacrma imitator. 
I. South Africa. 
E. Katal. 
a. Coast Districts. — Little Umhlanga {H, C. Harford). Pinetown 
{W. Morant and /. H. Boivker). 
