44 
SOUTH-AFEICAN BUTTERFLIES. 
139. (21.) Lycaena Mahallokoaena, (Wallengren). 
^ , $ Lyccena MahalloTcocena, Wallgrn., K. Sv. Yet.-Akad. Handl., 1857 ; 
Lep. E,hop. Caffr., p. 41, n. 16. 
„ Trim., Khop. Afr. Aust., ii. p. 257, n. 159 
(1866); and Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1870, p. 366, pi. vi. ff. ^7, 8 
Uxp. al, (J) 8^-11^ lin. ; ($) lO-li lin. Closely allied to 
X. Messapus, Godt. 
J Blue-violaceous ; fore-tving alvjays, hind-wing rarely (and then very 
slightly)^ suffused with fulvous-yellow ; narrow fuscous hind-marginal 
border and greyish white-tipped cilia, as in Messapus; no tail on 
hind-wing. Fore-wing : yellow suffusion extremely variable in extent 
and development, from a mere costal streak to a broad field occupying 
all the area except a narrow basal space and broad hind-marginal 
border of blue, — intermediate examples presenting a broad bar along 
costa, and strong or moderate suffusion on the median nervure and its 
branches and on submedian nervure. Hijid-wing : yellow suffusion 
never more than a slight tinge about middle of costa and on disc 
beyond extremity of discoidal cell ; hind-marginal black spot between 
first and second median nervules very distinct, the orange lunula 
bounding it internally large and conspicuous ; a smaller fainter orange 
lunule between second and third median nervules, and sometimes a 
still smaller and fainter one immediately below first median nervule. 
Under side. — Wliitish-grey ; markings quite as in Messapus, except 
that in hind-wing the hind-marginal black spot is conspicuous and 
considerably larger, and there are two well-developed bright-orange 
lunules instead of a single indistinct or obsolete one. 
$ Dark-hroiviij usually rather tinged with greyish; orange-yellow 
hind-marginal hmules {always two, and usually three^ of hind-wing 
more or less enlarged^ so as to form a small conspicuous patch} and each 
externally hounded hy a dark spot. Under side. — Quite as in ^, but 
markings generally usually rather better defined. 
The characters above given easily distinguish this very curious and beauti- 
ful form from Messapus, but the instability of the fulvous-yellow suffusion on 
the fore-wings of the ^ is very noticeable, and seems to indicate that the 
character, highly peculiar and apparently unique as it is in the genus, is one 
of comparatively recent acquirement. The accompanying large development 
of the orange-yellow lunules of the hind-wings (especially marked in the 
$ ) is to all appearance a feature of much more constancy. 
This Lyccena was originally discovered by Wahlberg, but no specimens 
were known to me until Colonel Bowker in 1869 sent several from Basuto- 
land. In the same year a pair taken in the Free State reached me from 
Mr. W. Morant, who subsequently forwarded examples from th« Transvaal, 
noting the species as plentiful near Potchefstroom on 25 th February 1872, 
and occurring in low, stony ground at Pretoria on the i6th March. Mr T. 
1 This character is most largely developed in a specimen taken by Colonel Bowker 
between the Tugela and Mooi Rivers in Natal. In this, as in a few other examples, there 
is an incomplete fourth lunule. 
