LYCiENIDiE. 95 
^ $ Lycmna Amarah, Trim., Rhop. Afr. Aust., ii. p. 235, n. 137 (1866). 
$ Lampides Olymjpusa, Walk, Entomologist, v. p. 53, n. 49 (1870). 
Exp. al, (<J) 11^ lin. — i in. 2 lin. ; (?) i i lin. — i in. 2 lin. 
^ Pale-grcy, tuith a metallic sub-hrassy lustre ; a brown hmd-mar- 
ginal hounding line ; cilia greyisli-white. Hind-wing : traces of two 
rows of dull-wliitish lunules, — those of outer row combining with a 
whitish inner edging of hind-marginal line to form imperfect rings, and 
the two last enlarged and orange (the upper with an adjacent black 
spot) on either side of first median nervule ; a slender tail-like tuft of 
loliite hairs at end of first median nervule, and a similar tuft at end 
of submedian nervure. Under side. — Brownisli-grey, with ivhite and 
brownish fascim and roios of lunules ; in each wing, beyond middle, an 
irregular, submacular fascia (composed of a broad white central streak, 
on both sides bordered with brownish and edged with a white line), — 
a similar short fascia, closing cell, touching edge of long fascia on third 
median, and two rows of thin white lanules succeeded by a white line. 
Fore-wing : between median and submedian, a shorty ivide, abruptly 
truncate, longitudinal black stripe. Hind-tuing : seven conspicuous, 
black, white-ringed spots, viz., one at base, four in a transverse row 
near base, and two on costa (respectively immediately before origin of 
fascia and double row of lunules) ; orange-lunuled hind- marginal spot 
bluish-silvery-dusted ; a smaller similar spot at anal angle. 
$ Darker, not so metallic ; a coating of bluish-grey shining hair over 
basal area of hind-iving. Fore-iuing : a disco-cellular fuscous line ; a 
faint submacular streak just before hind-marginal line. Hind-ioing : 
row of lunules and rings usually conspicuous ; orange lunules and spot 
larger ; occasionally a third orange lunule and black spot just above 
second median. Under side. — As in $\ ground-colour darker. 
The peculiar hue of the upper surface at once distinguishes this species 
from the other South- African LyccEuesthes, which present a more or less purple 
or violaceous colouring in both sexes. The strongly-marked black basal stripe 
on the under side of the fore- wing is also peculiar to Amarah. 
Mr. W. D' Urban found this butterfly commonly about King William's 
Town, frequenting bushy spots, from October to April. Near Grahamstown 
I saw it but rarely, and it was not common on the coast of Natal from the 
end of January to the beginning of April 1867. It is a brisk and active 
insect, and all the specimens that I noticed settled frequently on the leaves 
of various shrubs. In neither sex does there appear to be any noticeable 
variation except as regards size. The specimens from the Ked Sea Coast, 
described by Walker {loc. cit.) as L. Olympusa, which I examined in Mr. R. 
Meldola s collection, are undoubtedly ordinary Amarah. 
Localities of Lycxnesthcs Amarah. 
I. South Africa. 
B. Cape Colony. — Grahamstown, New Year's River, and Mitford Park, 
Albany District. King William's Town ( W. U Urban and /. 
H. Bowker). East London. 
