LYCiENID^. 
211 
narrow. Legs sliort, very stout, thinly scaled, witliout hairs ; tibias 
without terminal spurs ; tarsi spinose beneath : f ore-legs of $ with tibia 
very finely spinose beneath, — tarsus very short, not articulated, blunt 
at tip, spinose beneath. 
Abdomen long, much thickened posteriorly, where it is also clothed 
with short appressed hair. 
This curious genus consists of nine or ten species of yellow or 
reddish-ochreous or yellowish-white butterflies, more or less spotted 
and bordered with blackish, whose weak structure and sub-diaphanous, 
thin, lustreless wings give them the aspect of moths of the Geometrce 
group. The very small palpi, short and somewhat thick antennae, very 
small thorax, long discoidal cell in both fore and hind wings, ample 
wings, and long incrassate abdomen, render Pentila easily recognised, 
and very unlike the mass of Lycasnideous genera. In the minute palpi 
it resembles Almnci^ and in the development of the superior (first) disco- 
cellular nervule of the fore-wings, and short, thick, hairless legs, it is 
like Deloneura ; but in most respects it is a very isolated form, its 
general habit somewhat recalling that of Pontict (= JSfychitonct^ Butl.) 
among the Pierince. 
All the known species inhabit Tropical Africa, and, with the excep- 
tion of P. Peucetia, Hewits., and P. tropicalis (Boisd.), appear to be 
confined to the West Coast. The two species named inhabit Eastern 
Africa' (the Zambesi and Mozambique respectively), and Tropicalis is 
abundant on the coast of Natal. It is very doubtful whether the latter 
also occurs in West Africa, Hewitson having associated with it the 
P. Abraxas of Westwood, an Ashanti form, which appears to be quite 
distinct. 
As might be inferred from its structure, Pentila is an exceedingly 
slow flyer. P. tropicalis^ which I had many opportunities of observing 
in Natal, is of somewhat gregarious habits, and many examples may 
be met with about a particular spot, flitting feebly among shrubs or 
long grass. 
227. (1.) Pentila tropicalis, (Boisduval). 
$ Tingra tropicalis, Boisd., App. Voy. Deleg. I'Afr. Aust., p. 589, n. 46 
(1847). 
? „ „ Yar., AVallengr., K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Haiull, 1857,— 
Lep. Khop. CafFr., p. 46. 
^ Pentila tropicalis, HopfT., Peters' Reise Mossamb., p. 413 (1862). 
S „ ,5 Hewits., Exot. Butt., iii. pi. 60, f. 2 (1866). 
(J ? „ 5, Trim., Rhop. Afr. Aust., ii. p. 284, n. 176 (1866). 
Exp. al, {$) I in. 3i-5i lin. ; ($) i in. 3-7 lin. 
$ Ochre-yelloiu^ loitli a few small rounded blackish spots; in both 
wings a terminal disco-cellular spot ; fore-wing with a rather ivide 
apiccd hind-niargincd blacJdsh border ; cilia ochre- yclloio, in forc-icing 
