CHARAXEH By Dr. 0. Aurivillius. 
135 
species is transitional towards the second subgroup, the black discal streaks in cellules 2, 4—8 forming an al¬ 
most continuous but not quite straight line, which forms the distal side of the dark transverse band; on the 
forewing the transverse streaks in cellules lb—4 are not joined together. ^ unknown. German East Africa: 
Mikindani. 
Second Subgroup. 
The fine black transverse streaks in the basal part of cellules 2—8 on the underside of the hindwing do not quite 
touch one another and are not placed in a straight line. Hindwing in the $ above entirely without light transverse band 
or behind the middle with a row of blue spots only 1 —2 mm. in breadth, and only in the first species with broad blue 
transverse band. 
Ch. kheili Stgr. (33 c). <$: wings above with black ground-colour; forewing with large blue marginal kheili. 
spots, a row of 8 or 9 blue, or in cellules 6 and 7 white postdiscal spots at 5 mm. from the distal margin, 
2—4 discal spots in 3—6, and usually also a blue spot in the cell. Hindwing behind the middle in cellules 2—5 
with a somewhat irregular band of 4—5 spots; submarginal and marginal spots small and blue. Under sur¬ 
face as in ethalion. $ unknown. Congo and Niam-niam-land. — northcotti Rothsch. $: wings above black; northcotti. 
hindwing behind the apex of the cell between veins 2 and 6 with a blue transverse band 8 mm. in breadth, 
which at veins 2—5 is united with the thick blue marginal lunules and hence encloses black, white-pupilled 
submarginal spots; forewing above with large blue marginal spots, only separated by the black veins, and 
3 mm. from the distal margin with a row of 8 blue (or at the costal margin white) submarginal spots, of 
which the last two (in la and lb) are more or less united to the marginal spots; in the basal part of cellules 
2—6 and in the apex of the cell there are also blue spots. Under surface coloured and marked as in ethalion. 
9 unknown. Ashanti. 
Ch. guderiana Dew. (33 b). <$: wings above black; forewing at the base greenish blue with a large gucleriana. 
white spot at the end of the cell, two white discal sqiots in 5 and 6, a complete row of 8 white, or to¬ 
wards the hindmargin bluish postdiscal spots and large white marginal spots; hindwing in cellules 2—5 with 
a blue postdiscal band, which is only separated by a fine black line from the bluish, white-dotted sub¬ 
marginal streaks; marginal streaks thick, white, in cellules lc—3 usually bluish and dotted with yellowish. 
Under surface as in the other species, but with two white spots at the costal margin of the fore wing. The $ 
is quite different above, strongly recalling Ch. saturnus (30b) and the $ of Ch. achaemenes; it was even described 
in 1892 as a variety of Ch. pelias. Wings above at the base light brown to vein 3 and then with common 
light orange-yellow median band, extending from vein 2 of the hindwing to vein 4 of the forewing; the fore¬ 
wing has in addition the following orange-yellow markings: a spot at the apex of the cell, two discal spots 
in 5 and 6, a postdiscal row of 6 rounded spots in 2—7 and large marginal spots united into a band; the 
ground-colour of the apical part is black. On the hindwing the median band is followed distally by a deep 
black band 10 mm. in breadth and then the blue, white-centred submarginal spots and the marginal spots, 
which in cellules 4—7 are thick and bright orange-yellow, but in lc—3 narrow, greenish and indistinctly dotted 
with yellow. The under surface is much lighter than in the <$, the median band being also present here; hind¬ 
wing with red postdiscal lunules. Angola to British East Africa, but not in South Africa. 
The following forms of this subgroup have been long the subject of differences of opinion and on account of their 
extreme variability, especially in the female, have given occasion for the erection of numerous species which have no foun¬ 
dation in nature. Rothschild and Jokdax, however, by careful examination of very extensive material, have shown in their 
excellent monograph of the genus Charaxes that we are dealing here with at most two really different species. It only re¬ 
mains now to confirm this by breeding the forms from the egg. I would urgently recommend this highly interesting task 
to all our readers who are resident in Africa. 
Ch. etheocles (33 b). Both sexes are very variable and it has not yet been possible to prove-that certain etheocles. 
male forms belong to certain female. I must therefore treat the two sexes independently. 
S (33b): ground-colour of both wings black above. Forewing with the distal margin more or less emar- 
ginate; with or without blue markings; the blue markings which may be present are: a spot in the cell; 1—4 
discal spots in the basal part of cellules (3, 4) 5 and 6; one or more postdiscal and marginal spots. Hindwing 
usually with a row of postdiscal lunules and always with white submarginal dots (often ringed with greenish) 
and distinct marginal streaks. The under surface is similarly marked in all the forms, but is very variable as 
regards the ground-colour. — f. picta Rothsch. Forewing above with large marginal spots and with 3—8 post- picta. 
discal spots, sometimes also with discal spots in cellules 3 and 4. Hindwing often with distinct postdiscal 
spots, but only 1 mm. in breadth; the marginal streaks in cellules 4—6 thick and dotted with red. East Africa 
from Quilimane to Unyoro. — f. fulgurata Auriv. Forewing above with large marginal spots and 3—7 strongly fulgumta. 
curved submarginal spots, the extremities of which reach the marginal spots; in addition with 2 or 3 discal 
spots and a spot in the cell. Hindwing with fine postdiscal lunules and thick marginal streaks, in cellules 4—6 
dotted with red. Under surface light reddish brown. Angola. — f. chanleri Holl. (= phaeacus Stgr.). Forewing chariteri. 
above with large marginal spots, but with only 2 postdiscal spots. Under surface whitish grey to grey. Angola; 
