NEPTLS. By Dr. C. Aurivillius. 
I 99 
ones very short elevations; the 12tli segment has again two short points. Pupa short and thick with two points 
on the head and several dorsal elevations. —■ The Neptis species are distributed over the whole Region, hut 
do not occur in quite unwooded steppe-districts, preferring localities which are overgrown with trees or shrubs. 
— The Ethiopian species are divisible into five groups. 
Synopsis of the Groups. 
I. Wings at least beneath with light marginal lines. 
A. The transverse band of both wings yellow at least above. The marginal lines entirely absent 
or indistinct above. 1 . Frobenia Group. 
B. The light markings on the upper surface white. 
a) Hindwing beneath at the base light, whitish or yellowish, with numerous brown or black 
spots, but without white transverse bands. Vein 10 of the forewing arises behind the apex 
of the cell. 2. Metella Group. 
b) Hindwing beneath at the base black or black-brown with 2 or 3 white transverse bands. 
Vein 10 of the forewing arises before the apex of the cell. 
* Cell of the forewing above unicolorous black or dotted with white; rarely with a curved 
longitudinal streak, placed close to the anterior margin of the cell and not touching the 
hindmargin. 3. Agatha Group. 
** Cell of the forewing above with a white longitudinal streak, which either fills up the whole 
cell or follows its hindmargin, leaving the anterior part free. 4. Melicerta Group. 
II. The light marginal lines entirely absent on both surfaces. Discal spot 4 of the forewing absent. 
5. Exaleuca Group. 
1. Frobenia Group. 
The species of this small group are confined to the Mascarene and Comoro Islands and do not seem to occur on Ma¬ 
dagascar, but closely approximate to N. saclava, which is found there. They are distinguished by the yellow markings of 
the upper surface from all the other species except two of the last group. The discal band of the forewing is twice inter¬ 
rupted, in cellules 1 b and 4, and discal spot 4 is absent or small and joined to the spot in 3. In the qo the underside of 
the forewing at the hindmargin is grey with a strong mother-of-pearl gloss as far as vein 2. 
N. frobenia F. (48 c). T he median band of both wings is placed beyond the middle and on both surfaces frobenia. 
the wings are unicolorous without markings as far as the transverse band. The transverse band of the fore¬ 
wing is divided into three groups of spots, consisting of a very small hindmarginal spot in 1 a and 1 b, a middle 
division in 2 and 3 and a subapical band in 5—-8. Mauritius. 
N. dumetorum Bdv. is very similar to the preceding species, but the cell of the forewing has above white, dumetorum. 
beneath yellowish dots and the transverse band is placed further from the distal margin and beneath, at least 
on the hindwing, is white. Island of Bourbon; common especially in the damper and more wooded parts of the 
island. 
N. mayottensis Oberth. (48 c), like the preceding species, has light dots in the cell of the forewing; the mayottensis. 
discal band is light yellow above, yellowish Avhite beneath and on the hindwing broader than in the two pre¬ 
ceding species; the hindwing beneath at the base chequered with brown and grey. Island of Mayotte. 
N. comorarum Oberth. (48 c) differs from the others in having the yellow hindmarginal spot of the fore- comorarum. 
wing entirely absent, otherwise agrees almost exactly with mayottensis , but is somewhat larger. Island of 
Grand Comoro. 
2. Metella Group. 
The species of this group differ at once from the others with a 'white discal band in having the base of the hind¬ 
wing beneath spotted, not banded with white. Tbe first marginal band of the forewing forms at vein 4 a sharp angle proximad. 
N. saclava Bdv. (48 c). Hindwing beneath at the base with whitish ground-colour and numerous irregular saclava. 
light red-brown spots, more or less joined together; cell of the forewing above unicolorous or with small white 
dots, beneath white with irregular light red-brown markings; discal spot 4 of the forewing is absent or very 
small, dot-like; the hindmarginal spot of the forewing is. large and touches the spot in cellule 2 or is only nar¬ 
rowly separated from it; the median band of the hindwing is 4—-7 mm. in breadth. Madagascar. — mar- marpessa. 
pessa Hpffr. (= pasteuri Snell.) occurs on the continent of Africa from the Cameroons to Abyssinia and Cape 
Colony and only differs a little in the narrower median band of the hindwing and the smaller, more widely sepa¬ 
rated, white spots on the forewing. 
N. metella Dbl. Hew. (48 c) is the only African species in which the underside of the hindwing prox- metella. 
