BYBLIA. By Dr. 0. Aurivillius. 207 
points on the head and laterally emarginate wing-cases; a deep dorsal depression between the abdomen and 
the thorax. 
In the Ethiopian Region five genera occur, which can easily be distinguished by the following synopsis. 
Synopsis of the Genera. 
A. Eyes naked. 
a) Cell of the hindwing closed, rarely almost open. Wings without white transverse band. 
*. Distal margin and apex of the forewing rounded. 
a) Veins 3 and 4 of the hindwing from the same point, but not stalked. Middle discocellular 
of the hindwing curved and shorter than the lower, which is sometimes very indistinct 
or absent. 1. B y b 1 i a. 
b) Veins 3 and 4 of the hindwing stalked. Middle discocellular of the hindwing straight and long¬ 
er than the lower. 2. Mesoxantha. 
**. Distal margin of the forewing distinctly angled at vein 6; apex acute 
3. E r g o 1 i s. 
fi) Cell of the hindwing quite open. Wings with white transverse band on both surfaces. 
4. Neptidopsis. 
B. Eyes densely hairy. Cell of the hindwing closed. 5. Eurytela. 
1. Genus: Byi>i ia Hiibn. 
The Byblia species have brown-yellow to red-yellow wings with black markings, which are much more 
strongly developed in the <$ than in the $. The arrangement of the black markings on the upperside of the 
d' can best be seen from the figure of vulgaris (49 c). The under surface of the fore wing agrees pretty nearly 
with the upper, but is paler ; the underside of the hindwing, on the contrary, is very varied in colouring and 
is differently marked in the different forms. 
The genus is also represented in South Asia and has three species in Africa, of which, however, the 
third is scarcely more than an insular race of the second. In all the species there is a seasonal form which 
is characterized by the deep chestnut-brown transverse bands on the underside of the hindwing. The species 
may be best distinguished by the characters cited in the folloAving synopsis. 
Synopsis of the Species. 
A. The black costal margin on the upperside of the forewing sends out three black transvei’se streaks into 
the cell and then beyond the apex of the cell a narrow transverse streak, sharply defined distally and placed 
almost vertically to the costal margin, reaching vein 4; hence the yellow spot at the end of the cell is 
quadrate, bounded by veins 4 and 6. The upperside of the hindwing somewhat before the middle with 
1 ($) or 2 ($) transverse rows of black dots and hi the £ yellow to the base. 1. B. ilithyia. 
B. The black costal margin on the upperside of the forewing, as in the preceding species, sends out three black 
streaks into the cell, but is then widened behind the cell into a large black transverse spot, reaching vein 
4 and on vein 5 forming a tooth distally, which is usually joined to the black submarginal band; hence the 
yellow spot at the end of the cell is almost triangular and is usually bounded anteriorly by vein 5. The 
upperside of the hindwing black at the base, then with a broad light transverse band, in which, however, 
there are no black dots. 
a) The broad discal band on the underside of the hindwing is proximally nearly straight or gently curved, 
at most obtusely angled at vein 5. 2. B. acheloia. 
b) The broad discal band on the underside of the hind wing has a distinct proximal excision in cel¬ 
lule 5. 3. B. anvatara. 
B. ilithyia. Hindwing beneath always with white, almost continuous marginal line and four brown 
or brown-yellow transverse bands, which are separated by three white bands or rows of spots. —■ ilithyia ilithyia. 
Drury (49 c). The transverse bands on the hindwing beneath brown with distinct black bordering; the third 
band distally black with white dots. f. polinice Cr. only differs from the type-form in the lighter, more yellow- polinice. 
ish transverse bands on the hindwing beneath, f. badiata Griinb. is distinguished by having the bands on the badiata. 
hindwing beneath broader and unicolorous dark chestnut-brown; the two proximal ones, as in the other forms, 
are bounded by black dots and streaks, but the third is not or only indistinctly margined with black and has 
no white dots at the distal side; transitions to the other forms are not rare. •— Larva green with brown 
head, two long green spines on the head, and on each segment six short, wart-like spines, aculeate at the tip; 
lives in Natal on a common, climbing species of the genus Tragia. The species occurs everywhere on the con¬ 
tinent of Africa and in Arabia. 
