14 
METAGARISTA. By Dr. K. Jordan. 
decora. P. decora L. (= aestuata Midi, partim, julia Gram.) (3 f as jidia). In the Cape Colony two species 
occur side by side that hitherto have been regarded as forms of one single species. Cramer’s figure on PI. 7 
represents one species, whereas PI. 219 belongs to the other. Judging from the description, decora L. is identical 
with fulia Cr. x41so the figures cited later on by Linnb refer to fulia Cr. (= decora L.). This is the darker one 
of the two species; the yellowish spots on the forewing take up on the whole less room than the red marks, 
being before the inner margin tinged with olive, and heavily mottled with black; occasionally all light spots 
are strongly obscured, and the black, yellow and black transverse blotch placed at about of the hind- 
margin is almost perpendicular to it. Hindwings ferruginous, with yellow anteterminal spots. Under surface 
rusty red, with pale spots before the black terminal line, forewings with 2 yellovdsh cell-spots, of which the inner 
often is absent, and with a short, broadly interrupted discal band, follow^ed distally by a pale costal spot. 
On the hinchving beyond the apex of the cell a short pale transverse blotch, and in the cell frequently a pale 
spot, both more or less blurred and their interspace wider than the transverse spot, often also somewhat dar¬ 
ker than the rest of the wing, with the light markings often indicated also on the upper surface. Cape Colony. 
Hampson’s and Strand’s “dubia Hilbn.'' are based on an error. Hubner marked his‘figure “BrepJia duhium 
Julia". 
fesiiva. P. festiva 5prc. 7WV. { = decora aiict. partim, Cr. Tab. 219, F. G.) (3 f, as decoi'a) has the pale markings 
broader than in decora, and clearer cream-yellow, the ante- and postmedian rusty red interspaces with 1 or 2 pale 
spots, the hind margin of the forewings shorter than in decora, and the border as w'ell as the outer transverse 
blotch on the inner margin more oblicpie; hindwing wdth large, bean-shaped, yellowish blurred discal spot and 
almost always a pale cell-sjjot. Underneath all pale markings larger than in decora, the light discal patch of the 
forewdng ahvays broader than the rusty red discocellular spot, the underside often yellow or pale yellow' and 
marked w'ith ferruginous. Anal hook of the B longer and more evenly curved than in decora, the claspers more 
slender. The species occurs in twm geographical forms: — festiva is found in Natal (type) and Transvaal. 
It has the apices of the middle and hind femora covered wdth yellow hair, the grey transverse bands on the under- 
nigripecius. side of the abdomen reaching the yellow^ dorsal rings; the palpi very distinctly spotted. — nigripectus 
subsp. 710V. is found in Cape Colony together with decora-, throat and femora black, the spots on the palpi very 
small or blurred, and the transverse bands of the underside of the abdomen shortened; these characteristics 
distinguish 7iigripectus also from decora, which has the palpi broadly greyish-white, the abdominal bands be¬ 
neath complete, and the femora covered with yellow hair also beneath. 
a 
77ioldae-nki. P. ttioldaenki Deu\, described from Cape Colony from a d' ( Gj possibly belongs to decora. Body 
cpiite black, the yellowdsh markings of the upper surface of the forewdngs completely superseded by black; 
underneath both wings rusty red, without any spots, but with black border. 
nyassana. P. nyassana Bart. (3 f). Pale rusty red. ForeAvings with deeper red submarginal band and black, pale 
spotted terminal band; the followdng markings black: an 8-shaped discocellular spot, interrupted by a rusty 
red longitudinal dash, a nearly circular cell-spot, a more or less distinctly twice broken discal line, accom¬ 
panied distally by a pale line, in the basal area a cell-dot, and beyond it a short zigzag line, before the 
inner a small double spot. On the hindwung the terminal line and part of the fringe black, a discocellular 
spot black or rusty red, an indistinct discal line ochre-red. Abdomen above AAuth yellowq beneath wdiite trans¬ 
verse bands. Nyassa Land, Angola, South Congo. 
nigroiasalis. P* tiigrobasalis Bartel (== subterminalis H77ips.) (2 a) is the type of Pseudo pais Bartel, described by 
Hamp.son as Bothia, differs in structure from Pais no more than nyassana does from decora, but recalls in the 
markings Xaoithospilopteryx. Abdomen black, wdth white transverse bands above, spotted with AA'hite beneath, 
tipped in Avith black, in $ with yelloAA'. ForeAvings black, spotted AAdth yelloAv, before the termen a i’oaa' of 
greyish-yelloAv spots. HindAvings red, Avith almost evenly broad, black terminal border. — In the hill-country 
at the northend of Lake Nyassa. 
11. Genus: Meta8:arista Wkr. 
Palpirough, the 3. segment short. x4ntennae of d rather much thickened distally, of $ but slightly. Frons narroAA'er 
than the height of the eyes seen from front, in d narrower than in $, with khe conical projection short, broad, truncate. 
