54 
BALACRA. By Dr. A. Seitz. 
invaria. M. Invaria Wkr. (= melinos Ky., syntomia and silacea Plotz) (6 h). Fiery ruddle-red, with a miniate 
tinge, in, behind and below the cell of the fore wing suffused with grey; the sub median area is traversed by 
cnibcscens. a grey cross-bar. -— In the form erubescens Wkr. (= - paralecta Holl.) the brown irroration contrasts particularly 
luica. much with the places remaining fiery red. — In lutea Holl. the ground-colour is of a brighter yellow. West 
pusillima. Africa -— pusiSlima Strd. are very small specimens from Bibundi with an expanse of but 21 to 22 mm. 
aurantiifus- M. aurantiifusca Rothsch. (6 h) is very similar to invaria, but the spots of the orange ground-colour 
ca • are in the cell larger and in the submedian area smaller than in invaria. Nigeria. 
liacmatocs- M. haetnatcessa Holl. (6h). In this species the dark irroration on the fiery red forewing is so intense 
sa ' that only 4 or 5 spots in one row at the cell-end and 1 moderately large spot in the submedian area, as well as 
the marginal area remain fiery red. West Africa. 
ilaviceps. M. flaviceps limps. (6 h). Very small; recognisable by the dark red-brown body distinctly contrasting 
with the light yellow vertex and the anal apex. Forewing dark brown, but tinged with a bright red, before 
and behind the cross-vein a fiery red spot. Hindwing ruddle-red, towards the anal angle darker. Cameroon. 
rubrilinea- M. rubrilineata B.-Bak. (0 i). Dark red-brown; head, a costal-marginal stripe, the fringe of the fore wing 
la - and some small spots in and below the cell of a glaring dark red colour. Angola. 
rubrovitta. M. rubrovitta Aur. (6 i). Forewing similar to rubrilineata, likewise with a fiery red costal-marginal 
stripe, but the whole body and the hindwing are purple pink. Cameroon. 
inccnsa. M. incensa Wkr. ((> i). Habitat unknown. Almost exactly like rubrovitta, but hindwing relatively 
larger, forewing at the margin lighter yellowish-pink. 
rubripunc- M. rubriputtcta Hmps. (G i). Body orange, marked and shaded with dark brown. Wings chestnut- 
ia - brown, forewing with a fiery red dot at the base and cross-vein. Gabun. — On the Congo there also occurs 
a form with pink hindwings. 
ferrigera. M. ferrigera Drc. (6 i) is as large as the largest species of the genus. Body blackish-brown, forewing 
yellowish-brown with brown shadows and blurred spots below the cell, between the veins, and at the margin; 
hindwing yolk-coloured. Cameroon. 
taymami. M. taymansi Rothsch. (G i) is slightly smaller than ferrigera ; by a brown reticulation the light yellowish- 
white colour of the forewing is reduced to a number of spots arranged in transverse chains; hindwing pale 
yellow. Kassai Districts. 
meteus. M 0 meteus Stoll (6 f) differs much — also in the veins ■— from the other members of the genus. It 
is also cpiite differently coloured and unmistakable. Forewing above and proximally reddish-yellow, distally 
and below black; hindwing in the basal part reddish-yellow, the distal two thirds black. Body reddish- 
yellow, abdomen with black bands. Natal and Cape Colony. 
rubicundula. M. rubicundula Strd. Of this species recalling Apisa parachoria (6 b) 2 forms are named, the typical 
quadrisig- form of which has more, but similarly arranged, spots than parachoria, whilst the other form quadrisignatula 
nutula. gt r( i' only shows the 4 larger spots of the forewing. Ground-colour of hindwing basally not lighter; the spot 
in area 3 of the forewing is somewhat removed towards the margin. Cameroon. — It is said to be allied with 
,,perpusilla il which, however, according to Hampson is the S of Metanaclia carnea. 
20. Genus: BSalaerst Wkr. 
H amp son had considered the type of Balacra (B. caeruleifascia Wkr.) to be a Metarctia, so that a new 
name — Pseudapiconoma Aur. — bad been proposed for the real Balacra. According to Lord Rothschild, 
however, the genus to which the above mentioned species actually belongs is composed of the 24 species enume¬ 
rated here by us. They are mostly rather large nocturnal insects with stout bodies, the abdomen being often 
very long, cylindrical and the hindwing remarkably small. The colouring is already decidedly Arctiid-like, 
but the forewing often shows yet some small hyaline spots. In the habitus they somewhat resemble the (much 
neater) Automolis from the western hemisphere. The SS are mostly much smaller than the $9- 
rubr osiriata. B, rubrostriata Aur. (7 a) is one of the largest species known, of a pale whitish yellow colour, forewing 
with dark veins, thorax marked, red, and the abdomen with scarlet lateral spots. Only the § seems to be known 
hitherto. 
pulchm. B. puldira Aur. (= glagoessa Holl.) (7 a) is quite uni-coloured white, vertex red. The species some¬ 
what resembles the American Automolis leucoptera (Vol. VI, pi. 51 c). West Africa. 
hcrona. B. herona Drc. (7 b). Body and forewing pale red-brown; on the sides of the base of the abdomen 
there are scarlet pads. Forewing with slightly darker veins, and at the cell-end vein with a transverse shadow 
being on both sides edged with white; hindwing yellowish-pink. West Africa. 
