OCR Text |
Show 1 894.] FROM BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 579 112. BELENOIS MESENTINA. Papilio mesentina, Cramer, Pap. Exot. iii. pi. cclxx. A, B (1782). Golbanti; Kinani; Njempo; Guaso Laschau; Kithungulu, Konu, Ukikuya, on shrub-covered plateau with deep gorges; sandy steppes on the south bank of the Kiroruma, Tana river-basin ; steppes of the Thika-Shika; steppes between Athi and Thika; Athi plains near Chjanjavi; Bondoni and Kapte Plains; Ndangi River. Represented by the form B. lordaca, and the larger but otherwise exactly similar B. agrippina. 113. BELENOIS GIDICA. Pieris gidica, Godart, Enc. Meth. ix. p. 131. n. 37 (1819). Witu, in garden; Golbanti; Njempo; Ukikuya; steppes of Thika-Shika ; steppes between Athi and Thika; Ndoli; Kibwezi. One female nearly approaches typical B. abyssinica. 114. BELENOIS ZOCHALIA. (Plate XXXVII. fig. 3.) Pieris zochalia, Boisduval, Sp. Gen. Lep. i. p. 508. n. 100 (1832). o* 2 •> Glopo lal Mavari, Laitsipia; Guaso Laschau; steppes N . W . of Longari; Thagana, in woods beside Ukikuya; Thegu ; Ndoro, steppes at base of Kenya, 7000 feet; on shrub-covered plateau at Kithungulu, Konu, Ukikuya, Tana river-basin. Two forms of this species were obtained, the first only differing from the southern type in its usually slightly superior size; the male with slightly narrower oblique black bar at end of cell, larger white hastate spots on the apical black area, and primrose-whitish colouring of the under surface of the secondaries. The second form, however, has the black discocellular bar reduced to a spot at the inferior angle of the cell in the male, but in the female only slightly narrower than in the first form ; on the under surface the veins are more heavily defined and sometimes quite black. It is useless to attempt to separate the latter from B. zochalia; and as it shows a decided tendency in the direction of B. crawshayi, it is within the range of possibility that, as the fauna of Africa becomes better known, a series of gradations between B. zochalia and that apparently distinct form will be discovered. Indeed, after seeing the series of grades between typical B. infida and B. severina nothing will surprise m e in the way of linking the African species of Belenois. I am quite satisfied that B. gidica and B. abyssinica cannot be regarded as distinct species. 115. SYNCHLOE JOHNSTONII. Synchloe johnstonii, Crowley, Trans. Ent. Soc. 1887, p. 35, pi. iii. figs. 1-3. Gopo lal Mavari; Guaso Laschau; steppes N . W . of Longari; Thagana, in woods beside Ukikuya. |