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Show 1897.] BUTTERFLIES O F T H E G E N U S TERACOLUS. 31 Teracolus hero, Butler, p. 150, pl. vi. fig. 12 (1876). Callosune damarensls, Aurivillius, K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Fdrhandl. p. 46 (1879). Teracolus carterl, Butler, Ent. M o . Mag. xviii. p. 227 (1882). Teracolus subvenosus, Butler, Ann. Mag. N . H . (5) xii. p. 105 (1883). Callosune haevernlckl, Staudinger, Exot. Schm. pl. xxiii. fig. 19 (1884). Teracolus fumidus, Swinhoe, Proc. Zool. Soc. p. 442, pl. xl. figs. 4, 5 (1884). Teracolus sipylus, 2 (nee 3 ), Swinhoe, ibid. p. 445, pl. xl. fig. 12 (1884). Teracolus laura, E. M . Sharpe, Ann. Mag. N. H. (6) v. p. 441 (1890). This species occurs practically throughout South and Central Africa as far north as Senegal on the west, and Abyssinia on the east side. It exhibits very strong seasonal dimorphism and slight local variation, and has consequently been much split up. In South Africa typical T. achlne is the wet form, the normal dry form being T.lgnlfer, Butl. ( = antevippe, Trim, [nee Boisd.]), and this type of seasonal coloration probably holds good throughout the greater part of its range; but in the equatorial forest-belt it is possible that the dry-season form is represented by the T. antevippe of Boisduval, which differs from that of Trimen in having the underside of hind wings pure white and without any grey irroration. Specimens of this variation occur occasionally in S. Africa as intermediate seasonal forms ; but it does not appear to establish itself until near the Equator, and this offers a somewhat interesting parallel to the case of T. evippe, referred to above. I append a few notes on the variations of T. achine which have been honoured with specific names. T. harmonides (Swaziland), Ithonus (Swaziland), and haevernlckll (Transvaal) are all specimens of the normal S.-African winter form (=lgnlfer, Butl.), being differentiated on slight variation, of unstable seasonal markings. T. simplex represents the extreme dry-season form, in which almost every trace of the black markings above has disappeared ; it occurs on the inland plateaux of S. Africa, and I have taken it sparingly in the Transvaal and Mashunaland, finding at the same time every gradation into the normal dry form of T. achlne, the females being quite indistinguishable. The single specimen in the British Museum is ticketed "Durban, Natal," but I very much doubt the accuracy of the record. T. damarensis, from Damaraland and Swaziland, is identical with this form. T. hlppocrene is founded on dry-season specimens in which the underside irroration has become obsolescent, thus showing an approach to the summer form. T. zera, from Abyssinia, Mt. Kenia, V. Nyanza, and Zululand, is an interesting intermediate form in which the black borders of the upperside are almost as well marked as in lighter specimens of typical T. achlne, and occasionally there is the faintest suspicion of the inner mar- |
