Under Side. Palpi white. Tongue black, and spiral. Breast, sides, and legs streaked with black and white. Abdomen white. Wings coloured as on the upper side. Margins of the wings entire.
The Linnæan specific name of the type of the present genus was Papilio Idea, a name admirably expressive of the delicate transparent structure of these butterflies. As several closely-allied species were discovered in addition to the original type, all partaking of the same appearance, Fabricius transposed the original specific name into that of the genus; a new specific name, Agelia, being given to the original species, which is beautifully figured by Donovan, in his Insects of India, Pl. 24, and is by him considered identical with the insect figured by Drury. I have adopted the opinion of the authors of the Encyclopédie Méthodique, who consider the two insects as distinct.
ACRÆA CAMŒNA.
Plate [VII]. fig. 2.
Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: Nymphalidæ, Sw.
Genus. Acræa, Fabr. Latr. God. Papilio (Helicon.), Fabr. &c.
Acræa Camœna. Alis oblongis fuscis, posticis basi nigro-punctatis ad extimum fasciâ flavescente transversâ extus nigro-marginatâ. (Expans. Alar. 2 unc. 9 lin.)
Syn. Papilio (Eq. Helic.) Camœna, Drury, App. vol. 2. Herbst. Pap. t. 81. f. 3. Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 173. No. 539. Enc. Méth. ix. p. 234. (Acræa C.)
Habitat: Cape Coast, Africa.
Upper Side. Antennæ black. Neck, thorax, and abdomen black, spotted with white. Anterior wings dark snuff colour, immaculate. About two-thirds of the posterior wings (upwards) also snuff-coloured, having some faint black spots thereon, seen more distinctly on the other side; beneath this is a yellow clay-coloured bar, running from the abdominal corner and ending near the external edge by the upper corner; below this bar is a black indented margin running along the external edge, with some small faint spots thereon, which are much stronger on the other side. Abdominal groove clay-coloured; and on each wing next the shoulders is a small triangular clay spot.