760 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIX. 



and 12 noon, on a bright sunny morning, that more specimens are seen than at 

 any other time. I have, however, in the course of rambles on the hills of Eastern 

 Bengal and Assam, observed and profited by the observation, that though there 

 are no butterflies actually on the wing on a dull overcast day, with perhaps 

 even a fine drizzle coming down, it is possible to capture many a fine specimen 

 with comparatively little trouble on such inauspicious occasions. The modus 

 operandi is simply to beat up or otherwise disturb any likely haunts such as 

 shrubs and leafy trees. The butterfly, if there be one, will thereupon make a 

 hasty exit, and if not then caught will be seen to immediately seek shelter in the 

 nearest promising shrub or tree, where the same manoeuvre can be repeated 

 till finally captured. 



It seems to me that butterflies thus caught are almost invariably in perfect 

 condition, are less active, and thus more easily seciu'ed, and last but hj no 

 means least open out to our new fields for exploitation. 



H. JAMES. 



Lahore District, \bih July 1909. 



NO. XXIII— THE EARLY STAGES OF THE HAWK MOTH 

 {TEERETRA PALLIGOSTA.) 



Habitat. — Western to North-East India and Burma and Ceylon to 

 Hongkong. 



Localities. — Karwar, Sikhim, Silhet, Khasia, Jaintia Hills, Assam, E. Pegu 

 and Pugyi, Burma, Ceylon. 



Elevation (vertical range) up to 7,000 ft. 



Time of appearance. — May to July and October. 



Occurrence. — Rare. 



Expanse. — ^ 60-82 mm. $ 82 mm. 



Larva in first stages, ground colour from pale green to sap-green in general 

 appearance much resembling the larva of Rhyncholaha acteus both in shape 

 and colour and also in markings, the oval ocellus on the fourth segment is 

 coloured as follows: — In the first stages centre black, then a ring of pale blue, 

 then green, then yellow, then pale blue again and finally circled by a black 

 ring ; the following ocelli, which are about half the size are pale blue and 

 yellow ringed with black, a dark dorsal line throughout its entire length, 

 horn yellow with tip black and very long ; legs and claspers pale pinkish 

 yellow, head green. The sap-green form, which subsequently changes to 

 chocolate and then again to green has the ocellus centred black, then ringed 

 pale blue, dark green, pale yellow, pale blue and then black, the succeeding 

 occelli are pale blue and white with black rings ; head, horn, legs and claspers 

 dull yellow. 



The adult larva has the ocellus on 4th segment black centre ringed with 

 blue and green, pale yellow, then mauve, and finally circled with black, the 

 other ocelli which are not quite equal in shape, are centered with pale 



