LIFE-HISTORIES. 245 



remained completely white. What is the cause of this ? The chrysalis 

 when tirst formed is wholly green, the hack afterwards gradually 

 changing to black, while the remainder of the pupa (including the 

 wing-cases) becomes slightly paler. A short time before emergence the 

 inarkings of the wings may be faintly traced through the pupal case. The 

 wing cases without the lobe reach to the 2nd abdominal segment, 

 while the lobe reaches to the 8th abdominal segment. On emergence, 

 which happens about one month from pupation, the moth bores a small 

 very neat circular hole at one end of the cocoon as an exit, and rests on or 

 near the cocoon until its wings are fully expanded. One curious habit 

 of the imago is worthy of notice, namely, the way it rests during the 

 day. It rests " topsy-turvy " with its wings folded over its body and 

 the tips of the forewings almost touching each other, the hindlegs are 

 put back to the tip of the wings, on which pair nearly the whole of the 

 weight of the body is rested, its front legs are nearly iuWy stretched 

 out at right angles to the body, thus making the head a good distance 

 from its resting-place while the tip of its forewings-are touching the 

 ceiling or wherever else it may be resting. When in this position the 

 proboscis is half uncurled. If touched, the moth lets go with its front 

 legs and hangs by its hind ones, and, in this position, it looks as if it were 

 hanging by the tip of the forewings, because the hindlegs are hidden 

 by the wings. In conclusion, I must thank my friend, Mr. F. W. Jones, 

 for the great assistance he has given me in confirming the observations 

 made. — Raleigh S, Smallman, Carlton House, Heme Hill, S.E. 

 Jail/ 2th, 1902. 



The larva ok Thais polyxena and its pupation.- — The larva, 

 which is stout in shape and rather tapers to each extremity, is about 

 li inch in length, of a greenish-ochre colour, with the segments 

 deeply incised, and sharply confined by a broad transverse skinfold 

 between each one. Its principal characteristic, which is a striking 

 one, is the six rows of projecting spines found on the subdorsal and 

 lateral regions. These are rather over i inch in length, and are of a 

 beautiful rose colour. These spinous projections are arranged in the 

 following order, which will give six in number to each segment, except 

 the prothoracic and the anal ones. On the mesothoracic segment 

 commence two subdorsal lines of these projections, one spine on each 

 side of this and all the segme)its following it. Below these, on each 

 segment, except the anal one, but including the prothoracic, are two 

 spines set one above the other and forming a double lateral line on 

 each side of the larva. All of these spines are of a beautiful transparent 

 rose colour, tipped with yellow, and sprinkled thickly with black setae. 

 There are two black dorsal lines which commence on the mesothoracic 

 segment and extend to the anal end. These are sharply interrupted 

 between each segment by the transverse skinfolds, thus breaking the 

 dorsal lines into a series of pairs of short lines. On the prothoracic, 

 on the 1st abdominal, and the remainder of the posterior segments, is 

 found on each side a pair of black elongated markings — the upper 

 ones just underneath the subdorsal spines, and the lower ones (which 

 are not in line, but run upwards and backwards) just below the upper 

 spines of the lateral rows. The spiracles are black and lie just below 

 the lowest row of spines. The head, which is the smallest of the 

 segments, is deep sienna in colour, with a dark brown lobe on each 

 side of the crown. On the face is a dark triangular marking with a 



