54 the entomologist's kecord. 



winter, I searched diligently for more of these larvae, and succeeded in 

 finding them not uncommonly in three separate localities— Ain-Oumash, 

 Hammam-es-Salahin, and Oued-Biskra near the town itself. In this 

 latter place, with it, were some tuberculated larvse which were at once 

 recognised as Milliere's lerinensis. My first impression was that here 

 was a most abnormal instance of a dimorphic larva, but this has been 

 amply dispelled by breeding a series of both species rather larger 

 than the Cannes specimens, and perfectly distinguishable from each 

 other. After careful comparison it is now evident that, in the Sahara, 

 we find, not the English bennetii, but Milliere's two species statin's 

 and lerinensis, feeding side by side on the same plant and at the same 

 time ; a remarkable confirmation of their first published discovery on 

 the lies Lerins, near Cannes. 



In addition to these there are found at Biskra three other species, 

 A. tamaricis, Z., A. frankeniae, Z., abundant, and a fine new species 

 on Limoniastnun guyonianum which I propose to call Agdistis sphinx, 

 from the curious resemblance of the larva to a young larva of one of 

 the Sphingidae, the protruding tubercle above the head having exactly 

 the appearance of an anal horn, while the attenuation of the body 

 posteriorly represents the form of a Sphingid larva in the reverse 

 position. I confess to having been entirely deceived by this 

 appearance in the first specimen taken at Biskra in 1903. 



The new species may be described as follows : — 



1427: 1. Agdistis sphinx, sp. n. 



Antennae less than one-half; pale, slaty cinereous. Palpi short, rather 

 roughly clothed, suberect, projecting but little beyond the frontal tuft; pale, slaty 

 cinereous, with a few blackish scales. Head and Thorax pale, slaty cinereous. 

 Forewings narrow, elongate, widening outward ; pale, slatycinereous, sparsely 

 sprinkled with blackish scales, except upon the paler triangular space, representing 

 the longitudinal fold, which is conspicuous ; on the outer third of the costa are 

 four elongate, blackish, spots, in two pairs, the space between them paler than the 

 ground-colour of the wing ; at the inverted apex of the pale triangular space is a 

 strong blackish spot, followed along the lower edge of the same space by two 

 smaller ones, the first elongate, the second shorter, and placed about half-way 

 between the apex and the base of the pale triangle; at the tornus is also a blackish 

 spot, reaching more faintly through the cilia, with two others on the lower half of 

 the termen ; cilia pale, inclining to ochreous, their outer half slightly greyer than 

 their base. Exp. al. 29-35mm. Hindwings rather shining, pale greyish cinereous, 

 the veins slightly darkened, with a slight greyish fuscous marginal shade above, at, 

 and beyond, the flexus ; cilia as in the forewings, but paler towards the apex. 

 Abdomen greyish cinereous. Legs pale, slaty cinereous. Type 9 (97326); i (97327); 

 © (97328-31); Mus. Wlsm. 



Hab : Algeria — constantine — Ain-Oumash, Hammam-es-Salahin, Oued- 

 Biskra. Larva Limoniastrum guyonianum, II. -III. ; 8-9, V. 1894 (Eaton) ; 30. 

 III. -2. IV. 1903; 9-30. IV. (excl. 10-16. IV.), 1904; excl. 10. IV.-ll. V. 1906 

 (Wlsm.). Twenty-seven specimens. 



Larva variable in colour, usually pale glaucous green (similar to the leaves of 

 the foodplant which it further resembles by the presence of minute paler phnples 

 over the whole surface) ; prothorax with a short, raised, truncate, tubercular pro- 

 jection, covering the head when at rest ; metathorax with a longer and more 

 pointed projection directed obliquely forward and pimpled on its surface ; a whitish 

 spiracular line runs from behind the prothorax to the anal segment, and the 

 anterior segments are stouter than the posterior, to which the size of the body 

 gradually tapers. Long. 19mm. Some specimens are reddish grey throughout 

 and intermediate tints are to be found. 



The larva feeds exposed on the leaves of Limoniastrum guyonianum in February 

 and March, and the perfect insects are to be found from the beginning of April to 

 the end of May. It is common at and in the neighbourhood of Biskra. 



Its nearest ally is probably Ac/distis paralia, Z., which I have taken 



