A DESCRIPTION OF THE LA.RVA AND PUPA OF DAPHNIS NERII. 39 



on each segment, in vertical lines, on the liver-coloured portions which 

 enclosed the dorsal triangles of the fawn tint. Thus, the first line of 

 dots on the 2nd abdominal segment consisted of five dots, one above 

 the other, and nearly meeting the dots from the reverse side at the 

 dorsal centre. The next line of dots on the same segment would be 

 shorter, and also the following ones, but irregularl_y, until they were 

 merged into the whitish lateral line. It will be understood from this 

 that the ends of these lines of dots on each segment followed the 

 shape of the dome-like marking on the dorsal area. This they did, 

 but did not cross the boundary of the liver-colour. These dots were 

 found vertically placed on the lateral line on each segment, from the. 

 2nd abdominal to the 7th, but they gradually diminished in the 

 altitude they reached on each succeeding segment posteriorly. For 

 example, the first row on abdominal segment 2 consisted of five dots, 

 on the next segment there were but four in the first row, in the next 

 but three, the next two, and the remaining two segments that possessed 

 dots had but one each on their first row, and only suggestions of others 

 following in their last two segments. The true legs and the powerful 

 prolegs were of the liver-colour of the lower portions of the larva, the 

 prolegs having fulvous edges on the pedal formations. The true legs 

 were not shiny, but had a dull gloss on their surface. The ventral 

 surface was shiny, and of the soft liver-colour of the lateral colora- 

 tion. There was also a slight indication of a very fine suft'used lighter- 

 coloured medioventral line. The caudal horn was small, and hung 

 like the horn upon the larva of Mandnca atropos. It was of a bright 

 orange-sienna colour, and very shiny. Its surface was roughened by 

 projecting excrescences, and it was irregularly marked with a few 

 dark dots around its base. The end of the horn was not pointed, but 

 finished bluntly. Allusion to the principal beauty of the larva has 

 been kept to the last, so that what has been described of its general 

 features, in their refined sobriety of colour, may give effect to the 

 brilliancy of this particular detail. The larva was a sober-coloured 

 creature of simple quaker-like tints, but at the commencement of the 

 lateral line, on the metathoracic segment, was the most gorgeous 

 single ocellated spot of electric bluish sheen that contrast could offer. 

 This spot existed, of course, on each side of the segment, and 

 suggested in colour the phosphorescent gleam of the glow-worm's 

 light. 



The larva was placed upon a young potted oleander plant on its 

 arrival, and it at once made for the topmost leaves. Its hold upon 

 the foodplant was tenacious, and it possessed a voracious appetite, 

 evidently preferring the young growth on the plant to the fully 

 expanded leaves. It fed freely and systematically, finishing each leaf 

 in a workmanlike manner, with the exception of the larger leaves, 

 which it either did not like so well, or else itwould not leave its hold upon 

 the stem of the plant to work to their extremity. In fact, it never left 

 its hold upon the stem. With the smaller leaves it would extend 

 itself to the full and drag them back until they were bent nearly 

 double, to be held by the legs, when it would commence feeding on 

 one side at the tip, and then eat right across the leaf, including the 

 midrib. They were bent backwards, with the upper- or underside 

 uppermost, as was convenient. The larger leaves were attacked at 

 about the centre of one side, and the larva would feed backwards from 



