( 21 ) 



it is a species without named abs. and cars., tboiigh its iudividiuil variabilit}' is not in- 

 considerable. The frightening sijull-mark, the symbol of death, apparently suppressed 

 all earthly vanity in those who were or are the possessors of aberrant specimens. 



The fore wing is occasionally nearly all black, with the lines obscure and the white 

 or ochi-aceous scaling iu the subapical region obliterate ; on the other hand there occur 

 individuals with an unusually large ochraceous subapical patch. The discal band 

 of the hiudwing is sometimes absent, or vestigial ; the outer band is also occasionally 

 obsolescent. Seldom are both bands nearly fused to one ; more often is the external 

 one so enlarged distad that the yellow marginal spots are reduced to dots. The 

 amount of black on tlie underside of the wings is also variable ; the discal band 

 of both wings is not rarely absent or vestigial, the stigma of the hindwing is 

 sometimes wanting. The skull-mark of the thorax is very seldom absent. The 

 black segmental bauds of the abdomen below are complete, and never reduced to 

 mesial spots. Some individuals have the underside of the abdomen nearly all 

 lilack ; in others, especially often in bred ones, the under surface of the body is 

 fuscous, in which case neither the yellow nor the black bauds are clearly defined. 

 On such individuals as the latter Leech's assertion that those black bands are 

 sometimes quite absent from the abdomen of atropos may have been based. 



We do not find any difference in structure or colour between the Aethiopian 

 and Palaearctic afropos, but the tropical specimens are on average, especially in 

 the S sex, smaller than the northern individuals ; we say expressly on an average, 

 as many Aethiopian examples surpass the medium-sized Palaearctic ones. Antenna 

 short and stout, shorter than iu the other species, more obviously so iu ? than 

 in c?, middle segments in ? at least four times as high as long (PI. LX. f. 20, 

 lateral view). Foretibia a little siiorter than in the other species ; foretarsus 

 (PI. LXIV. f. 1) with numerous spines on the outer side of the first segment, 

 and more than one row on the onterside of the second and third segments ; middle 

 tibia obviously shorter than first tarsal segment, while iu the other species it is as 

 lung as this ; hinder tibia as long as tarsal segments 1 aud 2 together. 



c?. Ventral process of liarpe (PI. XXXV. f. 1) dentate, carinate on the upper 

 surface ; the npjjer process a triangular tootli, tlie broad sides of lioth processes 

 vertical. 



?. Vaginal aperture without special armature. 



Larva : a green, red-striped, and a brown form. — Food : Solannecne, but also 

 observed feeding on Fraxinus and other plants. 



Huh. The whole of the Aethiopian Region, the Palearctic Eegiou as far north 

 as the Shetland and Lofoden Islands (found once) ; eastward to Transcaucasia and 

 North Persia, westwards to the Azores. 



In the Triug Museum 80 specimens from various parts of Europe and 

 Continental Africa, Azores, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, besides a number of 

 European larvae and pupae. 



9. Acherontia styx. 



*Sphinx {Acherontia) s/^/t Westwood, C<ih. Or. Ent. p. 88. t. 42. f. 3 (1848) (E. Indies ;— Mus. Brit). 

 Acherontia styx, Moore, iu Horsf. & Moore, Cut. Lep. Mus. E.I.C. i. p. 2G0. n. G14 (1857) (Java, 



Penang, Dukhun, Madras) : Mt'netr., Eiium. Corp. Aniiii. Mus. Petr., Lep. p. 93. n. 1555 (1857) 



(Ind. ox.) ; Boisd., Spec. Gen. Lep. Net. i. p. n. 2 (1875) ; Hamps., in Blanf., Fauna Brit. 



Iml., .Uolhs i. p. (h. n. 88. f. 40 (1892) ; Swinh., Cat. Lep. Het. O.e. i. p. 30. n. 121 (1892) ; 



Piep., Tijdschr. Ent. xl. p. 98. t. 1. f. 18. 19 (horn of /.) p. 102. t. 4. f. 4 (larva) (1897). 

 Achenmtia medusa Moore, I.e. (1857) (sub synon.) ; Bartel, I.e. ii. p. 25 (1899). 



