isfii.] 131 



skin tliouj^h dull is yet clear enough to bIiow a darker doi-rtal ])ulrtating 

 lino, the shining head, and plate with a wide behind dorsal division aro 

 of lightish warm brown, both dotted and marked with darker brown, 

 mouth blackish, the shining spots on the back and sides, each bearing 

 a hair, arc of a darkish warm brown on the back, lighter brown on the 

 sides, the small round spiracles arc black, the anterior legs ringed and 

 tipped with darkish brown, the ventral legs fringed with dark brown 

 hooks: when full-fed and about to spin up, the colour of the skin 

 changes to a pale pinkish-brown. 



The pupa is enclosed in an oval cocoon half an inch long and 

 quarter of an inch wide, made with similar materials to those of the 

 gallery, but is more tough and stronger and sunk partly in the earth ; 

 the pupa itself is three-eighths of an inch long with no peculiarity of 

 shape, with longish wing covers, leg-and antenna-cases, the tapering 

 abdomen ending in a short truncated projection, the spiracles rather 

 ])rominent ; the colour at first is pale yellowish-brown and shining, 

 changing to dark brown a little before the insect is disclosed. 

 Eiusworth : September 30th, 1881. 



LIFE HISTORY OF DEILEPHILA SPINIFASCIA, BUTLEE. 



BY GERVASE F. MATIIEW, R.N., F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c. 



The larvae of this fine species were abundant in the neighbourhood 

 of Valparaiso at the end of 1872 and beginning of 1873, and as 

 they were of all sizes, and ova were to be found throughout October, 

 November, December, and January, the pi'obability is that there is 

 a succession of broods throughout the year. Their food-plant, 

 Muhlenhccl-ia injucunda, called by the Chilians the " Quilo," grows 

 in profusion all over the country, and in some places inland becomes a 

 large straggling plant of vigorous growth, often entwining itself among 

 other shrubs and attaining a considerable height, but immediately on 

 the coast-line it never grows to any great size. The parent moths 

 usually select small stunted scrubby bushes, growing in exposed 

 places, whereon to deposit their eggs. The eggs hatched in the course 

 of a week or ten days. The young larvae were exceedingly beautiful 

 creatures, but after their last change they were by no means so hand- 

 some, and, moreover, at that age varied very considerably. Befoi'e 

 undergoing their last moult they were as difficult to sketch or describe 

 as the larvae of DeUephila euphorhiw, but the following description 

 will give a pretty fair idea of what they were then like. Ground- 

 colour deep velvety-black ; on fifth to eleventh segments inclusive 

 there is a pale yellow ocellated spot, having a pink centre, and this 



