P„hl. 5. XII. 1911. HERSE. By Dr. K. Jordan. 233 



in length. The forewhig is more evenly nicarked than in the other species. The harpe of ,^ with two short 

 processes, the lower one of which, instead of being directed straight backward, stands nearly vertically 

 on the surface of the valve, and is upturned at the apex. The larva of styx varies just as strongly as those 

 of the other species, which it strongly resembles, apart from its smaller size. From Japan to Ceylon and 

 eastward to the Moluccas, two subspecies. — In styx Westw. (= medusa Moore pt.) the forewing bears sty.i:. 

 longitudinal rust-brown stripes, and distally of the white discal lines an undefined large patch of the 

 same colour. Ceylon to North India, and from there southward to Tenasserim. — The rust-brown colour 

 of the afore-mentioned markings is only indicated or entirely absent in crathis R.d; J. (= medusa Moore cralhis. 

 pt.) (36 a). Japan and China, also known from Malacca to Ceram and Kisser. Its variability corresponds to 

 that of atropos; specimens differing from the average have not yet received names. 



2. Genus : Herse Oken. 



Some of the 5 species which belong here are usually found in manuals under Protoparce. The genotype 

 of Protoparce Burrti. (1856), however, is rustica and is not closely allied to ronvolvuli. 



Tongue longer than the body and graduallj^ pointed at the apex. The cavity on the inner side of the 

 second palpal segment deep and covered with large scales. Antennae in the q of nearly equal thickness from 

 the base to the recurved apical hook, in the $ club-shaped, in both sexes with white scaling above. Tarsi 

 slender, not compressed as in Acherontia; middle and hind tarsi with basal brush on the underside of seg- 

 ment 1. Pulvillus very small, jiaronychium with one lobe at each side. Clasper of q on the outer side with 

 a patch of multidentate friction-scales; harpe as in Acherontia, short and divided into two teeth at the apex. 

 — Egg small; horn of larva almost smooth, simply curved, its apex not upcurved as in Acherontia; beside 

 the usual oblique stripes of this group the larva bears a subdorsal stripe reaching from the pronotum to the 

 horn; larva dichromatic nearly as in Acherontia, green, or brown to nearly black. Pupa distinguished by the 

 sheath of the proboscis being curved spirally towards the head. The moths are good fliers and sometimes travel 

 long distances. The distribution-area of two of the species is consequently very large, cingulnta F. being found 

 throughout the Western Hemisphere with the exception of the extreme north, and convolvuli occurring from 

 the Atlantic Islands to New Zealand, neither species having any even fairly constant local form anywhere. 

 Neither lofty mountains nor wide straits are unsurmountable obstacles for these moths. The other three species 

 inhabit the Papuan district and only one of them (luctifera) goes Avestward to Celebes. 



H. convolvuli L. (= orientalis Biitl.) (36 a). As in the other species of this genus the forewing of the convolvuli. 

 (J is much more strongly marked above and darker than in the $, in which sex it is almost uniformly grey. Abdomen 

 with red transverse spots laterally. Hindwing grey with black transverse bands. The variable larva on Convol- 

 vulaceae ; subdorsal lines and lateral stripes yellow. The pupa hibernates. The moth very common in the tropics of 

 Africa and Indo- Australia ; in districts with a long dry season the specimens are as a rule small and pale. European 

 examples are usually larger than tropical ones. In the summer the Convolvulus Hawkmoth goes far north and is found 

 at dusk sucking at flowers, among which it jiarticularly frequents the species of Phlox and Tobacco so rich in 

 honey. In the Southern districts of the Palearctic Region it is met with during nearly the whole warm season 

 of the year, in Central Europe in the late spring and more often again late in the summer. In Northern 

 Central Europe, just like atropos, it is not permanently acclimatised. The (^-ab. alicea Neuhurger is very alicea. 

 dark, the abdomen not grey but golden brown, the lateral spots being red-gold without white edges. It is per- 

 haps advisable to use this name for all specimen of both sexes having yellow abdominal spots instead of red 

 ones. Small and fairly uniformly coloured specimens are ab. pseudoconvolvuli iS'c/^aw/. (= batatae Christ.); pseiido- 

 they are especially common in tropical regions. Specimens which are larger than 120 mm. Tutt calls ab. convolvuli. 

 major and those measuring less at than 75 mm. ab. minor. Moreover, he divides the specimens known to 

 himfroniEuropp, Asia and Africa into 8 groups, the names of which we mention here for the sake of complete- 

 ness. Unfortunately Tutt does not mention to which sex he is referring, and some of the names evidently 

 only refer to cJ(J and others only to 99. ab. nnicolor Tutt, forewing uniformly grey, without distinct trans- 

 verse bands (9?); ab. grisea Tutt similar, but darker grey; ab. intermedia Tutt, forewing pale grey as in 

 unicolor, with darker transverse lines; ab. fuscosignata Tutt, forewing dark grey with distinct brow^l median 

 area; ab. virgata Tutt, forewing dark grey, the median area much darker than the rest of the wing; ab. varie- virgata. 

 gata Tutt. forewing Avith dark central and marginal areas contrasting with the whitish basal and discal areas; 

 ab. suffusa Tutt, forewing dark, the grey markings confined to the neighbourhood of the proximal and discal .suffu.<ia. 

 wavy lines; ab. obscura Tutt, the darkest form, the light markings of the forewing almost entirely obsolete, dbscura. 

 Of these eight names the first three are best placed with convolvuli, and variegata united with virgata. 



2. Tribe: Sphingicae. 



Second jialpal segment not concave on the inner side and .scaled in a normal way, at mo.st with a bare stripe. — 

 Only two of the 120 known species occur in Europe, and 8 altogether on Palearctic territory. 



II 30 



