NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORIES OF TWO MESOPOTAMIAN MOTHS. 479 



segment 2. On segments 3. 4, 5 and 6 the spectacles were represented by 

 elongate, oval, horizontal yellow patches. The sides of the body were yellowish- 

 brown, with an oblique brown fascia on each segment. The anal horn was 2-vS mm. 

 long, blunt-tipped, and pinkish-brown in colour. The true legs were pinkish with 

 white bands, while the prolegs were thick, fleshy and purplish-brown in colour. 



On the 28th August the larva ceased to feed and began to construct its cocoon, 

 which was prepared of leaves and a loose network of a few strong silken strands, 

 at the bottom of the cage. Under natural conditions the caterpillar presumably 

 constructs its cocoon in the soil. It pupated during the night of the 30th August. 

 The pupa was about 2 in. in length, elongate and cyhndrical, varying in colour from 

 a yellowish-brown to a darker brown. Head large ; rudiments of eyes and antennae 

 clearly impressed : face compressed, prominent and projecting a long way in front 

 of the eyes. The rudiments of the wings, legs and proboscis extended almost to 

 the posterior margin of the fourth abdominal segment. Abdomen tapering behind, 

 terminating in a spike-hke chitinous process carrying two strong hooks at the tip ; 

 spiracles large. The moth emerged on the 15th September 1920, being a large insect^ 

 pinkish-brown in colour, with the hind wings and sides of the abdomen rosy red. 



The duration of the larval period in the present case was about 19 days, while 

 the pupal period lasted about 15 days. In a second case, a caterpillar collected in 

 October 1919 pupated in November 1919, passed the winter in the pupal stage, 

 and emerged as a moth on the 9th May 1920. 



This insect is found on the grape-vine in spring as well as in autumn, but is 

 usually not seen in large numbers. It is, however, a voracious feeder, a similar 

 caterpillar kept in a breeding cage having been found to have devoured nearly 

 100 vine leaves by the time it commenced to build its cocoon. 



An allied hawkmoth, Deilephila livornica, is reported by Hcrr Bredemann to 

 be a serious pest in vineyards in Upper Mesopotamia (Rev. App. Ent viii A 

 p. 346). 



