T, BAINBRIGGE FLETCHER 13 
captivity they die in a week or less, but this is no guide since they are not in 
normal conditions. Actually there are probably always available foodplants 
in India ; cultivated or wild forms of this gourd are grown constantly and in 
great profusion ; the pigeon-pea and lablab bean are extensively grown over 
India. Besides Dolichos and Cajanus, the larva of S. caffer has been found 
feeding on Averrhoa bilimbi (bilimbi tree), buds of Luffa sp., petals of Hibiscus 
mutabilis, Biophytum sensitivum and Mimosa pudica (sensitive plant), so that 
it is decidedly polyphagous and would apparently be able to hold its own in 
the absence of cultivated crops. ae 
Practically nothing is on record regarding its distribution in India, but —- au 
it seems to occur practically throughout India, Ceyion and Burma. The Pusa~ 
collection contains specimens from Madulsima, Haldummulla, Peradeniya, 
Coimbatore, Anamalais, Ootacamund,  Pollibetta, Bababudins, Surat, 
Allahabad, Pusa, Bhim Tal, Sarai Saleh (Hazara), Peshawar, Shillong ond OY 
Maymyo. | 
OXYPTILUS LACTUCA, n. Sp. 
Expanse 19 mm. Palpi porrect, second joint triangularly dilated with 
Jong scales, third joint long, slender ; ochreous, intermixed with white scales, 
third joint whitish above. Head tawny-ochreous. Antenne blackish, white- 
ringed. Thorax tawny-ochreous, tegule ochreous. Legs whitish : posterior 
tibiee broadly banded and dilated with reddish-brown scales at origin of spurs 
at 3/5 and apex; spurs white, blackish apically, internal proximal spur 
longer than external and this latter longer than either of the equal distal pair ; 
posterior tarsi whitish, lined and banded with brown. (Abdomen broken.) 
Forewing cleft from slightly beyond 3: first segment parallel-sided, 
narrow, rather falcate apically ; second segment broadening posteriorly, apex 
produced, strongly falcate, anal angle well marked, termen concave : ochreous- 
tawny, irrorated with whitish and black scales ; an ill-defined whitish patch at 
base of cleft, tending to form a bar to costa ; first segment with narrow white bars 
at 2/5 and 2 of length,.these bars continued on to second segment. 
Cilia on costa broadly whitish opposite white bars, whitish before apex ; on 
termen whitish with fine brown streaks from apex of either segment ; on peste~ 
rier margin of first segment pale ochreous to first white bar, from this to 5/6 
brownish intermixed with scattered black scales, from 5/6 to apex ochreous 
white ; on anterior margin of second segment ochreous-brown with a few 
white and black scales and a strong row of black scales between } and 5/6 of 
segment ; on dorsum ochreous- brown, at 4 a tuft of white scales, from about 
% to slightly beyond first white bar on second segment whitish, beyond this 
2 
