-4 LEPIDOPTERA. 



of the twelfth segment smooth, curved back over the anal 

 segment. Colour of the body blackish brown; head yellow, 

 edged with black, second to fourth segments with a bright 

 ochreous subdorsal stripe, continued in a more indistinct and 

 inteiTupted manner to the twelfth segment ; dorsal stripe 

 double, with a blackish central line and composed of similar 

 interrupted ochreous streaks, with which moreover the whole 

 dorsal region is profusely sprinkled ; from head to tail, along 

 the sides, just below the spiracles, is a broad pale grey or 

 whitish stripe, often shaded oif upwards or spreading so as to 

 form large triangular patches on the segments, or else indica- 

 tions of oblique stripes, but very obscure and much dotted 

 with gi'ey ; spiracles large, black ; horn black, or sometimes 

 ferruginous, or fawn colour above, black beneath ; legs shin- 

 ing black ; pro-legs bro^vn, ringed with orange red or yellow. 

 A erv variable in shade of brown, and in the deo^•ee of vellow 

 dorsal colouring and white clouding at the sides. Strangely 

 enough this larva does not appear to assume the sphinx-like 

 posture common to so many of its allies. 



In June and July, and sometimes August, on Convolvulus 

 arvensis in fields. Occasionally also on C. sepium 

 (common bindweed) and there is a record of the finding of 

 half a dozen larvae in "Wales upon the wild balsam {Impa- 

 ticns noii-mc-tangc/r) but there seems to be no record 

 that they were reared, and from the extreme rarity of the 

 larva in this countiy it seems possible that a mistake was 

 made. From the same cause very little is known of the 

 habits of the larva here ; it has been supposed to hide under 

 ground in the daytime, but this seems to be mere conjecture, 

 and is not confirmed by the result of Mr. Buckler's experi- 

 ments with one of his larvee. He found that it showed no 

 desire to enter the earth, or even to remain upon it in bright 

 sunshine, but crawled back to the Convolvulus plant. He 

 also says that its whole demeanour was so sluggish that it 

 would remain day and night in the same position on the 

 same trailing stem, and merelv move a little to the risfht or 



