72 INSECTA TRANSVAALIENSIA. 



of fields in a very short time. In North America it is modified in markings, the white line 

 on the pronotum being duplicated, and this variety is known under the name of P. lineata. 

 In Britain, although the species comes to light, it is sometimes discovered during the daytime 

 at rest, and frequently in unlooked-for places. Mr. Lucas has searched the records, and gives 

 the following strange spots on each of which a specimen has been found: "the pavement, a 

 granite street-crossing, an apple-tree trunk, a fence, a door-post, a bramble-bush, a truss of 

 straw, and a cart-rut " ; all of which probably mean that the specimens were overtaken by 

 daylight before obtaining concealment. In Britain the larva feeds on lady's bedstraw (Galium 

 verum), vine, dock, and corn sow-thistle (Sonchus arvensis). 



18. Phryxus opheltes. (Tab. VI., fig. 9.) 



Sphmx opheltes, Cramer, Pap. Exot. iii. pi. cclxxxv. fig. B (1780). 



Hyles opheltes, Hiibn. Verz. bek. Sehmett. p. 137 (1822 ?). 



Beilephila maria, Wallengr. Ofv. Vet.-Ak. Forh. 1875, p. 93. 



Bdlephila oj^heltes. Walk. Cat. Lepid. Heteroc. Brit. Mus. viii. p. 173 (1856) ; Butl. Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. 



vol. ix. p. 568 (1876) ; Kirby, Syn. Cat. Lepid. Heteroc. vol. i. p. 665 (1892); Dist. Ann. Mag. Nat. 



Hist. (6) vol. xix. p. 579 (1897). 



Hab. — Transvaal; Lydenburg District (Zutrzenka). — Natal; Newcastle (Coll. Dist.). Cape Colony. 



Genus DEILEPHILA. 



Beilephila, Ocbsenbeimer, Sehmett. Eur. iv. p. 42 (1816). 



19. Beilephila nerii. (Tab. VI., fig. 6.) 



Sphinx nerii, Linnffius, Syst. Nat. i. p. 490, n. 5 (1758) ; Cram. Pap. Exot. iii. pi. ccxxiv. fig. D (1779) 

 Esper, Ausl. Scbmett. ii. p. 43, pi. iv. figs. 1-3 (1779 ?), p. 199, pi. xxvii. figs. 1, 2 (1782 ?) ; Hiibn 

 Eur. Scbmett. Sphiny. fig. 63 (1797-1803) ; Ocbs. Sehmett. Eur. ii. p. 201 (1808) ; Godt. L6p 

 France, iii. p. 12, pi. 13 (1822). 



Baphnis nerii, Hiibn. Verz. bek. Scbmett. p. 134 (1816) ; Butl. Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. vol. ix. p. 572 (1876) 

 Moore, Lepid. Ceylon, vol. ii. p. 14, pi. Ixxxiii. figs. 1, 1« (1882); Kirby, Syn. Cat. Lepid. Heteroc 

 vol. i. p. 671 (1892) ; Hamps. Faun. Brit. Ind., Moths, vol. i. p. 94, fig. 54 (1892) ; Dist. Ann. Mag 

 Nat. Hist. (6) vol. six. p. 579 (1897). 



Beilephila nerii, Boisd. Faun. Ent. Madag. p. 74 (1833). 



Charocampa nerii, Boisd. Spec. Gen. Lepid. Heteroc. i. p. 224 (1875). 



Var. A. Baphnis, L., var. infernelutea , Saalm. Lepid, Madag. i. p. 123 (1884). 



Larva. — Baphnis nerii, Fawcett, Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. vol. xv. p. 310 (1901). 



" The colour of the larva in Natal is very pale (jreen (almost yellow) dorsally, darker below; a white 

 lateral line with numerous small silver-white spots sprinkled over, above, and beloiv it, the lower edc/e of the line 

 is bounded by a broad light blue area extending downwards as far as the sjnraeles from 6th to 10th somites. 

 On 3rd somite a pair of large, black, double -pupilled, eye-like spots, the pupils being white, surrounded by a 

 blue and crimson iris. Habits and transformation siinilar to those o/Tlieretra capensis, Linn.'' (Fawcett). 



Hab. — Transvaal ; Pretoria (Distant). — Natal ; Newcastle (Coll. Dist.), Durban (Eoss). A well-known 

 European species ; common to a very large area of the African continent ; found at Mauritius, and 

 throughout India and Ceylon. 



In Europe the larva feeds on oleander [Ncrium oleander) and lesser periwinkle [Vinca 

 minor) (Lucas). 



