604 Notes in 1887 upon lepidopterous larvae, é&c. 
much less than in the earlier stages. The chief variations are in 
the shade of ground colour, which passes from brown to black, in 
the prominence of the subdorsal, subspiracular, and oblique 
stripes and their borders. The subdorsal is often represented by 
a single spot on each segment posterior to the 1st abdominal. In 
the lightest varieties there is a dorsal stripe above the subdorsal, 
also tending to form spots (above the subdorsal spots); this is 
indicated in figs. 6 and 7. The larve represented in the figures 
are described in the paper. 
The horn is now smooth, polished, and curved like that of 
S. ligustri. There is no trace of the bifid extremity and the 
tubercles of earlier stages. The dorsal prothoracic plate is very 
distinet and polished. Traces of shagreen dots can be distinctly 
seen immediately after ecdysis, as in S. ligustri; but most of them 
disappear or become very inconspicuous in the course of a few 
hours. They can still be detected, and are represented in the 
figures, in the faintly marked oblique stripes. 
Fig. 11, x 7. The head and prothorax of a larva in the resting- 
period before the last ecdysis, as seen from the right side and 
above. The prothoracie dorsal plate, which is not conspicuous 
earlier in the stage, now comes out with great distinctness. Its 
colour is darker than the surrounding cuticle, and its rigidity 
prevents it from being thrown into wrinkles by the strain which 
affects the cuticle in this way. The wrinkles are especially 
distinct round the margin of the plate. The shagreen dots are 
especially large on the plate; they are small and dark on the black 
head, and are absent from the anterior neck-like part of the 
prothorax, into which the head of the next stage is being retracted. 
The subdorsal line is shown in outline on both sides; the pro- 
thoracic spiracle on the right side only. 
Fic. 12, x 7. Part of the 6th abdominal segment of a larva, in 
the 5th stage, immediately after the last ecdysis, as seen from the 
left side. The appearance represented only remains for an hour 
or two after ecdysis, for the rapidly darkening cuticular pigments 
cover up and hide the subcuticular pigment upon which the first 
appearance depends. The shagreen tubercles are seen to be still 
present, although very small, each being surrounded by a circular 
white area, which corresponds to the tubercles of the previous 
stage. The ground colour is purplish above and yellowish below ; 
the border to the stripe is purplish, but blue in the central part. 
The appearance somewhat suggests that of Acherontta atropos. 
Two of the chief tubereles and bristles are very prominent. The 
eight annuli of the segment are distinctly shown. 
