Lepidoptera observed in Mhow. 399 



Parasa lepida, Cramer. 

 Mhow, November 24th, 1879. 



The larva, which is tolerably common, feeds on the 

 leaves of the well-known mango-tree of India. 



The description given of Miresa alhipuncta applies to 

 this species so far as concerns the legs ; pectoral legs 

 six. Prolegs merely membranous folds, so indis- 

 tinguishable one from another that I could not count 

 them, or even see them, unless the larva was in motion, 

 when they appeared as waves commencing at the thorax 

 and ending at the anus, the mode of progression re- 

 sembling that of a snail. A blue line runs down centre 

 of dorsum, with a paler blue line along either side of 

 body. At the posterior (anal) end of the lateral lines is 

 a black tuft ; two similar tufts exist at the anus. Two 

 red tufts adorn the dorsum of thorax, also two on dorsum 

 of second last segment; rows of green tufts also run 

 along dorsum and lateral margins. Some of the spines 

 in the inferior lateral line of tufts terminate in short 

 white hairs, and have a small whitish process in the 

 centre of the tuft. 



The cocoons and pupse resemble those of ilf. alhipuncta, 

 but are invariably made on the trunk or branches of the 

 mango-tree, unconcealed in any way. The texture is 

 very dense and hard, but brittle like an egg-shell. I 

 have not noticed any stinging powers in the case of this 

 larva. 



LIPAEID^. 



Psalis securis, Hiibn. 



Mhow, August 25th, 1881. 



Larva found amongst long meadow grass, on which it 

 feeds. Head dark brown ; broad lemon-yellow band along 

 each side of body. On dorsal surface of the central seg- 

 ments are four dense tufts of short deep brownish orange 

 hairs ; two head and one tail tuft of long dark brown or 

 blackish hairs ; other thinner tufts of hair of a whitish 

 colour on each segment at sides of body. Front legs 

 six, black; posterior eight, sienna-red; caudal two, 

 ditto. Black velvet line down centre of back, bordered 

 on either side by a yellow band of small oblong marks, 

 varied by a bright orange mark on every fourth yellow 

 patch. 



