J50 SPOTTED ELEPHANT HAWK MOTH. 



and obscured with dusky, and having a large dark- 

 coloured spot near the middle of the upper wings. 



The caterpillar varies considerably in appearance, 

 according to its age. In its mature state, when 

 nearly ready to be transformed into a chrysalis, it is 

 black, with numerous slightly elevated white or 

 yellowish points disposed in -transverse lines placed 

 close to each other, and three longitudinal rows of 

 rounded spots on each side, the spots in the central 

 row, which are much smaller than the others, and 

 those of the upper row, being cream-coloured, and 

 the lower one bright red: the head, a line along 

 the back, and the legs, are of the latter colour. 

 The cypress-leaved spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias) 

 is the favourite plant of this beautiful caterpillar ; 

 it likewise feeds on Euphorbia esula and E. Para- 

 tyas (sea spurge), but seems to reject several other 

 kinds, although the qualities of all may be presumed 

 to be nearly the same. 



This must be regarded as a rare and local insect 

 in Britain. The locality that has afforded the 

 largest supply of specimens is in the vicinity of 

 Barnstaple, in Devonshire, where it was procured 

 in some plenty by Mr. Raddon. " That gentle- 

 man," says Mr. Curtis, " visited occasionally the 

 extensive sand-hills at Appledore and Braunton 

 Burrows near Barnstaple, where Euphorbia Para- 

 lias grows in great abundance; and from the size 

 and beauty of the caterpillar it would be imagined 

 that it might readily be found ; but in the young 

 state they are not easily discoverable ; and when 



