The Origin of the Markings, of Caterpillars. 3 79 



to me, as well as with all the species of the genera 

 Sphinx, Dolba, and Acherontia. 



Oblique stripes and spot-markings are not, 

 however, necessarily mutually exclusive in their 

 action, and we also find these in certain cases 

 united in the same larva, although certainly never 

 in an equal state of perfection. Thus, Ctuzrocampa 

 Nessus 9 possesses strongly marked oblique stripes, 

 but feebly developed ocelli; and, on the other 

 hand, Chcerocampa Elpenor shows strongly de- 

 veloped eye-spots, but the earlier oblique stripes 

 are at most only present as faint traces. This is 

 easily explained by the mode of life. These cater- 

 pillars at least such of them as are perfectly 

 known do not live on plants with large, strongly- 

 ribbed leaves, and are even in the majority of 

 individuals adapted to the colour of the soil ; the 

 oblique stripes have therefore in these cases 

 only the significance of rudimentary formations. 



That the first and third forms of markings also 

 are not always mutually prejudicial in their action 

 is shown by the case of Chcerocampa Tersa, in 

 which the eye-spots certainly appear to possess 

 some other significance than as a means of causing 

 terror. In most of the Ck<zrocampa-\axvzz the 

 subdorsal line disappears in the course of the 

 phylogeny, and it can be understood that the 

 illusive appearance of the eye-spots would be 



9 Cat. Lep. East India Co., PI. XI. 



