COMMON BUTTERFLIES OF THE PLAINS. 519 



mclined to pupal axis and twice as long as the posterior slope, which latter 

 is also more steeply inclined in the opposite sense : the dorsal line is cari- 

 nated slightly ; lateral outline of thorax gradually widening to shoulders, 

 then the pupa quite parallel-sided to end of wings except for a very slight 

 constriction where the body- loop passes ; there is also a slight 

 lateral constriction between segments 2 and 3; the dorsal line of abdomen 

 is nearly straight from thorax to cremaster ; the lateral lines converging 

 gradually to same end ; the ventral line from tip of head-snout gradually 

 diverges in a straight line from longitudinal axis of pupa, then curves 

 back in a parabolic curve, whose apex is opposite segment 5/6, to 

 meet the ventral, abdominal, straight line in an obtuse angle at the 

 hinder margin of segment 8. The cremaster is a truncated triangle as 

 broad at base as it is long, much hollowed out ventrally, with low, dorsal, 

 parallel, extensor-ridges. The transverse section of abdomen is circular 

 throughout. The surface is finely transversely aciculate -striate. Spiracles 

 of segment 2 narrow, lightish; others oval, yellow, of ordinary size, situa- 

 ted below the yellow abdominal line. Colour is green, occasionally 

 glaucous green ; tip of snout, edge of cremaster, and supraspiracular line 

 along abdomen, yellow; a thin, black line round the eye. L. : 28 mm. ; 

 B : 7 mm. at segment 7 ; L. of snout : 2 mm ; H. at apex of wing-bulge : 

 7"6 mm.; H. at apex of thorax : 7"56 mm. 



Habits. — The egg is rather slight, of the ordinary type, white 

 when first laid, turning yellow ; always laid singly on the upperside 

 of a leaf or on a bud or shoot. The larva always lives on the upper- 

 side of the leaf, lying along and over the midrib, making a bed of 

 silk ; it generally lies with its head towards the point of the leaf ; 

 sits sometimes with the front legs bunched and held in the air ; 

 eats often and much ; grows, therefore, accordingly. The pupa is 

 formed after wandering for a short distance, the larva becoming 

 quite translucent-looking just before fixing itself up. The tail-pad 

 is copious and the fixture therefore strong ; the loop in which the 

 pupa hangs is rather long ; a favourite position for a pupa is to fix 

 the tail to a leaf-stalk and the body-loop to the underside of the leaf 

 on the midrib. The lavYse are quite active creatures in their \Ya,y 

 but are not easily dislodged from their beds on the leaves ; they 

 will, however, occasionally fall when disturbed, always however keep- 

 ing at anchor in the shape of the usual silk thread to climb back by. 

 They are very muscular and can jvimp well ; this they do by settling 

 themselves with the belly flat against a support, raising part of the 

 body slightly and then bringing it down suddenly ; one was obser- 

 ved once to clear a basin of water in which it was confined on a 

 bunch of the foodplant placed in a bottle in the middle. The jump 

 was quite a considerable one, quite 8 inches or more. This parti- 

 cular individual had tried to get down the bottle several times — it 

 was about to pupate — but was prevented from getting aAva}^ by the 

 w^ater. This fact argues a certain thinking power in this particular 

 caterpillar ; most will walk straight into water and get drowned. 

 The larvse exude a green, rather strong-smelling liquid from the 

 mouth as a method of defence against enemies when attacked 

 violently and the possession of this odcur may be the reason why 



