RARE AND LITTLE KNOWN SFHINGID^. 753 



Genus. — Rhagastis. Type : velata. 



' Pergesa, Walker, List Lep. Ins. B. M., VIII, p. 149. (1856), ( par tin ; type: 

 porcellus, chaerocampa, Boisduval, (non-Duponchel, 1835), Spec. Gen. Lep. 

 Heb., I, p. 223 (1875), (partim). 



Theretra, Dudgeon, (non-Hubner, 1822), Journ., Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc, 

 XI, p. 411 (1898), (partim). 



Rhagastis, gen. nov., Rothschild, I.e. pp. 791, 931, CLXV and CLXVI (typus 

 velata), (1903). 



Range. — Oriental Region, northward to Amurland and Japan, eastward Lo 

 Borneo and Java. 



Eleven species known to science, it is expected that more new species will 

 be discovered. 



Rhagastis olivacea (Walker). 



Pergesa castor var., Walker, List Lep. Ins. B. M., VIII, p. 153, n. 5 (1856)» 



Pergesa olivacea, Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc, Lond., p. 566 (1872). 



Chcerocampa olivacea, Hamr)Son, in Blanf., Fauna Brit. Ind. Moths, I, p. 91, 

 n. 136 (1892). 



Chcsrocampa castor, id.. I.e., IV, p. 453 (1896) ; Dudgeon, Journ., Bombay 

 Nat. Hist. Soc, XL p. 411, n. 136 (1898), (=olivacea). 



Theretra spec. Dudgeon, I.e., p. 413, n. 137, B. a. (1898). 



Rhagastis olivacea, Rothschild, Nov. Zool., IX (Suppl.), pp. 797, 932, n. 7.56 

 and 764 (1903). 



Habitat. — North-West and North India. 



Localities. — Mussoorie ; Simla ; Sikkim ; Bhutan ; Silhet ; Shillong ; Khasia 

 Hills, Assam. 



Elevation. — (Vertical range) 3,000 to 7,000 feet. 



Time of appearance. — May to July. 



Occurrence. — Common. 



Expanse. — $, 74 mm. 9 80 mm. 



Larva. — Green, profusslj' spotted with white all over, a dark line on the dorsal 

 surface from the head to the horn ; oblique lateral pale greenish yellow stripes 

 from fourth to twelfth segments with a sUght pinkish suffusion at their bases 

 and with a series of black dots above ; a bluish green ocellus on fourth segment 

 with a black ring and black centre spot ; spiracles white bordered with orange ; 

 head green, of the same shade as the body ; horn a slate colour, long and blunt 

 at the tip. Legs and claspers pale yellow. Underside of larva pale green. 



Length. — 65 mm. 



Time of appearance. — August and September. 



Food-plants. — Vitis vinifera and Hydrangea. 



Pupa dark olive green on the head and wing cases, and dorsal and lateral sur- 

 faceSjtongiie case, prominent, eyes, antennse and the base of the thorax a brighter 

 green, some black on the inner margin of the wing cases and a few small black 

 dots on the wing cases. Eyes prominent. Spiracles reddish brown edged with 

 black. Ventral surface of abdomen creamy yellow, -with a shght pinkish suffusion, 

 two sharply defined black longitudinal streaks on the 5th and 6th segments, 

 with three small ventro lateral blackish spots on each side extending to the 

 7th segment, the divisions of the segments from the 4th to the 7th are reddish 

 at the brown edged with black. Cremaster blunt with four bristles arranged in 

 pairs extreme tip, slightly pointing ventrad. 



Length. — $ mm, $, 50 mm. 



Time of pupation. — October to May. 



Situation. — On surface of the ground, in a slight web, under fallen leaves 

 moss. etc. 



