SPHINGID^ OF PERU. 93 



Andes, where aloue its food-plant, a wild rubber of the hills, grows. The larvse, 

 unlike most Sphingidse, scorn the principle of protective resemblance, adopt bright 

 warning colours, and feed gregariously in considerable number, often completely 

 stripping a bush or the upper portion of a tree. Retarded specimens were not 

 infrequently found hanging dead from the leaves when the remainder of the batch had 

 disappeared. These were generally in the fourth instar, and had apparently, either 

 from parasitic stings or bites, failed in the penultimate moult. The frass for so large 

 a creature is only of moderate size and of the regular hexagonal formation. Prior to 

 pupation the larvae roam far and wide, and are most striking and formidable objects 

 when encountered crossing a path. The puparium is made in the soil near the surface, 

 and a few silken threads are spun over the roof. The moth sometimes emerges 

 within three weeks. 



Ova. — Plain, oval, pearly green, and moderately large. Probably deposited singly on 

 the leaves of " caucho de monte" but in considerable number on the same plant, 

 rather than in the clustered form adopted by most gregarious species. The opened 

 abdomen of migrant specimens often disclosed both mature and immature ova, but 

 the female moth, though fed on honey, could never be induced to lay in captivity. 



Larva. — Early stages un-noted in Peru *. 



First instar. Grey, ringed vertically with yellow. Head ochreous. Tail like a 

 long, thin, flexible black hair, held erect or curved over the body. Very lively. 



Second instar. A miniature of adult. Head and plates redder. Tail now scarcely 

 more than half the length of body. Pair of spike-like tubercles on anal flap a 

 prominent feature. 



Third and fourth instars. Entire coloration subdued in contrast with final stage. 

 Tubercles on anal flap still tall and sharp. Thin black tail still capable of free 

 movement, and often bent in a semicircle over the body. In penultimate moult this 

 is about an inch and a quarter in length. 



Final instar. Enormously long and slightly tapering towards the extremities, 

 though both head and anal portion are strongly developed. The segments of the body, 

 save for their special adornment, are all dead black. Segments 3 and 4 are marked 

 with the letters LL, the angles pointing towards the mouth. Segments 5 to 11 

 inclusive possess broad, irregularly shaped belts in the anterior half of each segment, 

 the latter four being finely cut by a thin medio-dorsal line, and those on 5, 6, 

 and 7 more or less invaded by the suggestion of a medio-dorsal stripe. Below 



* The early stages of this species were subsequently studied ia Brazil, larvre of all sizes being frequently 

 met with during July and August 1911, feeding on the Frangipanni. This tree in the gardens of Para and 

 Manaos, locally known as jasmin, is often completely stripped of its long pointed leaves by this caterpillar, 

 while the milky sap which exudes in abundance smears the trunk and branches. When basking on the 

 denuded branches in the hot sun these larva3 are excessively lively, constantly twitching in a nervous or 

 irritated manner. In Lima this same tree, variously known as sucJie or caracuclio, is not uncommon, but 

 never could I trace the larvse of P. tetrio to this source locally. 



