98 EEV. A. MILES MOSS ON TKE 



Larva. — Early stages not observed. The middle and final instars show no essential 

 differences, the ground-colou]' varying slightly in different specimens between light 

 blue-green and yellow-green. One very distinct mottled variety is described below. 

 The dorsal area, which is either the lightest or brightest portion, is enclosed by a couple 

 of broad but tapering yellow bands from mouth to tail. The caudal horn is merely 

 a short and hooked stump, light green in colour, and the medio-dorsal stripe is 

 represented by one or two spots of darker colour on each segment. Unlike the oblique 

 lateral stripes of Acherontiinae, eight more or less ill-defined and rather narrow yellow 

 lines mark the sides, directed headioards. Immediately beneath these are situated the 

 spiracles, which are dark-ringed, but not very conspicuous. The legs are creamy-pink 

 and black -ringed, and all the claspers possess a distinct fringe of hair. Head large 

 and formidable, and together with plate and anal extremities of a light blue colour 

 inclining to violet. 



A most remarkable change of colour takes place prior to pupation, as follows : — 

 (a) head (including pair of facial stripes which disappear entirely), plate on segment 2, 

 horn, anal flap, and hard plate on anal claspers all go black; (b) lower lateral and 

 ventral areas, including claspers, become leaden-blue; (c) dorsal area up to and 

 including lemon-yellow bands changes to an intense and brilliant cadmium-yellow, 

 more or less heavily mnrked on the wrinkles of each segment by transverse lines in 

 deep maroon, interrupted by, but continued beyond, the two dorsal bands and extended 

 in fainter tone and varying length to the lateral skin-folds. These extremes of colour 

 fade away as pupation advances, and are much less pronounced when the larval skin is 

 moulted for the last time. A very strange variety was twice discovered which assumed 

 the orange coloration prior to pupation, but was darker and less blue at the sides. 



Figs, c and g must be referred to, as the markings are too numerous, small, and 

 irregular to describe in detail, and all the colours are of a very delicate compound 

 character. An admixture of the greys, greens, and light reds often blended in tree- 

 trunk lichens may be regarded as a fair general description. Head and hard portions 

 much freckled with black, claspers heavily ringed with velvety black, dorsal bands 

 light emerald in place of yellow and less pronounced. The leg-segments, segment 9, 

 and a part of 8 and 10, are strangely clouded with a neutral tint, producing the effect 

 of a bruise and looking as though the caterpillar were commencing to mortify in 

 irregular patches. Whereas the green form is well protected among the thick ever- 

 green foliage of the Ficus, this grey variety is much less so ; and though in a land 

 where rain-storms are unknown (?'. e. the coast) the thick branches tend to accumulate 

 all sorts of filth, the trunks are generally light in colour, smooth like the beech and 

 are practically free from lichen-growth. 



Pupa (PI. XV. fig. 9'). — Bright warm mabogany-brown and very glossy. Gracefully 

 curved on ventral area. In general form robust and rounded, the cremaster being- 

 represented by only a very short blunt point. 



