A BUTTERFLY INJURIOUS TO COCONUT PALMS IN BRITISH GUIANA. 



275 



Newly hatched larvae measure about 4 mm. in length and are al)out '3 mm. broad. 

 The head is large and out of proportion, being about '7 mm. in breadth ; black to 

 dark reddish-brown, shining, and clothed sparsely with a few short light-coloured 

 hairs. The body is a light claret-red in colour, with six light yellow longitudinal 

 stripes extending its entire length ; these are equidistant, four being lateral ; the 

 two dorsal are slightly better defined than the lateral ones. The whole body is 

 clothed sparsely with fine longish hairs, each arising from a small tubercle, of which 

 there are about eight to each segment. The anal segment is chitinous. The ventral 

 surface is slightly lighter in colour than the dorsal. 



From the beginning they show the habits of the adults in crawling in procession 

 or resting with their heads all pointing in one direction. After the first 24 hours 

 (during which time they refuse to feed) they commence eating the green parts of 

 the leaves with great voracity. They rapidly increase in size and become darker. 



kl 



.7.-'5 



Fig. 1. Brassolis sophorae, L. ; larva, and lateral and 

 dorsal view of pupa. 



When full grown the larvae measure about 50 mm. (fig. 1). The head is of a 

 reddish brown colour and bears two spots of a very dark brown, which sometimes 

 cover the greater part of the anterior portion ; it is clothed with short, soft, 

 light-coloured hairs. The body is of a dark brown colour, with longitudinal lines 

 of a pale dirty yellow extending along its length. Nine lines can be distinctly seen 

 immediately behind the head, three situated dorsally and six laterally, but become 

 less distinct as they extend backwards. This is particularly so with the dorsal ones, 

 which become fused after about the fourth segment, forming a broad band. In the 

 lateral lines the middle ones become considerably broadened, but do not fuse with 

 the others. On the first segment there is a dark spiracle, also one on each segment 

 from the fourth to the eleventh. There are a few scattered spots on the surface 

 between the dorsal and lateral fines. The entire body is covered with short, soft, 

 light-coloured hairs. ; : v 



