AND THEIR TUANSI'OUMATIONS. 25 



SPECIES 2.— AGAUISTA AGKICOLA.— (Plati.; 8.) 

 l\t]3lllu Agricoln, Donovan, lus. N"c\v Holland. 

 Ayarlsta plcta, LeacU. 



More than half a century ago Donovan was tlie first to figure this fine species of Agarista in liis " Insects of New 

 lloUaud/' wlicrein he descrihes it as "possessing no ordinary share of gaiety in its contrasted hues," an observation in strict 

 accordance with the beautiful and varied colouring of the moth which would almost have justified Leach, Godart, and others, 

 m committing a broach of the law of priority by the substitution of the more appropriate name of " picta " for that of Agricola' 



Although so many writers have noticed this insect in its perfect state, we arc not aware that the equally shon^y cater- 

 pillar has ever been figured or described. The one represented in our plate is that of a female, and measures nearly 3 inches 

 in length, (the male less robust, shorter by an inch, but otherwise similar), plump, soft, and of a delicate creamy white, relieved 

 by rich velvety black annular bands in the middle of each segment, with the exception of the fourth, which possesses one of a 

 bright saturnine red ; the penultimate segment also carries a saddle shaped marking of the same saturnine hue partly obsciu-ing 

 the black band. The head and feet are of a dull red, and whorls of shining black filamental appendages, few in number and 

 spatulate in form, take their rise from the annular bands. 



Two days previous to the construction of its cocoon a material alteration takes place in the appearance of the caterpillar, 

 the creamy white gradually darkening into pale yellow which again deepens into a rich orange, so that the whole body is 

 covered by alternate bands of black and orange. 



These larvae are commonly mot with in the warmest summer months, and feed upon the leaves of the A'itis heterophylla, 

 a vine very abundant in the low rich brush lands. 



Like the preceding species they join together dead leaves, IVagments of wood, and eartliy particles for their trans- 

 formation. 



The Chrysalis (fig. 1) is reddish broivn, truncated at the posterior extremity, in general formation resembles that of 

 the A. Casuarince, and is nearly 1 inch in length. 



The female perfect insect in expansion of wings measures about 3 inches ; the male J inch smaller. 



'^hc A)iteimcB, (fig. 2) are simple, slightly ciliated beneath, gradually thickening towards the tips, when tliey 



attenuate and terminate in an elongated hook. 



The Lahial jjalpi, (fig. 3 and 1) curving upwards and projecting above the eyes in front of the head, are covered with 

 hairs, with the exception of the terminal joint which is ahuost naked, slender, and equal in length 

 to the basal ; the middle joint twice as long as either and more robust. 



•nxti Legs, femora and tibitu densely pilose, tarsi nearly naked: 2nd pairs with 'l apical, and posterior (fig. 5) 



with 4 longisli spurs on tibia;. 



Wings deflexed when at rest, and the insect diurnal. 



The ground colour of the upper surface of the female is of a deep velvety black, strikingly relieved by a broad band of 

 delicate straw colour, passing across the thorax and extending along under the costa to about a third of the length of each upper 

 mng. Beyond this are two transverse irregular rows of Indian yellow patches, and near to the outer margin two macular 

 bands of light blue, the exterior one miited to the lower angle of the straw coloured patch before described by a delicate 

 ilexuous line, leaving three spots of light blue along the inner margin : several faint costal marks of blue are also visible. 

 The under ^vings possess a distinct band of pale blue, running transversely through the disc; while nearer to the outer 

 margin a broad bar of deep carmine red commences at the anal angle and terminates at about half the wing. The marginal 

 border of the upper wing is white at the tip and hinder angles, but that of the under wing ^vlioUy a\ hite. The extremity 

 of the abdomen orange yellow and slightly tufted. 



The under side bears a general resemblance to the upper, but is much brighter, and destitute of the straw coloured 

 band so conspicuous above. The densely pilose portions of the legs are briglit saturnine red. 



The above description is also applicable to the male, with the ditference however that the basal straw coloured band is 

 reduced to a narrow bar across the shoulders and to a larger one placed at the lower portions of the thorax and wings, above 

 which are a few flexuous indistinct lines of blue. 



This description of the perfect insect of the A. Agricola is given as a mean taken from the nuiuerous specimens in our 

 possession, as we find that the various marldngs change somewhat in size and brightness of colouring in different individuals. 



Views of the upper sm-face of the iemale, the underneath of the male, and of the ¥ larva, on tlie Vitis heterophylla in 

 flo^yer and fruit, are exhibited in the present plate. 



