ACHERONTIA. 59> 



first tarsal segment ; hind tibia equal in length to tarsal 

 segments 1 to 3. Expanse : 90-130 mm. 



$. Ventral process of harpe (fig. 9 E) almost vertical on 

 the plane of the clasper, its broader side nearly horizontal ; 

 second process triangular as in atropos, its broader side dorso- 

 ventral (vertical) ; both processes simple or indistinctly notched. 



$. Aperture of vagina without process, but with a mesial 

 carina running proximad from the rim of the opening. 



Hob. — Throughout India, Burma and Ceylon. Very 

 common in open country. We have bred it in many localities, 

 including desert areas. 



Larva : — 



1st instar. Head and body pale yellow, horn black, long, 

 straight, bifid. 2nd instar. Head and body bluish -green, 

 dotted with white ; seven white oblique stripes ; horn purple 

 on dorsal surface, green on ventral. 3rd instar. Head and 

 segments 2 to 4 green, rest of body bluish-green ; the oblique 

 stripes more strongly marked and edged above with dark green. 

 4tth instar. Head and segments 2 to 4 apple -green, rest of body 

 yellow T ish-green in dorsal area, bluish-green in lateral and 

 ventral ; horn green covered with pointed tubercles. 



5th instar. Head rather square in shape, vertex rounded ; 

 true clypeus one-half length of head, its basal angles rounded 

 and tumid ; false clypeus forming a broadly rounded arch 

 over apex of true clypeus, reaching to one-half length of head ; 

 la brum as broad at base as clypeus, narrowing frontad ; 

 ligula kidney-shaped, the lobes broadly rounded. Eyes 1 to 4 

 equidistant in a gentle curve, about an eye-diameter apart, 

 6 about three diameters from 4, nearly in a line with 3 and 4 : 

 5 forming an equilateral triangle with 4 and 6. Surface of 

 head shining, minutely irregularly corrugate ; body smooth 

 and dull ; nearly cylindrical, tapering slightly from segment 7 

 frontad ; the secondary rings of 3 and 4 raised into ridges in 

 the dorsal area. Horn less stout at base than that of lachesis. 

 tapering evenly to a sharp point, basal half curved gently 

 downwards and distal half gently upwards ; distal two-thirds 

 of anal flap shining and covered sparsely with minute tubercles : 

 horn shining and set sparsely with minute tubercles. 



Coloration. — Three forms as in lachesis, but the green form 

 is the most common. 



Green form (PI. VIII, figs. 1,2) : Head dark green ; a broad, 

 shining black stripe dowii the cheek ; labrum whitish with a 

 black spot in the middle of each half ; ligula whitish, the lobes 

 streaked with black ; basal segment of antenna white, middle 

 segment white with black base, third segment pale red ; man- 

 dible pale green with the tip broadly black. Segments 2 to 4 

 of body yellowish-green, rest of body grass-green ; dorsum and 

 sides of 5 to 11 with dark bluish dots along each secondary 



