MEGACORMA. 65- 



The length of the pupal stage is very variable, depending 

 to some extent on the period of the year. It may be as short 

 as seventeen to twenty-six days, but late in the year may last 

 from four to six months, or even longer. 



The moths are fast fliers, and appear at dusk to feed at 

 flowers, tubular flowers such as those of Convolvulus, Ipomea, 

 Hibiscus, Begonia, Petunia and tobacco, being the favourites. 

 The extremely long tongue (up to 5 inches in length) enables 

 them to reach the honey at the end of the corolla tube. They 

 are often attracted by light, and are amongst the commonest 

 of sphingids to be caught at lamps. On entering a lighted 

 room they usually fly round for some time and then settle, 

 assuming a characteristic position with the wings folded pent- 

 house-wise over the body, hiding it entirely or leaving only a 

 small portion uncovered, the antenna? being folded back over 

 the wings. 



Genus MEGACORMA Roths. & Jord. (Fig. 11). 



Roths. & Jord., 1903, p. 15 ; id., 1907, p. 7. 



Genotype : obliqua Walk. 



Imago. — "<£?. Tongue much longer than the body. Second 

 segment of palpus narrower at base, triangular, very much 

 shorter than first segment ; apex of the latter with a regular 

 and large cavity ; the inner surface of the first segment flat, 

 not obviously concave as in Herse, scaling at apical margin 

 very regular, this scaling visible from the outer side ; inner 

 surface of second segment all scaled, cavity less deep than in 

 Herse and Acherontia, the roof of scales over the cavity not 

 quite so distinctly separate from the other scaling of the 

 segment as in the allied genera. Antenna thickest not far 

 from base, gradually thinning towards end. Thorax very long, 

 extending far beyond the base of the fore wing. Tarsi longv 

 slender, spines short ; middle and hind tarsi with con- 

 spicuous comb of prolonged spines ; hind tibia as long as 

 first tarsal segment ; pul villus present, paronychium with 

 two lobes on each side. 



" (J. Tenth abdominal sternite with a broad, rounded^ 

 mesial lobe, convex below. Harpe armed with long teeth. 

 Clasper with a broad patch of very broad, multidentate scales,. 

 and eighth tergite with elongate, tawny friction- scales at 

 apex ; these scales turned inside, but not forming a ribbon 

 as in Ambulicin^e. Anterior coxae with scent-organ ; the 

 tufts of hairs generally visible without removal of the coxae. 



" $. Eighth tergite shallowly and broadly sinuate, the 

 angles strongly rounded. Vaginal plate membranaceous 

 proximally, much folded ; anterior margin of the vaginal 

 orifice produced into a truncate, feebly sinuate lip, the angles 

 prominent ; post-vaginal part of plate more strongly chitin- 

 ized, smooth, short." (Roths. & Jord., 1903, p. 15). 



Hah. Oriental Region. One Indian subspecies. 

 vol. v. F 



