76 SPHINGID^. 



the abdominal segments 9 and 10 rapidly to and fro, at the 

 same time rapidly contracting and lengthening the abdomen. 

 The moth has rather a weak flight. It rests with the wings 

 slanting rather broadly and widely penthouse- wise. We 

 have never seen the moth feeding nor coming to light. 



7. Meganoton rufescens rufescens (Butler). (Fig. 12 H-L, 

 genitalia). 



Diludia rufescens, Butler, 1875, p. 260 (N. India). 



Diludia rufescens, Swinhoe, 1892, p. 33 (Silhet). 



Meganoton rufescens rufescens, Roths. & Jord., 1903, p. 37 ; Seitz, 



1928, p. 528, t. 60 c. 

 Pseudosphinx discistriga, Walk., Hampson, 1892, p. 105. 



Imago. — <J$. Similar to M. nyctiphanes, but of a darker 

 brown, and without pale spots on disc of hind wing ; sides of 

 mesothoracic tegulse of the same brown colour as the fore 

 wing ; abdomen with three or four yellow side -patches, bor- 

 dered above by a black continuous band. Palpus as large 

 as in nyctiphanes, second segment shorter than broad (scaling 

 included). Antenna of <$ rather thicker than in nyctiphanes. 

 Expanse : 116-162 mm . 



The species bears a remarkable resemblance to dark speci- 

 mens of Psilogramma menephron, with which Hampson 

 confused it. 



$. Tenth abdominal segment very peculiar ; the tergite 

 (fig. 12 H) gently curved, strongly spatulate, the sides 

 of the dilated apical portion clothed with some long stiff 

 hairs and turned downwards, apical margin rounded- 

 truncate ; tergite thin ; sternite longer than tergite, suddenly 

 turned upwards near end, and produced at the curvature 

 into an obtuse process, which is compressed like the vertical 

 cleft apical part of the sternite (fig. 12 I). Clasper : ventral 

 margin oblique ; dorsal margin first straight, then somewhat 

 dilated and turned inward ; apex obliquely rounded ; patch 

 of friction-scales clay-colour, the scales large and multi- 

 dentate ; harpe (fig. 12 J) produced into a curved, almost 

 finger-like, pointed, ventral process, the oblique upper margin 

 dilated into a triangular lobe, which is armed with teeth. 

 Penis-sheath (fig. 12 K) with one curved process, which 

 is less than twice as long as the sheath is wide ; the process 

 recurved towards the sheath. 



?. Vaginal plate (fig. 12 L) rather strongly chitinized, 

 .glabrous, convex mesially ; vaginal cavity before middle, 

 covered by a long sinuate-truncate lobe which narrows 

 distally. 



Hab. E. Himalayas (Sikkim ; Silhet), the Andamans, 

 Borneo, Mindanao and the Sulu Islands. Early stages un- 

 known. 



