OXYAMBULYX. 117 



Pupa. — Closely resembles others in the genus. Length 

 51 mm. 



Habits. — Eggs laid usually on the underside, but sometimes 

 on the upper side of a leaf, or on twigs of the food-plant, from 

 about May to July. Food-plant : Juglans regiaJArm. (walnut), 

 family Juglandaceee. The larva lies on the underside of a leaf, 

 and adopts the characteristic attitudes described under the 

 genus Oxyambulyx. It rests without feeding for four or five 

 days before leaving the food-plant to seek a place to pupate, 

 and the dorsum becomes suffused with violet. If touched 

 during this resting period, or while on the ground looking for 

 soft earth to dig in, it jumps violently, bending the head 

 to one side till it touches the claspers and then suddenly 

 to the other side. The movement is so vigorous that the larva 

 sometimes jerks itself off the food-plant on to the ground. 

 Pupation takes place in a cell underground, smoothed and 

 lined with silk inside. The pupal stage lasts from about three 

 weeks to many months in the case of hibernating pupae. 

 The moth rests with the wings held almost horizontal and the 

 abdomen bent sharply upwards. We have never seen it in 

 the wild state. 



18 b. Oxyambulyx sericeipennis agana Jord. (PI. I, figs. 6, 7, 

 larva ; PI. VII, fig. 11, imago ; PI. XIII, fig. 9,"larva). 



Oxyambulyx sericeipennis agana, Jordan, 1929, p. 85 (Sikkim) ; 



Scott, 1931, pi. i, fig. 1. 

 Oxyambulyx sericeipennis Roths. & Jord., 1903, pi. ix, fig. 2 (<£)'. 



Imago. — ^2. On the whole larger than 0. s. sericeipennis. 

 Underside of both wings paler yellow than in 0. s. sericeipennis, 

 less brick-red, particularly in the outer half. Process (uncus) 

 of anal tergite narrower, its apical portion as seen from the 

 side wider vertically ; dentate ridge of harpe somewhat 

 larger. 



Hab. E. Himalayas (Sikkim, Assam) and Burma. We have 

 bred it in the Khasi Hills, where it is common at an elevation 

 of from 4,000 to 5,000 feet. The larva and pupa so closely 

 resemble those of 0. s. sericeipennis that no separate descrip- 

 tion is given. 



Habits. — Food-plants : Rhus insigniaJik.f., family Anacardi- 

 aceae ; Juglans regia Linn, (walnut) and Engelhardtia spicata 

 Blume, family Juglandaceae ; Myrica nagi Thunb., family 

 Myricaceae ; Betula alnoid.es Ham. (birch), family Betulaceae ; 

 Quercus Linn, (oak), family Fagaceae. Eggs were found in May 

 and June, and larvae up to September. If the larvae are fed 

 on walnut the leaves must be fresh or the larvae are poisoned 

 and die. 



