CLANIS. 141 



" 2. A large post vaginal plate, which is strongly chiti- 

 nized and projects distad " (Roths. & Jord., 1903, p. 213). 



Egg. — Nearly spherical ; surface smooth and shining ; colour 

 green. 



Larva. — In the 1st instar the larva has a covering of branched 

 hairs ; head round, but becomes triangular and with apical 

 processes from the 2nd instar to last instar, when it is again 

 rounded. In the last instar head very large, body stout 

 and nearly cylindrical, horn very short except in bilineata ; 

 surface covered with small tubercles ; colour green or yellow, 

 with seven pale oblique stripes. 



Pupa. — Somewhat slender in build ; tongue reaches tip of 

 wing-case ; no coxal piece except in bilineata ; antenna 

 shorter than fore leg ; surface smooth and shining ; no 

 sculpturing on segment 4 ; ante-spiracular ridges on segments 9 

 to 11 : cremaster wedge-shaped, very rugose and ending in 

 a longitudinal ridge ; colour chestnut, cremaster black. 

 Mell (1922) states that there is an indication of a small spiracle 

 on segment 5, which is not visible in any other genus of the 

 family with which he is acquainted. We have verified the 

 presence of this spiracle in the case of bilineata, phalaris and 

 titan. 



Habits. — Eggs laid singly on plants of the family Legu- 

 minosse. The larva eats the egg-shell on hatching ; it assumes 

 the typical " sphinx " attitude when resting, and strikes side- 

 ways with the head when molested. The colour does not 

 change before pupation, which takes place in a cell under- 

 ground. Most of the Indian species have the curious habit 

 of many individuals remaining in the larval state for a long 

 period after they have buried themselves in the earth, the 

 moth emerging in a comparatively short period after pupation 

 has taken place ; in these cases hibernation takes place in 

 the larval instead of the pupal stage. The moths are sluggish 

 during the day ; they rest with the wings held below the 

 horizontal, the anal angles of the hind wings nearly touching- 

 each other, the tornal angles of fore wings more widely separated, 

 exposing the edges of the hind wings ; abdomen not bent up- 

 wards. The moths often hang with the body supported by the 

 fore legs only. We have never seen the moths feeding, 

 and most of them do not appear to be attracted by light. 



Hab. Oriental, extending into the Palaearctic and Aethiopian 

 Regions. Five Indian species and subspecies. 



Key to the Species. 



Imagines. 

 1. Fore wing underside with a black streak 



behind the cell 2. 



Fore wing underside without a black streak 

 behind the cell 5. 



