174 sphingidjE. 



is produced mesiad into a plate which lies above the penis - 

 sheath and is prolonged distad into a sharp process, which is 

 the same on both sides, while in Polyptychus trilineatus. the 

 left one differs from the right one. Penis-funnel short, more 

 or less transversely folded above ; penis-sheath without 

 processes, but more or less rugose or granulose at the end " 

 (Roths. & Jord., 1903, p. 266). 



Egg. — Depressed ovoid, large or medium in size ; surface 

 smooth and shining ; colour pale yellow, sometimes with brown 

 markings. 



Larva. — Head large, round in 1st instar, triangular with 

 apical processes in the intermediate instars, rounded- triangular 

 without processes, or very short processes, in final instar ; 

 body nearly cylindrical, tapering very little frontad ; horn 

 medium or long, usually straight. Surface of head, body 

 and horn tuberculate, especially along the stripes. Colour 

 green. 



Pupa. — Stout, with two frontal ridges ; tongue shorter than 

 fore leg ; coxal piece and ante-spiracular ridges present ; 

 colour reddish -brown. 



Habits. — Eggs laid singly on underside of a leaf. Food- 

 plants belong to several families. The larva eats the egg-shell 

 on hatching ; rests on the underside of a leaf ; adopts the 

 sphinx-like attitude when at rest, and strikes sideways with 

 the head when molested. The dorsum usually becomes 

 suffused with pink before pupation, and at this period the larva 

 jumps from side to side when touched. Pupation in an ovoid 

 cell underground. The moth rests with the wings held nearly 

 horizontal, not covering the abdomen, which is bent upwards. 



Hob. Widely distributed from the Oriental to the Palsearctic 

 Region. Eleven Indian species and subspecies. 



Key to the Species. 



Imagines. 



1. Fore tibia ending in a long thorn or claw . 2. 

 Fore tibia without apical thorn 3. 



2. Fore wing with a large chocolate, sub- 



marginal patch from apex to R 1 , bounded 



by an inwardly curved line ; hind wing [p. 189. 



reddish M. indicus (Walker), 



Fore wing without such a patch ; hind wing [p. 187. 



grey suffused with brown M. poliotis Harnps., 



3. Hind wing red shaded with brown distally . M . gaschkewitschi 

 Hind wing not red 4. [fortis Jord., p. 175 



4. Fore wing with a large chocolate-brown 



patch from costa to below R 1 , with in- [p. 190 



curved inner edge M. bengale?isis Ji&mps., 



Fore wing with a large irregular median 

 brown patch, bordered with pink on costa, [p. 191 



and partly including a pale reniform spot. M. decoratus (Moore), 



Fore wing with no such patch 5. 



