SPHINGIDiE SEMANOPHOP^E. 237 



produced into a thorn ; comb of mid- and hind tarsus often 

 present, external spines sometimes very numerous, short 

 and strong {Macroglossum). Pulvillus present in all Indian 

 species except one species of Hzemorrhagia. Paronychium 

 with few exceptions (Gurelca, Sphingonpepiopsis) with four 

 lobes. Wings very variable in shape, frenulum and retina- 

 culum always present. 



Egg. — Spherical or broadly ovoid ; surface smooth and 

 shining ; colour green or 3 r ellow, seldom with markings. 



Larva. — Head usually small, round, without apical processes, 

 but in Sataspes triangular, and with apical processes except 

 in first and last instars, and in Cephonodes round but com- 

 paratively large ; in Angonyx large and semi-elliptical ; body 

 in most genera tapering sharply from segment 5 to 2, the head 

 and anterior segments more or less completely retractile into 

 segment 5 ; rest of body nearly cylindrical ; horn very variable 

 in size and shape, occasionally much reduced, in early instars 

 sometimes long and movable in a vertical plane. Surface of 

 head generally smooth and shining ; body smooth except in 

 a few, genera, seldom strongly tuberculate, and usually dull in 

 the last instar (shining in Rhagastis albomarginatus) ; horn dull 

 or shining, with or without tubercles. Colour very variable 

 specifically and individually, often several colour-forms : 

 longitudinal and oblique stripes commonly present, and lateral 

 ocelli occur in all Indian Choerocampin^ and in some Philam- 

 pelin^:. The size varies as greatly as in the Asemanophoile. 



Pupa. — Tongue reaches tip of wing-case ; in many genera 

 the basal part of the tongue in a laterally flattened sheath 

 projecting frontad and ventrad ; tongue in a free sheath in 

 Rhyncholaba acteus. Surface smooth, either dull or shining. 

 Colour variable, with stripes, spots or mottling, except in the 



SESITNxE. 



Habits. — Eggs laid singly (except in Celerio euphorbias) on 

 a variety of food-plants, those of the families Ampelidese. 

 Rubiacea? and Aroidese being most commonly chosen, usually 

 on the underside of a leaf. The larvae, when small, lie on the 

 underside of a leaf, when large often rest on the stem or hide 

 on the ground while not feeding, with the body stretched 

 out straight. When molested many species retract the 

 anterior segments and expand the ocelli on segment 5 ; others 

 adopt a snake-like pose, or throw back the head and eject 

 juice from the mouth. Pupation takes place in a rough 

 cocoon on the surface of the ground, except in the genus 

 Sataspes. The moths rest with the wings held horizontal, 

 the abdomen sometimes bent upwards. The Sesiin^ and 

 the genera Gurelca, Macroglossum and Rhopalopsyche are day 

 fliers. 



Cosmopolitan, with three subfamilies, SEsmrzE, Philam- 

 PELiNiE and Chgerocampix.e. 



