324 SPHINGID^]. 



broadly oval, flush, the surface rising. slightly to the central 

 slit, which has raised edges. Cremaster a stout knob, ending 

 in a short shaft set with five or six short hooks and some 

 tubercles along the lateral edges basad on each side ; upper 

 surface very rugose. Colour pale ochreous ; head and thorax 

 suffused with brown and marbled with darker brown ; wing- 

 case suffused with pale brown, and with short, pale transverse 

 lines ; fore and mid-leg banded with very dark brown, nearly 

 black ; a pale bracket-shaped marking on fore tibia ; abdo- 

 men marbled with dark brown, pinkish ventrally ; hind bevels 

 of segments 8 to 10 chocolate-brown ; a brown interrupted 

 ventral stripe ; sculpturing on segment 4, spiracles and 

 cremaster black ; ante-spiracular ridges rusty. Length 35 mm . ; 

 breadth 11 mm. 



Habits. — Food-plant : Randia dumetorum Lamk., family 

 Rubiacese. In the resting position the head and segments 2 

 and 3 are retracted into 4 which, together with 5, is swollen. 

 The larva is sluggish and moves in a jerky manner. Before 

 pupation it turns livid slate-grey, the white markings turning 

 yellow. Pupation takes place in a rough cocoon on the 

 surface. The pupa is active, squirming energetically when 

 touched, and making a low rustling sound. The moth has 

 not been observed except in captivity, and bred $£ do not 

 attract ££ readily. Eggs hatch after about five days, larval 

 growth lasting about twenty-five days, pupal state about 

 sixteen days. 



Genus NEPHELE Hiibner. 



Hiibner. 1822, p. 133 ; Roths. & Jord., 1903, p. 550 ; id., 1907, 

 p. 104, 



Genotype : didyma (Fabr.). 



Imago. — " ^§. Patch of fine hairs at each side of base of 

 tongue conspicuous. Genal process acuminate, longer than 

 pilifer. Palpus prominent, second segment widened from 

 base to apex, rounded- truncate at end ; inner surface of first 

 segment carinate ventrally. Eye large. Antenna slightly 

 clubbed in $, not incrassate distally in ^, end-segment long, 

 rough-scaled. Spines of abdominal tergites and sternites 

 numerous, in several rows, all elongate, flattened, strong ; 

 $ with three-cornered anal tuft, $ with a simple truncate one, 

 which consists, as in $, of stiff (mostly reddish) brittle scales. 

 Fore coxal scent-organ of $ feebly developed ; legs slender, 

 hind tibia with dorsal and ventral scaling prolonged, the tibia 

 appearing compressed ; first protarsal segment with external 

 row of spines doubled or trebled ; comb of mid- and hind 

 tarsus strongly developed, the spines of hind tarsal comb long : 



